The Scoop: Woodbridge Upsets, Big Results and Top Races

Exciting Finishes Mark Another Memorable Roy Griak Invitational

Ella Hagen returned to the Roy Griak Invitational, eager to defend her title after last year's last-minute decision to compete. The Summit, CO senior did just that, securing her second consecutive win on a warm Friday with a time of 18:02.9. Hagen became the fifth girl in meet history to win two titles, joining an elite group of past champions, alongside Shannon Bergstedt, Krista Eckert, Katie Flood and Emily Covert. Hagen worked for the win today thanks to South Dakota's Libby Castelli, with Castelli pushing her until about 800m left, finishing just 9 seconds behind for her third straight top-three finish at Roy Griak. 

In the team race, it was two of the nation's best teams in Minnesota's Wayzata High School and North Carolina's Cardinal Gibbons competing for the prestigious team title. It was the Cardinal Gibbons girls coming out victorious scoring 94 points to Wayzata's 124, to secure the title. The Cardinal Gibbons girls placed all five scorers in the top 50 finishers to deny Wayzata their third straight team title at the meet and to become the first Roy Griak champions from North Carolina. 

On the boys' side, Robert Mechura of Roseville Area MN claimed his first Roy Griak title after finishing third last year. Mechura clocked 15:35, outpacing Minnetonka MN's Sean Fries, who led for much of the race before finishing second in 15:52.4. Mechura avenged his loss from last year, which was his only loss of the season before Nike Cross Nationals. Dowling Catholic won the boy's team title for the third time overall and first time since 2022, beating out Sioux Falls Lincoln and Stevens Point in a tight race. Owen Wolfe was the top finisher for Dowling Catholic, finishing in 13th place with a time of 16:24.9.