State Cross Country Seasonal Review - Boys - Doug Speck

We thought it might be interesting to check in with a little bit about the divisions at the State meet, and how things ended up as compared to the way that they started, way back in the summer when we put together some information on who might be the favorites and near-favorites in the different divisions. There is always some special interest created as schools move up or down due to enrollment changes or divisional size changes locally, with this ending as one of the great seasons ever as far as team depth in California. With five teams below discussed in the State Meet at under 80:00 (16:00 average for five runners) that is two more than in any other prep season for California male squads. It happened in 1986 (before the state meet times when times were taken from the Kinney (later called Foot Locker after 1993) Western Regional - they used to use the Woodward Park course for the Western Regional), 1987, and 1993 when each year had three Golden State Boys teams break that magical 80 minute barrier of true excellence as a harrier squad.

Boys Division I
Way back during the summer when we took a look at this division, it appeared that a good group of Southern Section schools would be challenged by Jesuit and Vista of San Diego if a great group there from track carried over to this Fall. It was a very interesting close to the season, with Jesuit dropping down to Division II in enrollment, and the Southern Section ending with the top half dozen spots in Fresno. Coach George Wright of LB Poly was in a publicized last year in the sport, and one had to hope for a story-book finish to a recently honor-strewn career, but when we saw Kevin Brulois seriously limping at the starting line in Fresno (shin splints) just back from an appendicitis (geez, how many problems can one guy have!), and heard of some illness that had affected the Jackrabbits in the Section run, it just did not appear that it was not meant to be. Loyola (LA), under Coach Lalo Diaz, proved itself overwhelmingly when the time was right with monster efforts in the Section and State race, the latter featuring three in the top ten team scoring, and a 15:48 average for five! Coach Don Salyers of Don Lugo (Chino Hills) and Tim Butler Dana Hills (Dana Point) are in it for the long haul, with great runs at Fresno to go 2-3, with this the first ever State Meet Finals division race with three teams under 80 minutes (16 minute average per runner). These first three teams earned their plaques!!!

Individually, defending State Champ Erick Maldonado (Don Lugo) came back great from injury to lead his team to second with his 7th place, with Mike Poe (Etiwanda) gapping the field in the Section and State Meet to win comfortably at 15:06, with State 3200 Champ Kyle Alcorn (Buchanan) next.

Boys Division II

When Jesuit dropped down here after last year at Division I, one sensed that with everyone on the course the Marauders would be tough to handle, which they were. The return of John Wihtol late in the year in impressive form to go along with Austin Ramos’s efforts up front, lifted the Sac Joaquin power to a narrow win over Rubidioux (Riverside), another very, very solid group from the South. Gee whiz, San Ramon Valley (Danville) runs 80:52 (16:10 average) and does not take home a plaque for one of the top three places, as Orange continues to impress with Jesuit (79:13), Rubidioux (79:15), and Orange (80:09) stunning team times go to along with their points for the first three awards. Walnut High’s 79:16 from 1987 was the fastest ever Div II time run in a State meet competition. The first half dozen finishing teams at this level were absolutely tougher than nails, with the huge Southern Section taking seven of the top eleven places here!

Individually this was a classic, with a half a dozen absolute flyers, who were together with a mile to go in the event. Troy Swier, Michael Haddan, Yong-Sung Leal, and Phillip Reid, among others had some super races this Fall that made this contest much anticipated, and it did not let us down. Interestingly, it was “just turned 17” senior Phillip Reid of Rio Mesa, 4:12.25 for 1600m last year in track, who emerged toughest, racing one of those perfectly executed all-out efforts that exhausted him for a good time afterwards on the way to his 15:01 “fastest of day” win. Haddan was second, leaving us wondering what possibilities there are in track for he, Reid, and other, with Michael under 1:51 for 800 last spring. Leal was amazing in his recovery from injury, rolling an ankle late in the race, but finishing strong in third. The previous fastest Division II 6th placer in this event was 15:38 down through the years, with 15:12 for Troy Swier here only earning him that place. Soph Jose Melena (Antelope Valley) was 15:35 in 14th this day!!!

