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CIF-SS Finals Saturday, November 22, 2003 @ Mt. SAC - 2.91 miles |
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2003 CIF-SOUTHERN
SECTION/TOYOTA CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS The hottest team in the Golden State will be on display here, looking to supercharge its stretch drive with an all-out assault on the fabled Mt. SAC course team-time record! Even so, another nationally ranked squad figures to be bearing down right on its heels, not to mention an additional powerhouse team and a wave of upstart programs also giving chase. Don Lugo, ranked 13th in the nation by The Harrier Magazine, has ripped a trio of sub-77:33 team clockings in this 2.91-mile course in recent weeks, now lining up Canyon’s 2001 ‘renovated course team-time record (since changes were made to the layout in 1999) squarely in the crosshairs this weekend! Fitsum Tesfa, easily among the most improved juniors in the state this fall, has toured the course in 15:10 to headline a spectacular grouping known to stuff the finish chute with all its scorers within a 40-second span! Royal , a crew with amazing depth on board, has risen to the #22 ranking nationally in recent weeks, with frontrunning junior Dylan Jaedtke (15:01 to win the Team Sweepstakes Race at the Mt. SAC Invitational), and underclassmen Kevin Sullivan and Jason Pedersen arming an extremely well- fortified lineup! Rancho Cucamonga has really improved its depth situation during the course of the last month, with the end result being a crew capable of earning a Top 50 national ranking by season’s end. Andrew Trinidad and Stephen Trupiano have emerged as arguably the Southland’s premier duo this campaign, possibly aiming to both dip under 15:00 here this weekend! Murrieta Valley, a program on the rise in recent years, has a very dangerous lineup that interchanges nicely, with Mike Munoz and Anthony Mercado among the big-name talents showcased here. Traditional megapowers Canyon of Canyon Country and Dana Hills are in the mix yet again, with the former relying on money-man Jace Getskow to pace a balanced crew still searching to find its true groove, and the latter following the lead of Scott Smith and still riding high after claiming the Orange County Championships crown. A truly special group of vastly improved programs rounds out the leading contenders for the six state-meet berths up for grabs here, with a sensational and young Upland contingent (powered by Steven Gonzales and section-best frosh Ryan Gamboa), a West Covina unit powered by sophomore all-state candidates Diego and Daniel Mercado, a super-hot La Sierra group tearing through the ranks at just the right time, and a Crescenta Valley crew (with Ben Kessen and Rusty Whismam up front) building itself into a major force in recent weeks! Aside from the aforementioned individuals, other key challengers to capture the race’s top spot include Orange County champion Brandon Bethke of El Toro and Inland Empire talents Daniel Cuevas of Rialto and Ryan Allen of Yucaipa.
This 16-team battle features an ultra-clear favorite, but a slew of quickly improving challengers are making this interesting as 13 teams projected to finish within a minute of each other on final team-time tallies. Wow! St. John Bosco has held down the division’s top ranking from the season’s outset – not to mention also claiming the state’s top ranking as well – with a super-deep crew from a year ago set for the big race here today! Junior Randy Skillens and teammate Luis Uribe get the ball rolling for the Braves, who are quite capable of sticking all scorers under 16 minutes here. Loyola, which rode a magical close to the state Division I crown a year ago, has overcome some mid-season bouts of mild adversity to now reach early-season projections as the prime title challenger in this division. All-American candidate Mark Matusak, who scorched these hills to the second-fastest time in renovated-course history (14:33) last month, is the undisputed favorite here, with Loyola then riding the great 2-3 punch of Matt Miller and Mark Takata in virtually assuring itself a state-meet berth. Mira Costa has been the division’s nicest surprise this fall, with Jason Hanakeawe leading a swift collection that packs effectively, thus giving its competition major fits! Orange has a brazen veteran in Raul Lara up front, but it has been the impressive maturation of its youth which has laid the blueprint for a trip to Fresno. West Torrance has been very crafty in disguising its upside this fall, with the Amir Ursani-led crew often taking a tactical approach that has virtually prevented any breakthrough showings this fall. Even with the reigns on, the crew is a dangerous contender. Valencia of Placentia, which boasts a nice penchant for late-season poaks in recent years, has comprised another stellar crew ready for the big dance, with senior Jesus Salazar entrusted to lead the roster to Fresno. South Torrance has to be the most dangerous darkhorse here, with close study revealing the crew is picking its battles wisely and enjoys very good upside with Damon Ferrara as its pacesetter. Arroyo has a sensational frontrunner in junior Luis Medina (already a San Gabriel Valley record 14:56 here this fall), with the resurgent Knights also claiming quite a nice supporting pack. In a divison jam-packed with contenders, it would be wise to also keep an eye on proven lineups from Brea Olinda (with Matt Moulson and Chris Balik leading its senior-dominated roster) and Sultana (Stuart Patterson and Alex Deleeuw as its bookends) and late-season rising powers Edison (with Joe Gatel and Jayson Hayes helping key the team’s recent three-minute improvement) and a Buena unit closing out the Channel League season in impressive fashion. Although Matusak is the clear favorite for individual honors here, look for Medina,, a usually quick-starting Jose Melena of Antelope Valley and speed merchant Michael Haddan of Woodbridge to make strong bids as well.
