MONMOUTH, Ore. — Early-season cross country races are about building confidence and belief for the championship races at the end of the season. Nothing does that more than seeing a young runner perform well.
 
The Vikings got that in spades Friday as young runners led the women's and men's teams to top three finishes at the Ash Creek Collegiate.
 
Freshman Brianna Mazilu posted her second top 10 finish in as many weeks while leading the Viking women to a third-place finish as a team. Sophomore Ari Smith, meanwhile, led the Viking men to a second-place team finish while placing sixth individually.
 
Smith shaved more than 20 seconds off his 6k personal best while leading the Viking men in 18:13.3. That moves up to third all-time in the 6k, just a week after he rewrote his own record in the 5k. Smith's sixth-place finish also followed his overall win last week at the Lewis & Clark XC Opener. He now has four top 10 finishes in his Portland State career.
 
Tight bunching behind Smith helped the Viking men place second as a team behind host Western Oregon. Four different PSU runners finished between 16th and 23rd overall, closing out the team score at 73 points.
 
JD Arthur led that second wave of Vikings, placing 16th overall in 18:52.1. Arthur shaved close to a minute off his previous best in the 6k, which came on the same course last year. He nearly moved into the all-time top 10 with the finish, as he trailed teammate Benjamin Sanchez's current No. 10 time by only two seconds.
 
Vince Estrada improved by more than a minute on his time over the same course last year at the Ash Creek Festival. Estrada finished 19th overall in 18:56.1.
 
Luke Gillingham and Landen Sandoval finished back-to-back at 22nd and 23rd overall, respectively. Gillingham finished in 19:01.0 to lead the pair, while Sandoval shaved 17 seconds off his 6k personal best with his finish in 19:03.6.
 
Adian Brown placed 36th overall in 19:38.0, while Kyle Chen (20:20.8) and Ian Parks (20:47.3) came in 51st and 63rd overall, respectively.
 
Mika Sarver Huber placed 71st overall in 21:22.5.
 
Simon Walsh rounded out the Vikings' men's runners, placing 74th overall in 21:25.8. That's more than a minute faster than his previous best In the 6k.
 
On the women's side, Mazilu shaved 16 seconds off her 5k time from last week while leading the Vikings in 18:37.1. Sophomore Stina Taggesson followed in 18:39.1, placing her ninth overall.
 
The Viking women were more spread out than last week, though, when they finished fourth through eighth at the Lewis & Clark XC Opener. Besides Mazilu and Tagesson, Sam Sharp was the Vikings' third finisher, placing 14th overall in 18:57.9. Libby Fox followed five spots later in 19:05.9, placing her 18th overall.
 
Viola Alessandrini and Addison Capozzi finished back-to-back at 26th and 27th overall, respectively. Alessandrini closed out the Vikings' team score while finishing in 19:17.2. Capozzi finished just outside of the team's top five with her finish in 19:17.8.
 
Hannah Butterfield placed 31st overall in 19:40.2, while Emily Schmitke and Irina López followed at 38th and 41st overall, respectively, in times of 20:05.8 and 20:22.7.
 
Riley Amarillas and Talise Wapsheli finished 53rd and 58th overall in times of 21:15.8 and 21:28.7, respectively.   
 
The Vikings will have a week off before they return to the same Ash Creek Preserve course that they raced Friday for the Mike Johnson Classic on Sept. 26. The distances go up for the Vikings, starting with that meet. The women rank a 6k while the men race their first 8k at the Mike Johnson Classic. That'll be a new challenge for the Vikings' youth, then, but not one that should be out of their reach.
 
Mazilu and Smith showed as much Friday.
 
Ash Creek Collegiate
Ash Creek Preserve
Monmouth, Ore.
Sept. 11, 2026
 
Women's Top Ten Finishers (5k):
1. Raiya Matonovich, Simon Fraser, 17:43.9; 2. Kyla Potratz, Western Oregon, 17:54.0; 3. Adele Beckstead, Western Oregon, 18:04.4; 4. Veronica Dee, Simon Fraser, 18:14.9; 5. Ria Gill, Pacific (Ore.), 18:15.6; 6. Nettle Grey, Western Oregon, 18:26.1; 7. Ali Heinly, Western Oregon, 18:35.7; 8. Brianna Mazilu, Portland State, 18:37.1; 9. Stina Tagesson, Portland State, 18:39.1; 10. Cate Bishop, Seattle U, 18:51.5.
 
Women's Team Scores (5k):
1. Western Oregon, 33 points; 2. Simon Fraser, 48 points; 3. Portland State, 71 points; 4. Seattle U, 98 points; 5. Corban, 156 points; 6. Pacific (Ore.), 172 points; 7. Linfield, 206 points; 8. Bushnell, 215 points; 9. Lewis & Clark, 219 points; 10. Clark (Wash.), 255 points.
 
Portland State Runners (out of 90):
8. Brianna Mazilu, 18:37.1; 9. Stina Tagesson, 18:39.1; 14. Sam Sharp, 18:57.9; 18. Libby Fox, 19:05.9; 26. Viola Alessandrini, 19:17.2; 27. Addison Capozzi, 19:17.8; 31. Hannah Butterfield, 19:40.2; 38. Emily Schmitke, 20:05.8; 41. Irina López, 20:22.7; 53. Riley Amarillas, 21:15.8; 58. Talise Wapsheli, 21:28.7.
 
Men's Top Ten Finishers (6k):
1. Matthew Resnik, Western Oregon, 17:43.9; 2. Zander Campbell, Western Oregon, 17:50.6; 3. Remedan Seman, Western Oregon, 17:53.8; 4. Ethan Bothwell, Western Oregon, 17:54.0; 5. Quinn Higgins, Lewis & Clark, 18:04.2; 6. Ari Smith, Portland State, 18:13.3; 7. Isaiah Rodriguez, Western Oregon, 18:14.1; 8. Maverik Rahkola, Simon Fraser, 18:16.0; 9. Finley Lyke, Western Oregon, 18:25.3; 10. Emil Miller, Lewis & Clark, 18:31.6.
 
Men's Team Scores (6k):
1. Western Oregon, 17 points; 2. Portland State, 73 points; 3. Simon Fraser, 93 points; 4. Seattle U, 97 points; 5. Lewis & Clark, 103 points; 6. Linfield, 188 points; 7. Bushnell, 215 points; 8. Pacific (Ore.), 233 points; 9. Clark (Wash.), 243 points; 10. Corban, 255 points.
 
Portland State Runners (out of 98):
6. Ari Smith, 18:13.3; 16. JD Arthur, 18:52.1; 19. Vince Estrada, 18:56.1; 22. Luke Gillingham, 19:01.0; 23. Landen Sandoval, 19:03.6; 36. Aidan Brown, 19:38.0; 51. Kyle Chen, 20:20.8; 63. Ian Parks, 20:47.3; 71. Mika Sarver Huber, 21:22.5; 74. Simon Walsh, 21:25.8.