Barnett aspires to build off West Regional title by challenging for All-America honors in debut at national championship meet in San Diego

By Alex Valladares for DyeStat

During the past decade, several California female runners from small school programs have proven it’s not the size of the school but the magnitude of the talent that will step on the starting line at the 41st Foot Locker Cross Country Championships at Balboa Park’s Morley Field in San Diego.

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Since 2008, California athletes from Division 4 and 5 have qualified for 10 of the past 11 Foot Locker Nationals, including national champions in Mission Prep’s Jordan Hasay (2005, 2008) and Malibu’s Claudia Lane (2016-17).

This year is no different, as Village Christian junior Mia Barnett and Sage Creek senior Skyler Wallace qualified, finishing first and second in the girls championship race Dec. 7 at the Foot Locker West Regional at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, Calif.

“I think it’s awesome that small schools are excelling,” said Barnett, who finished second in the Division 5 final Nov. 30 at the California state meet.

“It’s an honor to represent my school and keep the streak of small school runners going.  This meet is so prestigious.”

Barnett is making her first appearance in a cross country meet at the national level, having previously participated in the adidas Dream Mile and New Balance Nationals Indoor for track. She is also a two-time podium finisher in the 1,600 meters at the California state track and field championship meet.

In addition to Hasay and Lane, Barnett and Wallace join an impressive list of previous qualifiers from small-school programs including Marin Catholic’s Theresa Devine (2009), San Lorenzo Valley’s Anna Maxwell (2010-11, 2013), Harvard-Westlake’s Cami Chapus (2011), Branson’s Julia Maxwell (2012), Menlo School’s Lizzie Lacy (2014), Malibu’s Caroline Pietrzyk (2014), St. Joseph Notre Dame’s Kiera Marshall (2016), along with Healdsburg’s Gabrielle Peterson and Mayfield’s Audrey Suarez last year.

“To have my name added to that list is awesome,” said Barnett, who clocked 17:02.4 to win the West Regional title on the rain-altered 5-kilometer Mt. SAC road course.

“I didn’t think it would happen. After state, I was feeling a little down. But I decided I wanted the chance to race on a national level,” Barnett said. “Some of the best athletes came from small schools. Even Claudia Lane came from a small school and had a really good career.”

Despite winning the regional title and being her school’s first cross country runner to qualify for a national final, Barnett enters Saturday’s race feeling no added pressure.

“I think sometimes, we don’t feel the pressure of needing to perform and get results for a program and continue a legacy,” said Barnett, who has attended Village Christian since the fourth grade.

“We get to create a new legacy at the schools we’ve attended for so long.”

After Lane won back-to-back national titles, it increased California’s total of having the most female All-Americans in meet history to 91.

However, the Golden State was shut out of the top 15 last year.

But that has just added more incentive for not only Barnett and Wallace, but also fellow California finalists Sofia Abrego of Granada Hills, Carly Corsinita of Capistrano Valley, Dalia Frias of Mira Costa and Sacramento St. Francis’ Cate Joaquin.

“There are obviously some really strong runners in Division 4,” said Wallace, who was runner-up in the division at the state meet to lead Sage Creek to back-to-back team championships.

“But for both Mia and I to make it to Foot Locker Nationals, it shows that no matter what division you’re in, there are strong runners wherever you go.”

Whatever the results are Saturday, Barnett is enjoying the ride.

“It’s an awesome experience that I have always wanted to be a part of,” said Barnett, who has won three straight Southern Section Division 5 individual titles and placed runner-up at the state meet in consecutive seasons.

“It’s something I will always remember and work to experience as a senior.”