Oakland Boys In 7th Heaven;
Skyline girls looked up to yet again!
Castlemont's Sparks win his race, but Dileo sparks Oakland boys to 7th consecutive crown!
Skyline girls hold down 6 of top 10 spots to handily claim victory, advance to state.

         Oakland High School boys won their 7th consecutive Oakland Athletic League Championship at Joaquin Miller Park scoring a low 31 points. Castlemont's Kenny Sparks won the boys race with a fantastic race, battling Oakland's Thomas Dileo the whole way. In what might go down as one of the most exciting races in league history, the two ran great with Sparks coming out on top with an excellent time of 18:45. Dileo was timed in 18:46. Both are their school records over the course. (editor's note: Joaquin Miller Park is considered the slowest invitational course in the state, with former 4:17 prep miler Tom Phelps holding the course record here in 17:42. No girl has broken 21 here, despite many outstanding individuals - such as Miesha Marzell - taking a stab.)
         Skyline High won the girls meet dominating the field with 24 points. Dianna Choi led the way, winning in 23:07. Skyline placed 4 girls in the top 6 to pave the way to victory.
         Skyline girls and Oakland High's boys earn a trip to Fresno as do individuals: Kenny Sparks (Castlemont), Aaron Shiber-Knowles (Skyine), and Che Ballenger (Oakland Technical) in the boys. Girls individuals are: Jennifer Doyle (Oakland Tech), Lauren Lok (Oakland High) and Naomi Berkins (Oakland Tech).

Oakland Athletic League - Oakland Section Finals
November 19, 2003 @Joaquin Miller Park 3.0 miles
66 degrees at start, real nice

Boys
1. Kenny Sparks Castlemont 18:45
2. Thomas Dileo Oakland 18:46
3. Aaron Shiber-Knowles Skyline 19:53
4. Albert Chan Oak 19:56
5. Che Ballenger Oakland Technical 20:23
6. Steven Tan Sky 20:24
7. John Cheng Oak 20:35
8. Benison Ying O 20:36
9. John Brooks -Jung Oak Tech 20:37
10. Tu Vo O 20:51
11: Orlando Crockett Sky 20:53
12. Tony Giang S 20:59
13. Jimmy Dileo O 21:04
14. Willie Godfrey S 21:23
15. David Okikawa S 21:27
16. Deandre Cherry O Tech 21:28
17. Stephen Chen O 21:32
18. Jerry Fry C 21:38
19. Cristobal Rodriquez C 22:01
20. DeCoryan Warner S 22:05
21. Gilberto Nuno C 22:36
22. Archie Gbotoe C 22:40
23. Victor Jimenez Fremont 22:52
24. Humberto Corral Fre 22:58
25. Jose Chavarria Fre 23:52
26. Devonte Dartez C 23:56
27. Darrin Cain C 23:59
28. Charlie Morse O Tech 24:07
29. Maurice Martin O Tech 25:12
30. Melvin Rivas-Alvarado Fre 25:21
31. Miguel Lopez Fre 25:57
32. Bryan Posey NcClymonds 26:43
33. Johnny Sanez Fre 26:45
34. Charles Simms McC 27:42
35. Xavier Soto Tech 28:52
36. Michael Bradley McC 31:06
37. Ryan Posey McC 32:45

Team Totals
Oakland 2-4-7-8-10 (13-17) = 31
Skyline 3-6-11-12-14 (15-20) = 46
Castlemont 1-18-19-21-22 (26-27) =81
Oakland Tech 5-9-16-28-29 (33)
Fremont 23-24-25-30-31 (32)
McClymonds Incomplete Team

Girls
1. Diana Choi Sky 23:07
2. Jennifer Doyle Tech 24:33
3. Lauren Lok Oak 24:47
4. Colby Haarz Sky 24:56
5. Paula Bernabe Sky 25:34
6. Gabrielle Harmon Sky 25:39
7. Naomi Berkins Tech 25:49
8. Elizabeth Cotroneo Sky 26:52
9. Robin Bellows Tech 27:10
10. Tracy Zirbel Sky 27:19
11. Lynn Yasol Oak 28:06
12. Jessica Phuong Oak 28:09
13. Caroline Gikuru Fre 28:36
14. Nancy Tran Oak 29:02
15. Kandi Thomas Tech 29:13
16. Anna Luu Oak 29:44
17. Anna Dayley Tech 30:30
18. T’Keyia Penick-Goodwin McC 30:33
19. Nelida Arechiga Fre 30:59
20. Natosha Nora Tech 31:31
21. Deanna Phakeovilay Sky 31:32
22. Kimdreal Venson Cast 31:39
23. Jamaica Turner Cast 32:05
24. Devonique Murphy McC 32:21
25. Monica Chavez McC 32:59
26. Mignon Perry McC 33:03
27: Starbrina Cross McC 33:07
28. Annie Sien McC 33:21
29. Erica Ortega Fre 34:54
30. Nancy Montesinos Fre 35:16
31, Latoya Williams McC 37:30
32. Nancy Vay Fre 38:43
33. Sebina Redzic Oak 38:58
34. Felicia Jamerson McC 42:00

