By Kate Guthrie
The Greyhounds lined up against the fastest Division 5 teams in California, and once again rose to the moment. In their first-ever team appearance at the CIF State Championships, Healdsburg delivered a confident performance to finish 11th in the state, establishing a new benchmark for the program and proving they belonged among the high school elite.
Sophomore Lucas Welty led the charge with one of the best performances in the entire Redwood Empire, placing 11th individually, the top finish by any runner in the region this year. His time of 15:49.3 not only places him among the Redwood Empire’s all-time top 30 performances on the storied Woodward Park course, but also surpasses Healdsburg’s previous best state meet finish (27th in 2018 by Jack Vanden Heuval). In just his second year of high school racing, Welty has already established himself as one of the program’s most accomplished athletes.
Behind him, senior Jake McWilliams delivered an inspiring performance. As the only Greyhound with previous state-meet experience, McWilliams used his veteran composure to run the fastest state-meet race of his career, and by a wide margin. His 16:37.6 finish time represents a 19-second personal best compared to his race at the same meet last year—a testament to his growth, leadership and dedication. Finishing 57th overall, McWilliams capped his senior season and his entire HHS cross country journey with a performance that set the tone for the pack racing behind him.
Junior Domenico Cornilsen continued his late-season surge, proving once again that he thrives under championship pressure. After a strong breakout race at NCS, Cornilsen carried that momentum straight into Fresno, placing 70th in 16:45.6, one of the best races of his career. His ability to elevate his performance when it mattered most was a crucial factor in Healdsburg’s top-11 finish and marks him as a major force returning for 2026.
Freshman Phoenix De Maria Nall closed out his remarkable debut season with a poised performance, finishing 102nd in 17:10.9, an impressive time for a first-year athlete competing at the state level.
Sophomore Jack Beckman delivered one of his strongest races of the fall to place 156th in 18:02.8, helping solidify the team score. Junior Lukas Brennan rounded out the lineup, finishing 184th in 19:10.1 and closing the curtain on this cross country season with grit and determination.
While we missed a key freshman runner, Liam McKenzie, who was sidelined due to injury, we look forward to what the future holds with six of seven state-meet runners returning next year—including Welty, Cornilsen, De Maria Nall, Beckman and McKenzie. The Greyhounds leave Fresno not only with a historic finish, but with solidified momentum. Their championship debut wasn’t just a milestone; it was the beginning of a new era for Healdsburg cross country.
Kate Guthrie is the coach of the fall cross country program, and the spring track and field program at Healdsburg High.
