PORTLAND, Ore. — Second chances are rare. You pretty much have to be Bill Murray or The Avengers to get a do-over like the Portland State cross country program will get Saturday.
 
The Vikings return to Ash Creek Preserve for the second straight meet, as they'll race at the Mike Johnson Classic two weeks after they raced over the same course at the Ash Creek Collegiate.
 
The meets won't be direct copies of each other. Both the men and women will step up in distance. The men go from a 6k at the Ash Creek Collegiate to an 8k Saturday (11 a.m. start) at the Mike Johnson Classic. The women, meanwhile, go up from a 5k last time to a 6k this Saturday (11:45 a.m. start). It'll be the first races at those distances for both teams this season.
 
Last season followed the same pattern, and the Vikings bring back several runners who competed at the Mike Johnson Classic a year ago. That group includes Ari Smith, who has led the Viking men at their first two meets of the season. He finished as the Vikings' second runner last year, placing 50th overall in 25:28.3. That remains his 8k personal best.
 
Luke Gillingham (51st, 25:29.2), JD Arthur (59th, 25:46.7), Vince Estrada (78th, 26:26.3), Mika Sarver Huber (94th, 26:52.8), Landen Sandoval (112th, 27:34.8), Amir Ahmed (115th, 27:42.4) and Simon Walsh (147th, 29:56.0) also competed for the Vikings at last year's meet.
 
On the women's side, Sam Sharp represents the Vikings' highest-finishing returner from a year ago. She placed 30th as a freshman while running her first-ever 6k in 21:57.6.
 
Sharp has been near the top of the lineup again this season. She finished second among a group of five straight PSU finishers at the Lewis & Clark XC Opener. Stina Tagesson led that group with a fourth overall finish, while Sharp, Libby Fox, Brianna Mazilu and Addison Capozzi followed over the next four spots. Mazilu then led the Viking women at the Ash Creek Collegiate, placing eighth overall – one spot ahead of Tagesson in ninth and six spots ahead of Sharp in 14th.
 
Mazilu was the first freshman on the women's team to lead the Vikings at a meet since Jocelyn Reynolds in 2015.
 
A 6k will be new to her as a freshman. Just as it was to Sharp last season. Besides Sharp, returners for the Viking women from last year's Mike Johnson Classic include Irina López (56th, 22:48.9), Fox (68th, 23:14.7), Riley Amarillas (93rd, 24:18.8), Emily Schmitke (99th, 24:52.4), Hannah Butterfield (112th, 25:51.0) and Talise Wapsheli (125th, 28:24.4).
 
The Mike Johnson Classic will cap the first half of the Vikings' 2026 cross country season. A schedule change means the Vikings will now wait until the George Oja Invitational on Oct. 17 to open the second half.
 
That will be a new meet for the Vikings. But at least Saturday, the Vikings will relish the chance to attack a familiar course. Just like Bill Murray or Captain America.
 
MEET INFO
Sept. 26 – Mike Johnson Classic – Monmouth, Ore. (Ash Creek Preserve)
 
FOLLOW ALONG
Live Results
 
MEET SCHEDULE
Time (PT) – Event
11 a.m. – Men's 8k
11:45 a.m. – Women's 6k