1982 Pre-Season Report

 
photos by Doug Speck and Don Gosney
25 Years Ago - Hot Runners!! - Jim Ortiz (Barstow) and Joni Mooney (Vacaville)
were among the State's top returnees into the 1982 fall season

By Doug Speck - Editor DyeStatCal.com
August 14, 2007

1982 25 Years Ago - Statewide Cross Country Pre-Season

A quarter century ago in 1982 they did have electricity they did drive cars, and the top selling fiction book was “ET: The Terrestial Storybook,” with “Dallas,” the story about a wayward Texas Oil family a top-rated TV show, and the all-time sports psych-up song, “Eye of the Tiger,” one of the year’s top selling singles. In high school cross-country in California we were still five years out from a Statewide championship (1987 start for that series), but the young ladies were up and running at the full three mile-5 kilometer racing distance, and the state’s harriers were ready for another great Falls season. Northern California had been holding a Championship that included all but San Diego, Los Angeles, and the Southern Section, so there was a sense of seasonal closure outside your own area to that part of the state in those days. Anticipation was high with many of the nation’s top rated runners gracing local trails, and it would be a great campaign of racing. The Kinney (currently Foot Locker) National championship series had been in swing a few years by 1982, with the 1981 National Finals West Boys, led by 2-3 placers Harold Kuphaldt (Bella Vista, Fair Oaks) and junior Eric Reynolds (Camarillo) dominating the four nationwide area team scoring in 1981 with 24 points in the National Finals run.. The local Girls had Seventh placer Tania Fischer (Chaminade, Canoga Park) returning for 1982, as she lead a Western group that was second to a strong Northeast team in 1981. The Kinney series would run one more year, 1982, in Florida, before a long-time move to Balboa Park in San Diego, allowing us each year in December to see the nation’s top runners come to some nice December weather for racing.

The State’s top rated boys squad in 1981, the previous year, was Mater Dei, with the steady Orange County group racing to a Southern Section Division 3A Championship. Central Coast Section power Leigh (San Jose), coached by Bill Hotchkiss, still active at Aptos HS, was the State’s #2 ranked squad as the Northern Cal Champs 68-93 over Saratoga. They rated a tad over #3 rated Crescenta Valley (La Crescenta), who took the 1982 Division 4A Section title run, with Coach Keith Gilliland’s squad led by Jeff Holyfield, an amazing story of improvement as a 9:41 3200 star as a junior who blossomed all the way to a 15:00 Section 4A title run at Mt. SAC and 14:43 Kinney Regional run at Woodward Park. Harold Kuphaldt (Bella Vista) took the Nor Cal title run at Sierra College at 14:12.

photo by Doug Speck
Denise Ball (Newbury Park); Teresa Barrios (University, Irvine); Tania
Fischer (Chaminade, Canoga Park); and Vickie Cook (Alemany, Mission Hills)
dynamite crew in early 1980's Southern California contest

On the Girls’ side in 1981 it was “history-time,” with the Polly Plumer-led University of Irvine squad under Coach Bob Messina, the current Canyon HS of Canyon Country Principal, US Prep history’s top group of female distance runners ever. Plumer set the still-standing US Prep mile record of 4:35.26 that year, the group blew away the Prep National Distance Medley Relay record, and they raced 92:28 at Mt. SAC, a staggering 18:29 average. Plumer, who had raced rarely all-out that season due to injury, set a CR of 17:27 in the Section Finals. Behind Uni in the end of season State rankings (done by yours truly and San Jose running nut and current Louisiana resident Howard Willman) were three other Orange County schools, with that area quite tough! Foothill (Santa Ana), Coached by Dan Thomas, Tustin, led by Tom Coffey, and Costa Mesa all battled locally with real intensity in those days. Terra Linda (San Rafael), led by Coach Duncan McSwain and daughter Robyn as the team’s leader, were the first outside of Orange County ranked at #5 statewide. TL had won the Northern Cal end of season title run. Tustin had bettered Terra Linda’s team time in the Kinney Regional meet 1-5 by 1:40, so there was justification for the Orange County domination of ratings on the Girls’ side. Individually, Lori Shanoff (Petaluma) had overcome some season-long breathing problems and was an upset winner in the Nor Cal 1981 title race at 16:59. Miramonte (Orinda) star Marilyn Davis, who went on a fine career at UC Berkeley, was a casualty during the regular prep season of a school rule on alcohol, with a casual mentioning to a school administrator that she had a glass or two of wine at a family dinner before a school dance eliminating her from the school’s team program. She raced a cranking 16:54 to take the 1981 Kinney Regional title at Woodward Park, and was fourteenth nationally in Florida.

During the spring 1982 Track and Field season that followed the previous 1981 fall Cross-Country running, a number of underclass stars continued to improve, and they would be around for the 1982 fall hill and dale campaign. Jim Frey (Yreka) was the nation’s #3 returning miler at 4:11.79, with Eric Reynolds (Camarillo) 8:56.04 the nation’s top eight lapper and Jim Ortiz (Barstow) the country’s #2 two miler at 9:02.46. Jesus Gutierrez (Pasadena) was the nation’s #2 soph behind Ortiz at 9:05.26 for two miles in 1982. Tania Fischer (Chaminade, Canoga Park) was among the nation’s top two milers at 10:28.04, with University still bringing it, led by Teresa Barrios, 10:32.71 for two miles.

On to the 1982 Fall!