Boys Division III

Barstow was back as the defending champions, and appeared to have a good gap on the clock ahead of the pack coming into the season. It is very tough to be the season-long favorite in any sport, with the extra expectations carrying a certain dulling weight that seems to take a big eventual toll. Coach Jim Duarte is masterful for Barstow, with the group putting it together in the Championship run to take the title by 40 points with a 71 point total (80:49 team time - 16:10). It was interesting to watch Adam Rodriguez and Avery Himes lead the team through the race, with that lead duo appearing to move about 50 places up from the mile through the two and a quarter miler point of the contest. Barstow’s depth was crushing, with four in before either of the other two plaque winners, University City (San Diego) or Oakmont (Roseville), #2 finishers! University City really put together a great race at the state meet, finishing its scorers all under 16:30 with a nice 40 second gap on the way to their 81:34 (16:19) average. Oakmont (Roseville), had a super season, finishing with the third plaque just ahead of a Campolindo group that returns six next year!

Individually, tall Alex Dunn, under 4:20 last year as a soph in the 1600, emerged strongest from a big pack over the final mile at Fresno to win by 14 seconds at 15:18, with Barry Fischer leading the Campolindo group in second, and sub 1:54 800 star Kenny Frank (Enterprise, Redding) next individually. Track could be something special with 1:50 800 star Michael Hadden, 1:51 runner Duane Solomon (Cabrillo, Lompoc), Kenny Frank, and others who are very good at the shorter stuff stretching out this time of year and picking up valuable background.

Boys Division IV

Oak Park has it together in a very impressive way. With a thin string that starts with Coach Kevin Smith as a star runner in the mid-1970’s under fine Coach Jim Smith at Agoura HS, continuing through the Oak Park running and current coaching career of J.J. Castner, the very careful approach to racing that has developed at the Ventura County power has been quite stunning of late. With the absolute distraction of super-state power Fillmore in the same league focusing on the prize cannot be easy, with the squads going 1-2 in Section and at state. Another retirement story for the ages was hoped for by many here, with McFarland, winner of an amazing nine team titles since the State competition started in 1987 under Coach Jim White, racing their final contest for the man who had done such magnificent things with a team made up predominantly of the teenage sons of agricultural laborers. One sensed White was doing one of his best jobs ever during the regular season, with the group ending sixth here in the Final contest for Coach. I am still looking for the darn years of the Championships on that Highway 99 bridge in McFarland, and hope as a fitting retirement gift someone puts it up there--a sports tradition unlike any anywhere! King City and Carmel rode a local rivalry every bit as interesting to follow as the first two finishing teams to their third and fourth places, respectively, here, with Maranatha (Pasadena), surviving a campus move at the start of the year that went anything but smooth and included a late start to the actual school year, fifth.

Mohamed Trafeh (Duarte) is another of those of African background with a stride that seems to ignore gravity, purring along with maximum efficiency, and he spoke of non visible fatigue in the third mile as he raced to a more than 200 meter win at 15:13, looking ahead to the next two weeks and wishes of Foot Locker glory.

Division V

Talk about folks who have it together, well how about Coach Ingrid Herskind of Flintridge Prep (La Canada), who won her third State title in the last five years with a great effort in this year’s Fresno competition that had her underclass dominated team (2 seniors) score 78 to runner-up Santa Clara’s (Oxnard) 134. With six runners in before any other team’s third finisher Herskind’s ability to bring runners along and her team’s belief in her system is equal to any in the State at the prep level. A rare lady indeed, and while we do not mean to make too much out of the situation of a female coaching a male team successfully, it is certainly far from the norm in the American sports system. In reading her athletes’ comments locally, she instills belief in what the team is doing like few of either the male or female gender. Santa Clara (Oxnard) continued its great recent tradition under Coach Debra Sharp with a runner-up effort that featured fine improvement over the length of the season, with the Southern sweep of the first five places stopped finally by Northern power University (San Francisco) in sixth place. Woodcrest Christian (Riverside), another squad affected by an appendectomy late, ended fourth, six points out of second, as it gallantly attempted to defend its title.

Tim Nelson (Liberty Christian, Redding) joined Bryan Dameworth (Agoura) as the only other three-time champion, cruising to a 15:39 win here, another favored winner probably looking ahead a bit to the next two weekends and individual national honors at Foot Locker (Dameworth was a National Prep CC Champ along the way during his career, so Tim may be in select, similar company--we will see!). With an impressive Fall and tradition in recent seasons for a great peak it will be worth watching!! The first eight finishers under 16:20 in this division made it the fastest group contest in seven years at Fresno Division V.

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Editor: Doug Speck
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