Following months of message board chatter and a bantering of opinions, it’s finally time to let the legs do the talkin’! Burroughs High of Ridgecrest, which features a stellar 1-2 punch of Jared Zurn and Josh Hamilton, has truly shored up its depth weaknesses to emerge as a co-favorite here today! The Burros have entered the state podium picture of late, with new faces stepping up at the depth positions. Barstow, clearly the division’s most decorated program in terms of postseason achievements over the years, has the horses on board to possibly win this one in fine fashion, with Avery Himes, Junior Salas and Chris Grow spearheading a lethal attack for coaching guru Jim Duarte. If the crew can generate one of its patented late-season peaks, it’s “Game Over.” Diamond Ranch, which had the unenviable task of taking its league licks against national power Don Lugo High this season, has toughened itself in the process, with Michael Blair and Nemo Simmons among those producing a very impressive 81:09 clocking at its league final here a few weeks ago. San Luis Obispo is a team to be feared, with the fine program earning the knack as a genuine late-season powerhouse in recent years. Potential race champion Daniel Nunn remains among the West Coast’s best-kept secrets, with the Cal Poly SLO-bound talent helping the crew get out well on meet day! Cabrillo of Lompoc boasts one of the Western United States’ premier underclassmen, with 15:18 sophomore Michael Coe very capable of scaling high into the all-time course grade lists on this course. Corona del Mar has been a mild late-season surprise, discarding a few misleading September efforts with a fine run at its prelims heat (83:21) seven days ago. Senior Kevin Artz leads the Sea Kings, who are vying for a state-meet berth! Servite has raised the bar within its program in recent months, with super scholar Nick Mosey tearing through all challenges in leading the Friars quickly up the ranks of the Serra League, not to mention the Southland Medium Schools scene as well. Peter Robie’s recent improvements have been a major key to their in-season rise. The battle up front should be a real dandy, with the favored Nunn (also 9:08 and change in track for 3200 meters) and the super soph Coe having to answer what figure to be classic challenges from Covina’s Andrew Tachias (the Stanford Invitational Division III champion) and Mosey, whose improvement curve has been eye-catching in recent weeks. Given the major need for up-front team points, the clash between the Burroughs and Barstow athletes should be a titanic one! One thing is highly likely here: There will be no brave talk afterward... as they’ll all be too exhausted to converse, before quickly refocusing their mindsets on the rematch in Fresno!
