Acalanes cross country won both the varsity boys and varsity girls team titles at the Be the GOAT Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 26, at Pinole Valley Park.

The Lafayette school's runners posted a wave of personal bests across the three-mile race, capping a four-day stretch that began with the Dons' Diablo Athletic League (DAL) season opener on Wednesday, Sept. 23, at Hidden Valley Park, according to the Acalanes Boosters.

Senior Alexander Hagen led the varsity boys with a fifth-place finish in a personal-best 16:35.1. Sophomore Dane Darby took eighth in 16:50.0, Jason Rossetter placed ninth in 16:52.5 and David Ellerbrock finished 10th in 17:01.9. Matt Roberts added an 11th-place finish in a personal-best 17:20.2, while Peyton Eagens (14th, 17:41.6 personal best) and Dylan Kubiatowicz (15th, 17:50.5) rounded out the squad.

Five of seven varsity boys cracked the top 11.

On the girls side, Naya Ellis placed third overall in a personal-best 19:58.5. Avery Erb was right behind in fourth at 20:01.7, also a personal best, and Harper Blair took sixth in a personal-best 20:19.8. Georgia Hansen (11th, 22:22.1), Charlotte Keyser (16th, 22:59.3) and Emilia Deutsch Stella (19th, 23:31.6) all set personal bests as well.

Every scoring runner on the varsity girls squad recorded a personal-best time.

The invitational performance followed a solid DAL opener three days earlier, where the team competed in hot conditions. Hagen led the boys there too, finishing 21st in 18:05.7, with Darby 27th in 18:22.4 and Eagens posting a personal best of 18:35.1 in 31st. Ellis paced the girls at the league meet with a personal-best 20:55.2 for 18th place, while Blair (28th, 22:12.5) and Erb (30th, 22:31.5) also ran personal bests.

Several Dons who competed at the 2025 CIF State Championship in December returned for this fall's squad, including Hagen, Darby, Ellerbrock and Rossetter. The varsity boys earned a 16th-place finish among 209 Division 4 runners at that state meet.

Coaches Jeff Hutson and Bruno Morlan lead the Acalanes program. The next DAL meet date has not been announced.