Local runners on par

Steve Virgen

Kenny Rakestraw wants to keep running. He doesn’t want to stop.

He knows that he’s No. 8 among sophomores in Newport Harbor High’s

all-time list for boys cross country. That’s what was motivating him

at the Orange County Championships Saturday at Irvine Regional Park,

where Corona del Mar, Estancia, Costa Mesa and Sage Hill also

competed.

In the Division II boys race, which featured Newport, CdM and

Estancia, Rakestraw finished 10th in 16:11, the fastest time among

Newport-Mesa athletes, and he was the ninth fastest sophomore at the

Orange County Championships.

“Kenny could really develop into a good runner,” Newport Harbor

Coach Nowell Kay said. “By the end of the year, he’ll probably be in

our top five [among Newport sophomores] and will be in good company.

Right now, he’s in between Jim Geerlings and Curt Herbert, and they

went to become the fastest runners [in school history]. Hopefully he

can run a 15:43, that’s what Nick Miller did as a sophomore.”

Rakestraw recorded a personal record, finishing in 15:53, which

was also at Irvine Park, in a Sea View League six-way meet Oct. 9.

The performance provided confidence for the young runner and gave him

a bit of momentum in Saturday’s race, in which runners battled heat.

“My time was slower because it was much hotter than it was last

week,” Rakestraw said. “All the dust and the heat was really pretty

tough. It’s a lot different racing varsity than it is in frosh/soph.

It’s a lot more demanding. I tried to push myself in this race.”

Rakestraw competed for the Newport varsity team last year, but ran

on the frosh/soph level for the Orange County Championships. He was

determined to make the most of his debut, especially since the

Sailors were ailing, as Newport’s two Nicks, Nick St. Andre and Nick

Miller, were recovering from illness.

As Kay put it, the Sailors did not have their A game, and the same

could have been said for CdM and Estancia. CdM Coach Bill Sumner said

he wanted to experiment with the race, but the plan backfired and he

was not as pleased with the results.

However, senior Kevin Artz, who finished 25th (16:34), led the Sea

Kings to an eighth-place finish with 261 points. Esperanza won the

race with 118 points. Estancia, which has been dealing with injuries,

finished 15th (335 points) and Newport Harbor came in at 19th (384).

“We were trying some stuff,” Sumner said. “As a coach, I gambled a

bit. Sometimes it works and I look good, but if it doesn’t I look

stupid. But if I’m going to look stupid, I want to look stupid in

October. I don’t want to look stupid in December. I made some calls

and some decisions. I can live with that.”

The Eagles’ top finisher was senior Matt Zich, who finished 30th

(16:38). Junior Alex Cahuantzi, Estancia’s top runner this season,

injured his knee during the race. Cahuantzi has a high back kick as

part of his stride and a runner’s hand hit his foot and twisted his

knee, Estancia Coach Charlie Appell explained.

Cahuantzi finished 70th (17:23). Sophomore Ernesto Castaneda came

in 34th (16:42) for the Eagles, while CdM sophomore Jack Turner

followed at 37th (16:43).

CdM’s Ryan Guthrie (56th in 17:02), Jeritt Thayer (71st in 17:25),

Brandon Borcoman (72nd in 17:28), J.C. Turner and Garrett Prechel

(94th in 17:59) also competed, while Estancia’s C.J. Buchmann

finished in 17:30 for 74th, and Newport Harbor sophomore Adam

Mayfield followed at 81st (17:36).

St. Andre, despite recovering from illness, still competed and

finished in 93rd (17:58). CdM’s Garrett Prechel was 94th (18:00),

Miller followed in 105th (18:18) for the Sailors. Newport’s Martin

Bernard was 109th (18:31) and Michael Donald was 125th (20:00)

In Division III, Costa Mesa senior Marco Huipe led the Mustangs,

finishing in 17th (17:04). Senior teammate Steve Kosnosky was at 41st

(17:40), while Sage Hill junior Mike Voge led the Lightning,

finishing in 43rd (17:41), and sophomore teammate Zach Chandy was

right behind him at 44th (17:43).

Sage Hill’s top runner, senior Chris Chiboucas, has been

experiencing hip pain and was not pleased with his race (58th in

18:12). Junior Tristan Cordier finished 49th (17:56) for the

Lightning, while Mesa senior Juan Avilez finished 52nd (17:59).

Tim Lefler was 60th (18:16) for the Lightning, while Costa Mesa’s

Mario Herrera (65th in 18:26), Mitch Friedman (70th in 18:37), Saul

Palomar (75th in 18:42) and Jorge Raya (76th in 18:46) also competed.

Sage Hill’s David Packard (117th in 20:55) and Ian Dull (127th in

23:03) rounded out the Lightning’s performance.

Santa Margarita won the Division III race. Costa Mesa finished

eighth with 219 points and Sage Hill was ninth with 229.