Oak Park's Skiba puts up No. 2 girls' time of the day in Fresno

Melissa Skiba said her goal was to run under 18 minutes on the 5-kilometer course at Woodward Park in Fresno at the Nov. 29 state meet.

The Oak Park junior might have to reevaluate her goals for the Div. III state championship following her performance Saturday at the 30th annual Clovis Invitational.

Skiba clocked 17 minutes, 48 seconds to win the girls' varsity small school race over Valley Christian of San Jose's Jennifer Bergman (18:03), edging Saugus' Kaylin Mahoney (17:50) for the No. 2 time of the day by a female runner.

Less than an hour after the conclusion of Skiba's race, San Clemente's Alex Dunne won the girls' varsity extra-large school race in 17:34.

La Reina of Thousand Oaks, behind a third-place finish from junior Sarah Pearson (18:34), a sixth-place effort from Rachel Brajkovich (18:55) and a 20th-place finish from Tara Blanchard (19:49), won the small-school team competition with 97 points, ahead of Mayfield of Pasadena (105). Oak Park, which included a 16th-place result from Sarah Kiner (19:43), was fourth (164).

Paraclete of Lancaster sophomore Melissa Bauer finished eighth (19:19) for the Spirits, who took sixth with 220 points.