If there is ever a heavy favorite in today’s lineup of boys races, it occurs right here. Oak Park projected to be the runaway winner here this fall, with all signs still pointing to that scenario. The Eagles, seeking to repeat as defending sectional and state champions in both genders, were well over two minuts faster than their nearest rivals at last weekend’s qualifying, with veterans Ken Brook and Jordan Page hitting their stride at just the right time! The white-and-black clad crew figures to run in packs today, no doubt wishing to mentally weaken opponents entering the final challenges ahead. Orange Lutheran is projected to offer up the stiffest challenge, with senior Jorge Jabaz serving as catalyst for a team that has sparingly opted to show all of its cards in single races this season. One of the few times that occurred was at the Orange County Championships, when it defeated several large-schools powers. It gets very interesting from there, as a host of well-coached programs square off in deciding the remaining berths to Fresno. Morro Bay, with legendary mentor Cary Nerelli at the helm, could be the most dangerous of the remaining contenders, with Jordan Gaffney among those decorating its fine lineup. Tri-Valley League foes St. Bonaventure and Carpinteria square off again, with the former gaining the upper hand at its league final and the latter countering with a better team-time result at the section prelims. Both are powered by fine individual talents, with Carpinteria paced by Joaquin Gomez and St. Bonaventure keyed by George Morris. Laguna Beach is a traditional power at this stage of the season, flashing nice through-the-roster balance to offer itself a favorable view at a state-meet bid. The race up front is clearly against the clock, as University of Arizona-bound All-American Mohamed Trafeh of Duarte takes his final stab at the newly renovated course’s record (14:28, set by Big Bear’s Ryan Hall in 2001). Trafeh has scorched these hills in a lifetimes-best 14:38 on two occasions, all but assuring the record will fall here. Trafeh, who finished 7th at last year’s Foot Locker Nationals in San Diego, is a devout Muslim, observing the tradition of fasting during the current Ramadan calendar. If he can crack the meet record while limited by his fasting, such bodes well for his prospects at nationals in three weeks, when the Ramadan phase has concluded. Morris and Gomez are two very fierce rivals, with that reason alone being enough to possibly tab them as co-favorites for the runner-up spot. Interestingly, Oak Park’s Brook also hails from the Tri-Valley League, which is among the state’s finest for smaller-sized schools. Jabaz, who lays claim to the division’s second-best time this season, could very well challenge the low-15's neighborhood if he arrives here ‘in a zone’. Do not be surprised if Oak Park manages to have all its scorers place in the Top 10!
The three-team clash we expected at season’s outset is playing out, albeit in a slightly different pecking order than many had envisioned. Preseason favorite Flintridge Prep was denied a chance to compete at the late-season Mt. SAC Invitational due to the Southland fires, leaving the Rebels possibly slightly out of sync in terms of high-pressure litmus tests thus far. Even so, expect the state’s top-ranked squad to answer any skeptics, with quality leader Tom McLean heading up its deep attack. Santa Clara has made nice strides in recent weeks to become a co-favorite, with individual favorite Tony Arredondo and the Urban Brothers equipping the Saints with the right firepower up front, leaving its depth as the deciding factor from here on out. Maranatha has very quietly put together a very promising season, with a phalanx of young runners making considerable progress within a program that truly knows how to peak itself well for championships challenges. Andy Smith leads the Minutemen, who had several team members achieve confidence-building breakthroughs at the recent Cougar 2-Miler. Several traditional powers are in the mix for the remaining berths to state, with Prep League foes Webb (headed by Greg Burris) and Chadwick (hinging its chances in large part to Peter Bartlett) battling Woodcrest Christian and St. Margaret’s to the wire. Keep a very close eye on Desert Christian of Lancaster, which traditionally drives opposing coaches batty by resting out key runners throughout the season, making it hard for them to be scouted. Sky Johnston leads Desert Christian, and joins Desert’s Kameran Neises are the prime challengers to Arredondo for individual honors.
