Clovis Invitational - Sat 10/12/02 - Woodward Park - Bill Buettner and Doug Speck

Super Individuals spice up State Meet Course run at Clovis!!! Rachel Bryan (Laguna Creek) (Joe Hartman photo) picked up this Fall right where she left off at the State Track Meet, where she cranked a 10:36 3200 - she's on a roll!!! Mohamed Trafeh (Duarte) in familiar (lonely) territory at Stanford during a great series of runs so far this Fall - he will face Tim Nelson (Liberty, Redding), here getting ready to dig down for a great effort at Stanford which resulted in a 14:54 run and second place to Lauren Jespersen (Oregon), both under the CR!

Clovis Invite Preview - Rockin' Affair Guaranteed!!!

Wow!! The chance to run on the State Meet course at mid-season with one Championship race this weekend, Saturday, October 12th at the Clovis Invitational presents some great possibilities for top harrier action. The twelve races will begin at 8:00 a.m. and run through 1:30 p.m. More than 2400 athletes from 127 schools thorughout California are registered to compete in this, the 24th annual running of California’s fastest growing cross-country event.

The Boys Individual contest (noon) will feature athletes who have romped in Invitationals from one of the State to the other, with some tolerable weather (predicted high is 81) that day leading to some very fast times. Tim Nelson (Liberty Christian, Redding) joined Lauren Jespersen (Oregon) in running 14:54 to set a Stanford Invite Course Record in finishing second to his fellow Foot-Locker National Finalist two weeks back, and Tim will be challenged here by Mohamed Trafeh (Duarte), the upstart junior who raced a solo 14:58 at Stanford in winning Division IV earlier in the day. Trafeh keeps track of things, noting last weekend at Yucaipa that his time at Stanford was close to those of Foot Locker Finalists Jaspersen and Nelson, so you know he will be ready for something special, having soloed a great deal recently. This week’s run between the Northern and Southern Section stars will be a great one!! Aden proved himself on the hills last week at Yucaipa, with the strategy as it unfolds up front this weekend worth watching!! There will be others along for the ride! Phillip Reid (Rio Mesa, Oxnard), a 4:12.25 1600 star, has romped from the Ventura County to San Diego area, with the relatively rolling course here helping a miler and his speed. Ryan Morgan (Canyon, Canyon Country) won last weekend over teammate Ryan Werner, with Kyle Ivie (Burbank), Mike Chavez and Stephen Murvin (Esperanza, Anaheim), Austin Ramos (Jesuit, Sacramento), Dan Napieralski (Oakmont, Roseville), Calvin Glass (Woodcreek, Roseville), Kevin Brulois (LB Poly), and Victor Zavala (McFarland) making up a stunning individual cast up front! With some good weather this race will rock!!!

The team situation is not far behind, with top ranked Long Beach Poly now back a couple of weeks from the Great American meet in North Carolina, with Coach George Wright, in his final season, certainly not intending a trip north here to watch the flowers grow. Poly has amazing recent tradition, with a top overall Southern Section ranking. Dana Hills (Dana Point) is close behind Poly in team comparisons and rankings, with Canyon (Canyon Country) and Royal (Simi Valley) other Division I powers on-board here. Jesuit (Sacramento) will lead Division II schools in the Championship contest that combines all divisions here, with Edison (Huntington Beach) showing nicely lately. Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita) leads the top Div III schools testing the course, with Oakmont (Roseville), and North Monterey County (Castroville) helping to sort out that level’s rankings on the course here. McFarland is after another State Title Div IV, and after a quick trip to New York where they disposed of some good competition in the McQuaid Invitational, they wade in against the bigger schools here, confident.

On the Girls’ side (11:30 a.m. race) Rachel Bryan (Laguna Creek, Elk Grove) has flown this Fall, with Casey Nevitt (Aptos) and Division IV star Laura Myers (Maranatha, Pasadena) highly ranked this season. Amy Robinson (Maria Carrillo, Santa Rosa) is strong from the NCS, with Lauren Morales (Oak Park) and Jehan Sparks (Piedmont) leading strong teams individually at Div IV.

Powerhouse teams will grace the Girls Championship run. Canyon (Canyon Country) will unleash perhaps the state’s top ever frosh class to go with a good group of upper-class returnees to challenge all comers up front. Ayala (Chino Hills), Wilson (Long Beach), and Dana Hills (Dana Point) are highly thought of Division I from the south, with interest shown in how Dana Hills will show after being rated very high nationally before the season for new Coach Andy Sims. Maria Carrillo (Santa Rosa NCS) and Brea (Brea-Olinda) lead the Div II entrants in the combined “Championship” race, with Campolindo (Moraga), improved Santa Margarita (Rancho SM), and Clovis East Div III powers looking to pick up solid experience for November’s State meet here. Oak Park is top ranked Division IV statewide, with Maranatha (Pasadena), and Orange Lutheran (SS) also very good.

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