The Trans-Valley League cross country season transitioned to California’s Gold Country last week with the second of three conference meets of the season.

From Wildcat Ranch in Sonora on Sept. 24, the Hughson High varsity program once again swept the varsity team competitions to clinch league titles.

The Lady Huskies were backed by a first-place finish from senior Sophie Benham to earn a low-score of 24, with runner-up Hilmar posting a 37.

The boys’ team won with 16 points, followed by Ripon at 55 and Hilmar with 84.

Benham won the girl’s 5,000-meter race over 38 other runners with a time of 20:03, which was just four seconds quicker than second-place finisher Sidney Logsdon of Hilmar. Logsdon, a senior, won at the first TVL meet on Sept. 3 over Benham by 36.53 seconds.

Benham’s teammate, fellow senior Noeli Gomez-Orozco earned third place with a time of 20:31. Hilmar sophomore Carson Dickey was 24 seconds back for fourth place. Hughson’s Maggie Becchetti and Grace Benitez finished 6-7 with times of 21:20 and 21:46, respectively. Hilmar’s Harper Dickey was the last of the locals in the top 10, earning eighth place with a time of 21:51.

The field of 51 in the boys’ 5,000-meter race was paced by Sonora sophomore Landon Wilson (16:32). Behind him was Hughson senior Alessandro Pimentel with his time of 17:18.

Pimentel was one of one six Huskies in the top 10, which marked the most among the five participating schools.

Junior teammates Carlos Maximilano-Nava and Mason Hoyle finished in third and fourth place, respectively, with times of 17:41 and 17:53. Junior Shane Lockwood earned sixth position (18:11), senior Richard Stites was eighth (18:24), and junior Manuel Ruiz (18:39) was 10th.

Carson Matos, a sophomore, was Hilmar’s lone top 10 finisher, as he placed ninth with a time of 18:38. Senior Miguel Severo was the next best Yellowjackets with a 15th-place time of 19:12.

The TVL Finals are set for Oct. 29 from the Ceres River Bluff Regional Park.