After 33 years coaching the Islander Cross Country team with 21 of those years as the head coach, I figured it was time to pass the baton to a new coach. Our new Cross Country head coach Pete Wilson details the result of the season’s first Invite.
Coronado High School Cross Country opened its 2026 season Saturday at the Vaquero Stampede at Lindo Lake County Park, with 15 Islanders competing in the two-mile event.
Several Coronado runners turned in strong early-season performances, including three Islanders who finished among the top 50 runners in their respective combined divisions.
Evan Russo led the Coronado boys with an impressive 20th-place finish out of 367 runners in the Boys Frosh/Soph competition.
On the girls’ side, Vivian Scott led the Islanders, finishing 35th out of 154 runners in the Girls Junior/Senior competition. She was followed closely by teammate Carly DeVore, who gave Coronado a second top-50 performance by finishing 38th out of 154.
Diego Ibarra Cruz also made a name for himself in his cross country debut, finishing 140th out of 367 runners in the Boys Frosh/Soph competition. With limited distance-running experience and training entering the season, Ibarra Cruz’s performance was a promising debut in a large field.
Ayrton Reyes also had a strong opening race, finishing 88th out of 367. Jacob Ingold finished 186th and Jameson Laaperi 198th, while Felix Scott and Daniel Turner rounded out Coronado’s Boys Frosh/Soph finishers.
In the Boys Junior/Senior competition, Ziggy Raunig led Coronado with a 122nd-place finish out of 299 runners. Timothy Gilbert, Oliver Surdykowski and Wyatt Barratt also represented the Islanders in the division.
Behind Scott and DeVore in the Girls Junior/Senior race, Teaghan Carpinito finished 61st out of 154, while Lily Humphrey placed 74th, giving Coronado four finishers in the division.
The Vaquero Stampede gave the Islanders their first opportunity of the season to compete against a large field and establish an early benchmark. With 15 athletes completing the two-mile course, Coronado now has its first set of race results to build upon as the season moves forward.
The Islanders return to competition September 5 at the CCA Ravens Invitational.
Students interested in joining the Coronado Cross Country program can contact Coach Wilson at [email protected].