Team Score
1. Skyline 24                3, Oakland High 56          5. Fremont 117
2. Oakland Tech 50      4. McClymonds 112            Castlemont- Incomplete

CIF-Oakland Section Preview
Courtesy of Dave Ponas
Wednesday November 19, 2003
Joaquin Miller Park, Oakland, CA

         This year, all boys and girls teams will fill full squads for the first time in a few years as the league is greatly improved this 2003 season. Running will take place in Joaquin Miller Park -- the Oakland Athletic League home course -- which many people consider the most beautiful course in the world!
         Put scenery aside for a bit, and what you have is one of the most demanding, toughest, and challenging courses in the state of California, or even the nation! The uphill portions are solid and taxing, the downhill parts are no relief. Dips, twists, and turns are everywhere as there is virtually no place to relax and collect yourself. Everywhere but the meadow area is up or down! The meadow isn't even flat! This course is better suited for mountain goats and llamas. To say this course is tough is a major understatement. This is a quadriceps-burning, lung-busting place to race!
          The girl to watch here is Skyline's Diana Choi. Diana set a OAL Course Record just last week running an excellent 21:54.
          Diana is our defending Champion and OAL 1600 Record holder in track and field, which she set last spring. This girl can run with the best and with about a 2:30 conversion to Woodward Park, she should be very competitive there also. Diana Choi has been so dominate that her 21:54 is almost 2 full minutes faster than the next OAL runner! But she'll first concentrate here in helping her team, Skyline, to try and win an OAL title!
          Behind Choi are Skyline's Colby Haarz, Gabrielle Harmon, and Paula Barnabe. All are capable of placing in the top 8 in the league. If they do, the 5-0 dual meet Skyline Titans should win the section and a team trip to the State Championship in Fresno.
          Oakland's Lauren Lok should battle Tech's Jennifer Dolye for second place. Both runners have competed in Fresno before. Past running gives the nod to Doyle, as she has run a sub 24:00 race here at Joaquin Miller. Their two teams will tie up today with a little more depth going to Oakland Tech, with Robin Bellows and Naomi Berkins. Oakland has a solid Lynn Yasol to help as the Wildcats defeated a Jennifer Doyle-less Tech squad in the earlier dual meet to finish 4-1, with an only loss to Skyline.
           The boys competition will be closer! The defending champs of Oakland High have frontrunning Thomas Dileo and Albert Chan. Dileo, a sophomore, won the OAL 3200 meter run last season and has a league leading 19:01 this season. Albert Chan, a junior, has ran 19:09 so far. Both will have serious challeges from Castlemon's Kenny Sparks and Skyline's Aaron Shiber-Knowles.
           Shiber- Knowles is the OAL 1600 meter Champion last year with a best of 4:30. Sparks has shown good course work with a 19:44 run here a few weeks back. All three teams, Oakland, Skyline and Castlemont have some good back up.
           Skyline can use good runs from solid athletes Steven Tan and David Okikawa -- both sub 20:40 runners out here --to try to take this meet. Castlemont will look for Cristobal Rodriquez and Gilberto Nuno to help. The Oakland High Wildcats will look for their seventh league title in a row with frosh John Cheng 20:00 here, Tu Vo 20:41 and Stephen Chen 20:36. Throw in Oakland Tech's Che Ballenger, who has ran 20:40, and John Brooks-Jung, a state meet competitor last year, and you got some serious up-front action for the team title and berths to the state meet.

Teams (All Are In Division 1)
Oakland High
Skyline
Castlemont
McClymonds
Oakland Tech
Fremont

Schedule: Varsity Girls, 2:40 pm; Varsity Boy,s 3:20 pm; Junior Varsity, 4:00pm