52nd Mt. SAC Cross Country Invitational
Doug Speck's Friday Report
Highlights of the sweepstakes races
Girls Division 4 - Wendy King (McFarland) took the race out, with she
and teammate Allis Veiss 1-2 through the 880, with Rae Stumbaugh (Nordhoff,
Ojai), Amy Loper-Riley (Alhambra, Martinez) closest. Stumbaugh started to take
control through the mile at 5:32, with her team leading through the mile and a
half when the contest came off the switchbacks at a mile and a half over
Louisville (Woodland Hills). Nordhoff is ranked #2 statewide, with
Louisville #3. Top ranked Corona del Mar will run on Saturday here against Div
I-II schools. Stumbaugh held together out in front, with her team closing
strongly to win 83-120 over Campolindo (Moraga), with Louisville next at 125.
The Nordhoff average of 20:00 is strong at this level.
Girls Division 5
The trio of Clara Horowitz (Head Royce), Angela Peterson (now of Meadows of Las
Vegas after a move from Parker of San Diego), and Kristin Cohoon (Chadwick)
separated early, coming by the mile in a quick 5:32. Arizona champ Hopi and
Chadick were strong through a mile and a half, with Hopi five in the top fifteen
there. A great close to the event had the top trio above come on to the airstrip
with a quarter mile to go even, with sub 5:10 miler Cohoon closing strongest to
win at an impressive 18:18. Hopi edged Chadwick 56-67, with Division V power
University (San Francisco) running Saturday against Div I-II schools (they on
the Saturday sweeps last year).
Girls Division 3
Jennifer Randazzo (Carondolet, Concord) led early, with Laura Meyers (Maranatha,
Sierra Madre), a Div V athlete who moved up for competition, and Julia Fischer
(Granada, Livermore) close through a 5:33 first mile. Meyers, a frosh soccer
star made a big move up the switchbacks, racing away to a huge and surprising
lead. Down on to the airstrip she looked full of run, with the team contest
tight beteen La Canada, Granada, and Carondelet. Meyers continued to race away,
finishing in an amazing 18:15 over Nicole Bonino (La Canada) 18:52, with the
North Coast Section going 1-2 with Granada 57-88. Defending State Champ La
Canada was third.
Boys Div 4
Ryan Hall (Big Bear) and Mark Nevers (Oak Park) led at the start, with the mile
coming at a quick 4:40. Hall charged the Switchbacks, leading off that loop, with
Nevers, 4:15 1600m runner Mark Lanese (Moreau, Hayard), Billy Nelson (Taft), and
Andres Gomes (McFarland) close behind. Nordhoff, Oak Park, and McFarland were
locked in a great team struggle. Hall was tough the entire way, winning finally
at 15:24, with Gomes next at 15:27. McFarland took its southern rivals with 95
points, with Oak Park nipping area rival Nordhoff 102-108 for second.
Boys Div 5
The quick early running continued here, with Thomas Kubler (Viewpoint) pushing a
4:43 first mile with Jess Kleinjan (Ontario Christian) and Devon Lonayaoma
(defending State Champ from Hopi, Az) close behind. Kubler and the Arizona star
continued to battle over the final two miles, with the Hopi team really tough,
scoring through the 30's at a mile and a half, and hanging on. Lonayaoma took
the contest 15:19-15:32, with his team totalling 34 points.
Boys Div 3
Jesse Hodges (South Hills, West Covina) took the pace-setting out over La
Canada's Ryan Burnett and Jon Facer, with Chris Johnson (Redwood, Larkspur) and
Chris Eggers (Granada, Livermore) close behind. The individual race as very
close, with Burnett finally taking the lead on the final "airstrip"
quarter mile to win 15:31-15:39. South Hils emerged narrow winners over Los
Gatos, which surprised with second at 73, with Don Bosco next at 85 and Redwood
86 in the day's tightest team struggle.
