Girls Senior Race
All eyes will be on Malena Perez from South El Monte. As last year's Mission Valley League runner-up, she's the one to beat, aiming for a strong start to her senior campaign as she pursues a league title in October.
Boys Junior Race
Zijun Su is the top returning junior, having finished eighth at last year's League Finals. His teammate, Yariel Figueroa De Pena, who placed 14th in the same race, is looking to challenge Su for the 2025 FastBack Junior Race title.
Girls Junior Race
Arroyo's Yiwen Chen, the reigning Mission Valley League champion, is the favorite in the Junior Race. She'll face a familiar rival in her teammate Mandy Huang, who finished fourth at the League Championships last fall.
Boys Sophomore Race
John Chow, who was the top sophomore at the recent Arroyo Boy's Time Trial, is poised to win this year's FastBack sophomore race. The competition is fierce, with Abraham Salgado (fifth in last year's Freshman race) and Diego Paniagua (who finished sixth last year at this meet) hot on his heels. Their rivalry is expected to make for a heated race.
Girls Sophomore Race
Brooklyn Rodriguez, who placed fourth in the Camino League Finals as a freshman, is a top contender. She's joined by Helen Mach, who was the top freshman finisher for Arroyo at the Mission Valley League Championships, coming in sixth. Another notable name to watch is Analeah Ledesma, who took ninth place at the League Finals in 2024.
Boys Freshman Race
Ricky Hernandez of Arroyo High School, the top ninth-grade finisher at the Arroyo Boy’s Time Trial, looks to continue his strong performance. Anthony Aguilar, another notable entrant from the time trial, finished 15th and will be working to close the gap. Keep an eye out for potential surprises from freshmen athletes from El Monte High School and Arcadia Christian.
Girls Freshman Race
With a total of nine competitors from Arroyo and Arcadia Christian High School, the girls freshman race is full of unknowns. The outcome of this race will be a great indicator of the future strength of both programs.
– Jacey Farmer
