Best September field in Southern California history!
Four nationally ranked boys teams and Foot Locker hopefuls headlined the 180-school field!

The Stars Shine Brightest at Night Yet Again!

Night-time collage produced by Bill Leung!
Corona's Alma Escobar ("a Cadillac engine in a Volkswagen body", according to Don Chadez)
and El Toro's Brandon Bethke (turning into the "Incredible Hulk" yet again during the action
picture above) were the individual race winners in the very fast Team Sweepstakes Races!

Another Royal flush! -- Victory again!

Photo by Erik Pedersen
Royal High School is ranked #5 in the nation, but that should change very soon.
The Highlanders have won the Seaside and Woodbridge Invitationals in the first two
weekends even though they have had to key runners sitting out while rehabbing injuries!
(l-to-r) Jun Reichl, Distin Patterson, Daniel Benson, Matt Gulden, Michael Cybulski,
Dylan Jaedtke and Hudson Andrews, with coach Ryan Luce in the foreground.

Holy Cow, Batman!!
That dang mascot is back again!

Photo courtesy of Maria Carrillo team member Andy Roth
Maria Carrillo HS team members (l-to-r) Amy Robinson, Tiffany Roberts,
Alicia Lueth, Jacque Wentz, Leanne Fogg, Kristin Fladseth, and Kristen Sanzari
pulled off the biggest shock of the young California season with a sensational
winning effort in the Girls Sweepstakes race, edging Murrieta Valley, 90-96.

Division III entry La Canada cleaned up on some hardware!

2004 Race-By-Race results - Bill Leung's photo collage  -  Donal Pearce's photo collage

The uniqueness of the night meet -- San Francisco Chronicle story

Sweepstakes Teams (Tentative)     First Preview     Meet Schedule     Meet Records       

IRVINE -- In 2003, the lights came on for the first time. In 2004, however, look for the assembled talent field to produce nothing less than a thrilling, lights-out affair!
           Bolstered by a sensational boys field never before seen in Golden State at this early stage of the season, nationally ranked California squads from Royal, Don Lugo and Murrieta Valley will be challenged by one of Florida's supercharged programs (Winter Park HS) in an interesting clash for regionalized bragging rights. Individually, El Toro's Brandon Bethke leads a blockbuster California contingent of Foot Locker All-West Region candidates squaring off against Washington Eisenhower's Robbie Barany and reigning Florida large-division champion Coleman Hoover.
           On the girls' side, Southern Section icons Murrieta Valley and Esperanza should be fiercely challenged by fellow Southland-based programs Ayala and host Woodbridge, with the eventual winner positioned to stake a claim for a national ranking. The girls' individual battle figures to be a showdown between Corona junior Alma Escobar, Peninsula's Brooke Lademan and the underclass quartet of Buchanan's Lauren Saylor, Murrieta Valley's Liana Boucher, Ayala's Briana Cahn, and Glendora's Christy Adamyck.
           Just as intriguing as the matchups is the excitement surrounding another under-the-lights clash, with meet director George Varvas enticing schools from four other states (Florida, Washington, New Mexico and Nevada -- with one more big boys' individual entry still looming) to make the trip to "The OC". Nearly 200 runners will grace each of the two sweepstakes races (one for boys, another for girls), snaking across a predominantly flat and very fast three-mile course while under cover of quasi-darkness in some spots.
           With an estimated throng of 5,000-plus curious spectators lining parts of the course, the truly electrified setting results in a bevvy or personal and meet records, with the team-time battles results in efforts for the record books. With deeper and stronger fields, expect ever more in 2004!

** BOYS INVITATIONAL TEAMS (Tentative--Through entries of August 15)**

1. Royal, Simi Valley
2. Don Lugo, Chino
3. Winter Park, -FL
4. Murrieta Valley, Murrieta
5. Rubidoux, Riverside
6. Madera
7. North Monterey County, Castroville
8. El Toro, Lake Forest
9. Ayala, Chino Hills
10. Antelope Valley
11. West Torrance, Torrance
12. Eisenhower, Yakima-WA
13. Mira Costa, Manhattan Beach
14. Mission Viejo
15. Corona
16. Servite, Anaheim
17. Upland
18. Northwood, Irvine
19. Camarillo
20. Crescenta Valley, La Crescenta
21. Maria Carrillo, Santa Rosa
22. Los Osos, Rancho Cucamonga
23. Paramount
24. Lakewood
25. Marina, Huntington Beach
26. Bonita, La Verne*
27. Damien, La Verne*
28. Rialto*
29. Santa Ana*
30. Temecula Valley*
31. University City*

*Based on individual entry

* GIRLS INVITATIONAL TEAMS (Tentative-Through entries of August 15)**

1. Murrieta Valley, Murrieta
2. Esperanza, Anaheim
3. Ayala, Chino Hills
4. Woodbridge, Irvine
5. Peninsula, Rolling Hills Estates
6. West Torrance, Torrance
7. Warren, Downey
8. Corona
9. Saugus
10. Jefferson, WA
11. Santiago, Garden Grove
12. Newport Harbor
13. Royal, Simi Valley
14. Buchanan, Clovis
15. Rim of the World, Lake Arrowhead
16. Maria Carrillo, Santa Rosa
17. Chino Hills
18. South Hills, West Covina
19. San Pedro
20. Scripps Ranch
21. Lutheran, Orange
22. Mater Dei
23. Lakewood
24. Lancaster
25. Mission Viejo
26. Brentwood*
27. Rancho Buena Vista*

*Based on individual entry

2004 Schedule       DIV. IV      DIV. III    DIV. II     DIV. I  
Jr. Varsity Girls               7:40 am       7:55 am    4:30 pm     4:45 pm
Frosh Girls                      8:10 am       8:25 am    5:00 pm     5:15 pm
Soph Girls                       8:40 am       8:55 am    5:30 pm     5:45 pm
Frosh Boys                      9:10 am       9:25 am    6:00 pm     6:15 pm
Soph Boys                       9:40 am       9:55 am    6:30 pm     6:45 pm
Varsity Girls                   10:05 am    10:20 am     6:55pm      7:10 pm
Junior Boys                    10:35 am    10:50 am     7:30 pm     7:45 pm
Senior Boys                   11:05 am    11:20 am     8:05 pm      8:15 pm
Girls' Sweepstakes                            ---- 8:40 pm ----
Boys' Sweepstakes                           ---- 9:05 pm ----