On Saturday, over 800 student-athletes across the California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section met at Dos Pueblos High School for the 55th Dos Pueblos Cross Country Invitational.

Only Junior Varisty competed at the meet, running grade level races. The DPHS freshman boys won their race due to efforts from Dane Kosek (9), who came in first, and Declan Marston (9), who finished second. The freshman girls did similarly, placing second due to an eighth place finish from Gwen Shea (9).

The rest of the results are as follows: senior boys placed 7 out of 14, senior girls placed 6 out of eight, junior boys placed 4 out of 13, junior girls placed 7 out of 10, sophomore boys placed 5 out of 14, and sophomore girls placed 6 out of 11. DPHS Varsity runners did not compete at DPI, instead competing at the Clovis Invitational. The girls varsity placed fifteenth among 27 teams while boys varsity placed eighth among 31 teams.

This year, DPHS did not take home the DPI trophy, instead sending it home with the Burbank Burroughs, who took first in the junior boys’ race, sophomore boys’ race, and freshman girls’ race, second in the senior boys’ race, and third in the freshman boys’ race.
55 years since the first DPI, it continues gaining traction as one of the larger cross-country meets in Southern California. Runners from 34 different schools came to DPHS to compete, a considerable increase from the previous year’s 29 teams, and over double the usual turnout for the invitational before COVID-19.

“We’ve been running this meet since 1968, so people know about it,” said David Jackson, a third year DPHS cross country coach. “For a few years there, it moved off campus and went to Shoreline Park, but we brought it back on right after COVID.”

Some runners say the size of the meet makes a large impact on the enjoyment and atmosphere of the race environment.
“I think the growth of the meet has been an increasingly valuable experience year by year,” Auris Brickus (12) said.

The transformation DPI has undergone has not been overnight, and Jackson has been “all in,” spending dozens of hours behind the scenes to get the cross country course, known as the back half, ready for large numbers of runners. Before the 2023 invitational, inspectors were brought in, who made several suggestions on how to improve the course’s safety. With the help of the cross country team, several volunteers, and heavy machinery, the course was adjusted to be safer with less tripping hazards and more even ground.

DPHS is unique in that it is one of the only campuses in the CIF Southern Section with a forest and trails that students can access. Jackson attributes some of DPI’s success to the unique course.

“It does roll and break up the rhythm of the runner,” Jackson said. “It’s challenging in that way. And I think coaches really like it, because they’ve been warning their kids, like, ‘Hey, when you get to the league finals, this course is no joke.’”

This year, DPI was meant to focus more on being an opportunity to get competitors out onto the DPHS course, and to create a fun experience for runners. With CIF league finals being held at DPHS this year on Nov. 6, Jackson said he put more emphasis on making it a fun experience rather than a competitive one.

“We really hyped up the fun,” Jackson said. “We brought in a DJ, photo booth, we did face painting, we provided multiple pieces of merchandise, we had backyard bowls, Kona ice, [and] live streamed the whole thing from DP news.”

Cheerleaders lined the path to the finish line, cheering on the runners as they entered the final stretch through the stadium. The focus on the meet being more fun and energetic was not lost on runners, according to JV runner Justin Ji (11).

“I mean like, you know, its cross country theres like a threshold of how much fun you can have at cross country meets but I feel like DPI out of all the meets is probably the most fun.” Ji said, “I don’t know I just feel like there was more energy.”

DPI will likely continue to grow, as Jackson said he has many ideas for DPI moving forward, including hosting other events at the school, such as CIF meets or local running events. Jackson hopes to continue his time at DPHS for as long as possible.

“I never want to leave DP, you know. I want to be like Coach McClenathen and be coming back … once I’m retired.”

Edited Oct. 22, 2024 for spelling mistakes.