Murrieta Valley aims to ‘run the table’ on Southern Section competition this fall, with the highly acclaimed Nighthawks still boasting a perfect record in head-on competition in 2003. MV has amazing depth, with its junior varsity crew a type of unit that would be competitive against most varsity squads. Its varsity? Try #9 in the nation! That’s its current ranking, a by-product of a fine divisional win at the Stanford Invitational and its Team Sweepstakes triumph at the Mt. SAC Invitational. University of Colorado-bound senior Liza Pasciuto leads the crew, with the former All-American performing magnificently this fall. Freshman phenom Liana Boucher has been the super surprise this season. Canyon of Canyon Country, projected as among the nation’s better teams at season’s outset, has turned the corner well in recent weeks after a slightly inauspicious start, now rolling through the competition as evidenced by its stunning 93:37 clocking last weekend! Ayala, with a sensational tradition over the last decade-plus, has super veteran Whitney Patton and amazing frosh Briana Cahn leading its unit, looking to find its way onto the podium today! Thousand Oaks and Ventura, however, could zoom right by them in challenging for the title! Thousand Oaks enjoyed an impressive late drive to place a very close second at last year’s state championships, with siblings Alyson and Lynne Fletcher and teammate Kathleen Vance heading up this year’s battle-tested squad. Ventura appears to have amazing depth and resilience on board, with the Cougars shaking off the recent injury loss of frontrunner Emily Spiker to still clock a scintillating 95:15 in qualifying! With legendary coaches Bill Tokar and Ken Reeves at the helm, anything will be possible! Fountain Valley might very well be the deepest program around, with wave after wave of talent making the Barons scary on meet day! Crystal Reed, who took a nasty start-line spill in being knocked out of action here a year ago, is back to exorcize those demons. Two other dangerous perennial powers to watch are Esperanza and Peninsula. Esperenza was without the services of its top two runners last weekend, yet managed to advance from a tough Division I heat qualifier. Joy Wilk returns to the lineup today, joining super frosh talent Danibree Pugmire in leading the Aztecs. Peninsula runs the Mt. SAC course better than anyone, with its own home course pretty much making this layout seem like a speed bump, in comparison. Olga Aulet-Leon leads this year’s crew. Looking for a Cinderella team? How about a Warren High program following the leadership of Robyn Guggiana en route to a stunning 7-minute team-time improvement over a year ago! The race up front will be fierce, with Murrieta Valley’s Pasciuto reigning as the favorite, and several dangerous contenders also in the fray. Ayala’s Cahn and Hart’s Brooke Russell have enjoyed dream freshmen campaigns, with Saugus’ Shannon Murakami surprising the Southland with dramatic improvements in recent weeks. The depth here is amazing, with Corona mighty-mite sophomore Alma Escobar being the most likely to pull an upset, with the huge crowd favorite knocking around large chunks of improvement in recent weeks. Rancho Cucamonga’s Natalie Picchetti placed 22nd nationally at a Texas school a year ago.
The greatest team in California history? That was the talk buzzing around Sultana High during the summertime, but a costly injury to one of its top performers slowed the crew in mid-season, sending the Sultans into a virtual free fall in the national rankings. Now, Sultana is back... and apparently better than ever! The Sultans have flashed performance levels at both its league final and the section prelims that tend to suggest the crew is ahead of last year’s pace, when it closed the season ranked #3 in the entire nation! Sophomore Danielle Varela holds special memories of the Mt. SAC course, making the ‘big step up” at this meet a year ago to win the individual title and sparking the team’s course record! Team captain Kelsey Delagardelle and veterans Stacy Tabuena and Kelsey Camara provide unmatched ammunitionwithin state confines this year! Unless a major upset occurs, which teams lead the scramble for the runner-up position? Orange County rivals Cypress and Woodbrige lead the long list of challengers, with the former powered by the frontrunning duo of Stephanie Torres and Lauren Jirges, and the latter squad having Daniela Gergley and Kelly Oeschlager leading a tradition second to none in this division. West Torrance has been a fine surprise this fall, with the crew welcoming volleyball sensation Angela Spadafino during her free time, bolstering an already explosive crew with yet more upside! Mater Dei opened the eyes of many with a finely timed mini-peak at the Serra League Finals, then followed that up with another solid showing at the section prelims, possibly breaking the school’s team time record with its 97:23 showing. The biggest surprise of the entire prelims qualifying scene came from this division, as previously unheralded Whittier High belted out a very impressive 98:08 effort to easily advance. As defending champion and already on a roll in 2003, Sultana’s Varela is tabbed as the individual favorite, with Cypress’ duo of Torres and Jirges looming as a dangerous combo attack.
