Crater's Emma West leads to the second loop of the 5-kilometer course during the Max King Invitational cross country event at the Jackson County Expo in Central Point Tuesday.

It was a different type of cattle call Tuesday evening for the Jackson County Expo, with local cross country runners taking over the Isola Arena to create another new experience in the ever-evolving Max King Invitational in Central point.

With construction underway for a multi-use pandemic response center on the Expo grounds, this year’s gathering of the Rogue Valley’s finest cross country runners allowed for a decidedly different look but a not-so-different result as Crater swept the boys and girls team titles with dominant displays.

“I’ve never been through a cross country meet that runs through a building so that was pretty unique,” said Crater head coach Justin Loftus. “Everybody lined the course inside that building, which is huge, so it was loud and the kids were enjoying it so that was cool. We decided to start outside the Isola building and run right into it and out the other side and then finish in it, too. It was pretty fun.”

To no one’s surprise, it was the senior tandem of Tayvon Kitchen and Josiah Tostenson joined at the hip across the finish line to lead a quartet of Crater runners before North Medford senior Elijah Zavala broke the string of Comets.

“Our kids work really hard so I appreciate the hard work and they’re amazing,” said Loftus, “but it’s just nice to have everybody there and hopefully pump up the sport. It’s just great to see all of these teams out there together.”

“I think our kids are somewhat humble, too, about it,” he added. “The valley’s been amazing with runners, not just at Crater, so it’s been nice just to raise the bar and have others raise the bar and try to hold on.”

In all, the Crater boys took up seven of the top eight positions to give a quick glimpse of why the boys program enters the season ranked No. 3 in the Northwest by DyeStat and ninth overall by MileSplit.

“They’ve been working hard this summer and we have a talented crew coming back, for sure,” said Loftus. “I think we have not just two of the top kids in the nation but we have other guys that are trying to work as hard as them and do what they do. It’s definitely a team effort and that makes it all the more fun when it’s not just one or two guys.”

Those two guys — Kitchen and Tostenson — were content to just let the race play out at their pace and not let a first- or second-place result matter. The final times will show Kitchen crossing in 15 minutes, 29.54 seconds and Tostenson timing out at 15:29.60 but the equality of the efforts — which were 30 seconds faster than the next finisher — creates more of a reason to consider the Comet duo as co-winners more than anything.

“It’s great to have talent like that and I think sometimes you don’t realize it until it’s gone,” said Loftus, “but I definitely pinch myself every day on both sides, boys and girls, how fun the team is and how amazing they compete and work.”

A day after the race, Tostenson announced that he is committing to the University of Washington, where he will join former Comets teammate Tyrone Gorze.

Senior Grant Headley (16:00.53) and sophomore Maxwell Miracle (16:03.88) placed third and fourth, respectively, before Zavala rounded out the top five by closing in 16:12.82.

Crater senior Ivar Hokanson (16:22.65), junior Preston Schmidt (16:32.46) and sophomore Reece Hvall (16:37.97) claimed spot Nos. 6-8, followed by North Medford sophomore Uriah Webster (16:41.13) and Hidden Valley’s Peter Moline (16:52.97).

South Medford sophomore Ezra Dixon was his team’s top finisher in 11th place (16:57.73) and Ashland senior Bjorn Austbo led his team by placing 15th (17:27.25).

There are a lot of expectations for the Comets during this year’s boys cross country season, not only statewide but beyond when it comes to regional and national participation, but Loftus is trying to temper that a bit knowing there are plenty of miles between September and those later meets.

“I think they’re a special group right now,” he said. “As far as development, it’s just all about staying healthy and seeing how we can get through the season like most of these team sports. We get the individual team component but if we’re going to really be successful as a team then we’ve got to stay healthy because the work ethic and talent and all those factors are there. It’s just getting through the season.”

The Crater girls showed they will be a team to watch again this season as well, with senior Emma West breezing to the girls championship to lead a parade of five Comets in the top six spots.

West won in 18:28.72, which is about 12 seconds faster than her effort a year ago when the Max King Invitational was run even later into the season.

“Emma’s definitely a notch faster and this is earlier in the season so that’s a good sign,” said Loftus.

