A year ago, Aydon Stefanopoulos went all out only to finish in second place in the Division II boys race in the Central Coast Section Cross Country Championships.
On Nov. 16, the Los Gatos High School senior standout left plenty in the tank–by design–and still nailed a personal-record (PR) of 14:51.8 to win his first CCS title at the venerable 2.95-mile Crystal Springs course in Belmont.
Stefanopoulos will enter the CIF State Championships at Fresno’s Woodward Park on Nov. 30 as the defending Division II champion. Given his fitness level, Stefanopoulos expects to improve upon last year’s winning time of 14:58.4.
“I’m not putting a number on it, but I’m ready to run fast at state,” he said.
In the CCS Championships, Stefanopoulos passed Piedmont Hill’s Yosef Berhan in the final 400 meters to win by 3.7 seconds, establishing the fourth fastest overall time of the day among all five divisions.
That’s 500-plus competitors, for those counting. On a day when not one but two runners broke the Crystal Springs course record, the fleet-footed Stefanopoulos could only wonder what might have happened had he emptied his tank.
“My whole mentality was to run just enough to win,” he said. “I would’ve liked to do more, but I wasn’t looking for any ego boost in the race. I’m content with it and I’ll take what I can get. So, it was a little bit melancholy seeing someone else break a record and me not wanting to run my heart out before state. I know I could’ve gone a lot faster, but it was for my best interest that I didn’t do that.”
Stefanopoulos’ mission in CCS was to win, stay healthy and prepare for his No. 1 goal of the season: to repeat as state champion.
The Los Gatos boys team finished in fourth place, just 10 positions behind Piedmont Hills for the third and final qualifying state berth.
Stefanopoulos said the majority of the team was hit hard by sickness, clearly affecting their times. Seniors Flynn Merriman (25th place in 16 minutes flat) and Conrad St. Dennis (28th in 16:04.3) were the only other Los Gatos runners who finished in the top 30. Senior Adam Wang and freshman Kevin Sacco rounded out the team’s scoring.
“The fact that this was going to be our final and last chance for us to go to state together, and for us to miss it, it’s just sad,” Stefanopoulos said.
Meanwhile, the Los Gatos girls are returning to the State Championships after coming up short in 2023. Led by Shea Elmore’s spectacular performance–the senior finished in fourth place in 18:17.7–the Wildcats placed third with 127 points.
As has been the case all season, Los Gatos’ deep and balanced fleet of runners proved to be the difference. Sophomores Elise Greenstreet (27th in 19:30.4) and Piper Pyle (29th in 19:37.9) both established PRs, while seniors Taylor Chesarek and Sarina Salzer-Swartz finished 31st and 32nd, respectively.
Senior Tatum Pyle and sophomore Aleida Nunn also ran well and have been key to the team’s success this season.
“I’m super proud of the girls and super happy for them,” Stefanopoulos said. “Definitely excited to be going to state with them.”
It’s been an incredible season for Stefanopoulos, who has won eight of the 10 races he’s entered. His other two race results included a sixth-place finish in the Asics Clovis Invitational and a 14th-place finish in the Woodbridge Cross Country Classic.
Stefanopoulos held his own in a pair of meets that featured some of the best runners in the nation. Due to the injury-prone nature of the sport, Stefanopoulos has limited his mileage with the expectation that it’ll keep him healthy for the duration of his final cross country season.
Mission accomplished.