2003 CIF-SOUTHERN
SECTION/TOYOTA CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS Santa Margarita’s Eagles have been soaring from the outset, with a sparkling season-opening effort at the Bronco Invitational foretelling a superb string of fine performances throughout the state. Santa Margarita endured a mild upset in coming on the short end of a one-point decision at the Serra League Finals, but the crew rebounded quickly to post a fine sub-98:00 clocking here a week ago. Kate Hirschbeck, Kristin Howell and Co. appear revved up for their final challenges, well aware that several teams can rise up to pull the upset (as St. Joseph of Lakewood did a year ago). Harvard/Westlake and Corona del Mar figure to pose the fiercest challenges for the top spot. Harvard/Westlake is sparked by one of the nation’s premier talents in senior Lindsay Flacks, who clocked a section-leading 17:32 here at the Mt. SAC Invitational. Bridget Ballard and Reed Kristovich are other key performers for the Wolverines. Corona del Mar has sophomore Anne St. Geme heading its efforts, with younger sibling Christie St. Geme and Melissa Swigart being other key contributors to the team’s title bid. Rim of the World has been a huge inspirational squad to follow, with some members of the squad strongly affected by the recent mountain fires in the Lake Arrowhead community. Nicole McKaskell leads Rim, whose campus is located at high altitude. Perennial powers South Hills, Lompoc and La Canada are other dangerous squads featured, with fast-improving Yucca Valley also aiming to crash the party. Flacks in the clear favorite up front, with St. Geme and megatalented Jenna Kingma of San Luis Obispo figuring to lead the chase pack. 2003 CIF-SOUTHERN
SECTION/TOYOTA CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS Oak Park resides as the heavy favorite here, aiming to pull off a title sweep of both genders. Veteran ace Lauren Morales and fellow pacesetters Tatiana Camacho and Kelsey Connor give the Eagles an unmatched up-front presence here, Orange Lutheran and Laguna Beach pretty much are assured of punching their state-meet tickets without much difficulty, as the lack of depth in this division affords the favorites plenty of wiggle room for error. Orange Lutheran boasts a great veteran talent building around Kari Andrew, but the real news here could be the stunning recent performances of freshman Jacqueline Turner, who posted an out-of-sight performance at her league finals. Looking for a darkhorse to upset the apple cart? Keep an eye on Big Bear, which has sisters Kari and Elysse Kompaniez keying a program sparse on numbers, but not short on talent! The race for the top spot will be an intense one, with St. Paul’s speedy duo of Lauren Magdaleno and Marlene Elisalde matching fortitude with La Reina standout Katie Gose and the Oak Park crew in a blitz through the hills! Of course, if Turner’s showing at league was no fluke, she could win this one going away – and in this talented field, that says a lot! 2003 CIF-SOUTHERN SECTION/TOYOTA
CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS If Woodcrest Christian coach Billy York’s smile these days is as bright as those Hawaiian shorts he dons, there’s good reason for it – the Royals could finish up as the finest girls Division V team in quite some time. Beefed up by a stellar freshmen class, Woodcrest Christian has perched itself atop the divisional rankings from Day One, and have absolutely no intention of surrendering that now. Holly Digerolamo is the backbone of the team’s title-favored attack, with underclass talents Ashleigh Pratt and Kayla Lewis giving the Royals as many as three girls capable of dipping nder 20 minutes here - a rarity at the Division V level. All that said, keep an eye on Flintridge Prep, a veteran-dominated lineup fostering intense resolve to snare the top spot after multiple close calls in recent years. Newcomer Melody Aaron and junior Hannah Vaughan are the bookends for the Rebels, the champions from the super tough Prep League. Desert Christian of Lancaster could be the big surprise here, as the Knights have often fared well while fielding only partial squads in invitationals this spring. A four-minute seasonal-best improvement in team time would be no surprise here. Jessica McFarlane of Chadwick has been a very impressive performer this season, emerging as among the prime challengers to divisional title favorite Tani Brown of Brentwood and the Woodcrest Christian pack!
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