“They’re determined, for sure, and I’m excited to see how this is going to play out,” he added of the Crater girls squad. “We’ve got a deep team, too, on the girls side so those 21 or 22 girls are going to keep getting better and we’ll see how that goes.”

Junior Reese Garnica finished runner-up to West in 19:11.08, with sophomore teammate Brynn Davenport placing third (19:17.84).

Ashland freshman Natalie Kupka had a strong debut with her fourth-place effort of 19:28.24.

Crater sophomore Haddie Barsalou (19:30.59) and freshman Mari Dunlap (19:55.77) rounded out the top six finishers.

South Medford senior Cyerra Mejia placed seventh (20:05.37) just ahead of Grants Pass senior Nettle Grey (20:06.57), while Ashland junior Mackenzie Schmidt led her team with a ninth-place finish (20:13.72) and sophomore Lily Zavala was North Medford’s top placer at 10th overall (20:33.00).

BOYS

TEAM SCORES: Crater 16, North Medford 67, South Medford 79, Ashland 110, Grants Pass 144, Hidden Valley 179, Klamath Union 193, Phoenix 220

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS (Top 25): 1, Tayvon Kitchen, Cra, 15:29.54; 2, Josiah Tostenson, Cra, 15:29.60; 3, Grant Headley, Cra, 16:00.53; 4, Maxwell Miracle, Cra, 16:03.88; 5, Elijah Zavala, NM, 16:12.82; 6, Ivar Hokanson, Cra, 16:22.65; 7, Preston Schmidt, Cra, 16:32.46; 8, Reece Hvall, Cra, 16:37.97; 9, Uriah Webster, NM, 16:41.13; 10, Peter Moline, HV, 16:52.97.

11, Ezra Dixon, SM, 16:57.73; 12, Garrett Faught, Cra, 17:07.81; 13, William Shore, Cra, 17:08.50; 14, Eli Dixon, SM, 17:13.20; 15, Bjorn Austbo, Ash, 17:27.25; 16, Porter Webster, NM, 17:31.73; 17, Mason Carroll, SM, 17:33.92; 18, Adam Keller, Cra, 17:34.93; 19, Zane Messner, NM, 17:38.83; 20, Hudson Barsalou, Cra, 17:40.86; 21, Zeb LaCoste, Ash, 17:41.07; 22, Nathan Goode, Cra, 17:44.00; 23, Isaac Young, CC, 17:48.74; 24, Trace Hoskins, GP, 17:54.18; 25, Jackson Shuldberg, SM, 17:55.01.

GIRLS

TEAM SCORES: Crater 17, Klamath Union 92, South Medford 96, Grants Pass 121, North Medford 124, Ashland 136, Phoenix 200, Hidden Valley 209, Cascade Christian 233

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS (Top 25): 1, Emma West, Cra, 18:28.72; 2, Reese Garnica, Cra, 19:11.08; 3, Brynn Davenport, Cra, 19:17.84; 4, Natalie Kupka, Ash, 19:28.24; 5, Haddie Barsalou, Cra, 19:30.59; 6, Mari Dunlap, Cra, 19:55.77; 7, Cyerra Mejia, SM, 20:05.37; 8, Nettle Grey, GP, 20:06.57; 9, Mackenzie Schmidt, Ash, 20:13.72; 10, Lily Zavala, NM, 20:33.0.

11, Olivia Mitchell, KU, 20:41.68; 12, Erin Moline, HV, 20:58.91; 13, Gwendolyn VanWart, Cra, 21:13.61; 14, Hannah Pygman, Cra, 21:23.21; 15, Evlyn Crooks, NM, 21:32.38; 16, Kara Loftus, Cra, 21:32.83; 17, Emma Heppner, Cra, 21:32.93; 18, Hallie Pyfer, KU, 21:50.97; 19, Allie Nelson, KU, 21:53.22; 20, Leona Higgins, KU, 21:58.93; 21, Grace Havniear, Cra, 21:59.12; 22, Cate Brassell, SM, 22:17.21; 23, Taylor Weber, GP, 22:18.48; 24, Hannah Sykes, SM, 22:44.40; 25, Kahryn Fjarli, SM, 22:49.44.