Natalie Cook Becomes Double Champion, Wins Eastbay

* Natalie Cook secured an Eastbay Cross Country Championship title on Saturday

Photo Credit: Raymond Tran/MileSplit

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA -- Natalie Cook didn't leave much doubt on Saturday at the Eastbay Cross Country Championships. 

The Flower Mound (TX) senior and Oklahoma State signee won her second national title in two weeks, ripping through the Balboa Park course in a winning time of 17:15.00 as she fought off late charges from runner-up Angelina Perez of Lakeland Regional (NJ) and Jenna Mulhern of West Chester Henderson (PA). 

Much like her national win at the Garmin RunningLane Cross Country Championships on Dec. 4, the MileSplit50 No. 1 ranked Cook surged away from the field just after the mile and created a nearly insurmountable gap that led to her victory, one that placed her firmly at the top of the country for girls distance running. 

But it didn't look completely predestined. While Cook looked as if she were fatiguing over the last 800 meters, she found the resolve in the final moments and closed her two-week run atop of the national pecking order. A week after earning a 165 speed rating at RXC2, Cook garnered a score of 161 for the win. 

Perez largely walked away happy, too, finishing second in a time of 17:19.7, while Mulhern was third in 17:20.8. 

Like Cook, Mulhern was coming off a stellar effort at RXC2, as she finished fourth in last week's race in Huntsville,  Alabama. 

Cornwall's Karrie Baloga was fourth in 17:29.1, making it three Northeastern girls runners across the line in the top four positions, while Cherry Creek's Riley Stewart was fifth in 17:30.3. 

Heat played a factor early in the morning, as performances balanced out on the course. Cook's time was No. 31 all-time at Balboa while both Perez and Mulhern put down top 50 performances all-time. 

2021 Eastbay All-Americans