The University (Irvine) girls appeared ready to rule the roost once again. With Polly Plumer off to UCLA it was up to Teresa Barrios, one of the nation’s best to lead a squad that would have five girls who averaged 5:17 for 1600 meters, with two newcomers to the program who threatened to unseat a couple of those! One of the years in the early 1980's I remember it took 5:13 to make the League Finals in the 1600 meters in Uni’s league, with they and Costa Mesa among the powers there. In that same Orange County area, Century League rivals Foothill (Santa Ana) and Tustin looked very strong in the Southern Section 4A division, with Mira Costa (Manhattan Beach) having famed Laura Cattivera 4:52.94 1600) lead the 3A, Lompoc favored in the 2A division, and Sherman Indian at the 1A level. Top individuals down south were Kathleen Ebiner (Bishop Amat, La Puente 10:38.40 3200 and 11th the previous year at Kinney Nationals), Tania Fischer (Chaminade - defending 2A Champ and 7th at Kinney Nationals), with Sarah Allaback (Cate, Carpinteria) 4:57.11 and 10:47.63 in track the previous spring.

The Mater Dei Boys were moved from the 3A to 4A level between 1981 and 1982, with Coach Bob Richardson having four of his top scorers back, including current MD coach Ricky Martinez. El Dorado (Placentia) under current Corona AD Don Chadez, and El Modena, led by 1:52.66 800 runner, Ruben Esparza, currently a coach at Beyer of Modesto, other strong 4A squads. At the 3A level, 70 and early 80's power Montebello, Hawthorne, and Barstow, under masterful Coach Don Braden, led by junior Jim Ortiz (8:59.1 3200) and Eddie Toro, were strong. The 2A division had titlest Barstow kicked to the 3A level, opening the door for a young Arroyo (El Monte) squad under Coach Tim O’Rourke. At the 1A level it would be the yearly battle between La Salle (Pasadena), led by JP Hall, and Sherman Indian.

In San Diego some strong individuals returned. Junior Matt Clayton took the Boys 2A division the previous Fall (16:02) (3A-2A-1A there in those days), with Aaron Ruud (Valhalla) a 3A runner-up at 15:45, and Joe Manuel (Kearney) developing into one of the nation’s top miler (4:11.80 from spring of 1982).

In the Los Angeles area Jose-Luis Garcia (Lincoln, LA) was the top returnee at third place from the previous year’s Championships, with Katie Dunsmuir (Palisades, Pacific Palisades) second in the 1981 City Finals contest. Central Section strength centered around traditional powers, with the Sanger Boys, Clovis Boys and Girls (there was no directional named HS in Clovis in those times to split up the talent), and Madera Boys were back in force, with Linda Hooke (Bullard) the top individual Girls returnee at third.

The Central Coast Section was very strong in distance running, with a solid club base for the Girls and very strong Boys high school programs. The Leigh and Los Gatos Boys’ squads went 1-3 in the 1981 Northern Cal Championships, with St. Francis (Mountain View) second in the Girls’ race. Grant Foster (Monta Vista) was the defending Section champ (1 division), with Roy Garcia (7th 2001) and Dave Bell (11th) leading Leigh once again in 1982. Willow Glen had 9:25.6 3200 runner Mike Livingston leading the 1982 group. Susan Brodie (St. Francis) was third in the 1981 Section Finals CC run, with Nanette Garcia (Silver Creek) 10:30.40 for 3200m in track and fifth at State.

photo by Keith Conning
Wendy Sihner (Miramonte, Orinda) 1981 Nor Cal
Runner-Up in Cross Country

In the North Coast Section, Livermore had taken the 1981 Meet of Champs Boys team title, and looked strong in 1982, with John Morse (Las Lomas, Walnut Creek), a 9:22.9 3200 runner, seventh in that race as the top individual returnee. Girls defending titlest Wendy Sihner (Miramonte, Orinda), second in the 1981 Nor Cal Championship race, was returning to defend her local title, and she had added a 10:34.7 Meet of Champs 3200 run in the spring. Paige Tully (Alhambra, Martinez) and Heather Watkins (Berkeley) also returned as top NCS indivdiuals.

In the Sac Joaquin area Bella Vista was going for its third consecutive title on the Boys' side, with eventual famed author Nick Sparks hoping to help hold off a rising Jesuit program. Jason Flamm (La Sierra, Carmichael) was sixth in the Nor Cal 1981 Championship race, and had run 9:14 in the 3200 in the spring. Del Oro (Loomis) took the 1981 Section Girls contest, with Del Campo (Fair Oaks) and El Dorado (Placerville) having strong groups back for 1982. Joni Mooney (Vacaville) was third in all of Nor Cal in 1981, with fellow area Del Oro returnees Liz McDowell and Stacey McAfee fourth and fifth there.

The Northern Section had a top returnee in Jim Frey (Yreka), fourth in the 1981 Nor Cal CC Meet and a 4:10.32 1600 for second in State in Track. Danae Dunlap (Anderson) returned as the Section CC Champ from 1981.

Thanks to Keith Conning and Steve Fagundes whose information was helpful in this preview. 

As the 2007 season goes along we will stop every week or two and see how that 1982 season developed a quarter century ago, as well as twenty years previous (1987) and why not, fifteen back at 1992, with electricity and automobiles nationwide by that era.

LINK TO COMPLETE 1982 PRESEASON PREVIEW ARTICLES

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