Moore League Preview Meet

Discovery Well Park - Signal Hill - 3 miles

Kirby Lee Photo Album

Arquilla's vision turning into a reality
Wilson showing late coach was right about their ability.

The vision of former coach Jim Arquilla lives at Long Beach Wilson High.
Two years ago, Arquilla proclaimed to a predominately underclass
squad that Wilson would contend for the Moore League title when they
were seniors in 2004.
Arquilla died of malignant melanoma at age 52 in May 2003 but his
memory served as an inspiration for Wilson in the first of two Moore
League preview meets Wednesday at Discovery Well Park in Signal
Hill.
Wilson, paced by the 3-4 finish of seniors Danny Gonzalez and Julio
Lopez in 16:55 and 16:59, respectively, over the 3-mile course,
defeated eight-time defending league champion Poly to go undefeated
in the combined meet featuring all league teams scored as individual
dual meets.
Lakewood junior Daniel Clifford fought off a strong surge by Poly's
Ethan Durham to win. Both runners were timed in 16:53.
"(Arquilla) predicted that we would be very good our senior year,'
Lopez said. "Every time that I run a race I think about his words:
'I believe in you guys.' He has left a big impact on me.'
Wilson made a big impact with five runners among the top 10. Juniors
Casey McCombs and C.J. Brewer were seventh and eighth in 17:13 and
17:23, respectively, over the hilly course and rocky dirt trails.
Senior Arturo Vasquez rounded out the scoring in 10th in 17:26.
Wednesday's victory will make a trip to Hawaii for the Kamehamea
Invitational on Saturday even more enjoyable. The Bruins left this
morning for the five-day trip.
Wilson (5-0), which last won a league title in 1995, defeated Poly
(4-1), 23-34, and Lakewood (3-2), 21-35, in dual-meet scoring. The
final league standings will be determined from the results of both
preview meets and the finals in November.
Coming close to Poly seemed like a distant vision for Wilson in
2002, when Poly swept the first seven places in the league finals.
Arquilla, though, never gave up on Wilson.
"If it weren't for him, I wouldn't be running right now,' Gonzalez
said. "He used to say, 'This team is young. This team has a lot of
potential Keep training and in two years, you are going to win
league.' '
The future is now for the freshman-laden Poly girls (5-0), who
defeated three-time defending champion Wilson (4-1) despite the
individual victory of defending champion Bina Gold in 20:20.
Poly took four of the top six places with freshman Carley Lopez in
second (20:33), junior Tava Tedesco in third (20:36), freshman Emily
Rubin in fifth (20:45) and senior Gabrielle Bournes in sixth
(20:53). Sophomore Vania Santos was 10th in 21:24.


Moore League Preview Meet No. 1
3 miles at Discovery Well Park
Boys
1. Daniel Clifford (Lakewood) 16:53; 2. Ethan Durham (Poly) 16:53; 3. Danny Gonzalez (Wilson) 16:55; 4. Julio Lopez (W) 16:59; 5. Pedro Ramos (Poly) 17:06; 6. Robert Rodriguez (Millikan) 17:08; 7. Casey McCombs (W) 17:13; 8. C.J. Brewer (W) 17:23; 9. Jonathon Anderson (L) 17:23; 10. Arturo Vasquez (W) 17:26.
Girls
1. Bina Gold (Wilson) 20:20; 2. Carley Lopez (Poly) 20:33; 3. Tava Tedesco (P) 20:36; 4. Claire Anderson (W) 20:41; 5. Emily Rubin (P) 20:45; 6. Gabrielle Bournes (P) 20:53; 7. Miriam Cortez (L) 21:09; 8. Gloria Toledo (L) 21:09; 9. Amber Rollo (W) 21:13; 10. Vania Santos (P) 21:24.