Seahawks fly high at CIF-SS Preliminaries
RIVERSIDE — To refer to the season of Ocean View’s boys’ cross country team as a good book would be an appropriate choice of metaphor.
The end is fast approaching, and the Seahawks simply would prefer that this story has no conclusion.
It just keeps getting better.
Ocean View took first in its Division 3 heat in the CIF Southern Section Preliminaries on Saturday at the Riverside City Cross Country Course.
Edwin Montes (15:21) and Ryan St. Pierre (15:23) placed in the top six as Ocean View edged both Cathedral and St. John Bosco, 112-118.
The Golden West League champions earned a return trip to the CIF-SS Finals after making it last year. Those are the only two berths into the championship round in the school’s 41-year history.
All along, the Seahawks figured this had to be their breakthrough year. Ocean View runs five seniors – St. Pierre, Hector Arteaga, Alejandro Tepayotl, Jesus Fuentes, and Daniel Guerrero – in its starting seven.
Given their age, Seahawks coach Daniel Hurtado said the team wants to leave nothing in the tank in what it hopes will be a run to its first state meet.
“On any given day, you could run the best race of your life,” Hurtado said. “We still haven’t won anything. There’s no reason for us to hold back because we still haven’t made it to state.”
Wide grins spread across the faces of the Seahawks when they were shown that they had finished first in their heat. Entering the week at No. 9 in the CIF-SS Division 3 rankings, Ocean View may have felt underestimated.
St. Pierre called the first-place finish a “statement” race.
Hurtado says his team has to prove themselves again next week, and he believes that they will.
“I’m confident,” he said. “I believe that we will be in Fresno on Thanksgiving weekend.”
The CIF-SS Finals are next Saturday back at the Riverside course. Requirements to advance to the meet varied.
Teams participating in a three-heat division had to place in the top eight, while those with two races had to finish in the top 12. Individuals whose teams did not advance moved on by placing in the top 10 in a three-heat format and by being in the top 15 finishers in two-heat divisions.
Gabriel Reiser became Brethren Christian’s first CIF qualifier since 1996 with a strong race at the Academy League Finals.
The senior made the most of his opportunity, continuing his stunning late-season run with an eighth-place finish in his Division 5 heat to advance to next week’s finals.
Individuals face the prospect of training alone, but Reiser didn’t have to. His teammates continued to train for him, and they traveled to Riverside to support him, too.
Advancing as an individual is also a daunting task because the runner must get out fast to keep track of the number of runners in front of them.
“You definitely try to keep count of the people in front of you, those you need to pass to get to that important spot,” Reiser said. “I trained hard for a week, came out here and did my best, and I’m just glad that I was in the top 10.”
Newport Harbor’s Mia Matsunami is also moving on after her ninth-place effort in Division 2.
The individual champion of the Sunset League faced a common danger of the preliminary round. Often, runners can hold back a little too much as they hope to qualify without expending too much energy before the championship weekend.
“I’m not really happy with my race, but all that matters is that I got in,” Matsunami said. “I think I got a little too comfortable, which is something that I need to work on. Looking forward to next week, I have to push it the whole way.
Corona del Mar’s aces had big days. Raquel Powers won her race in 18:07. On the boys’ side, Leif Hellgren took sixth in 15:13.
As a team, Corona del Mar took second in its girls’ race. The boys advanced by placing 10th.
Sea Kings coach Bill Sumner called attention to the girls’ team performance as it relates to the program’s goal of making the state meet.
“I’m more encouraged by the team run,” Sumner said. “Today, the girls had to be top four. If you can’t do top four this week, don’t look to be top seven next week.”
Newport Harbor’s boys team advanced with a ninth-place showing in Division 2. It was able to do so despite the absence of senior captain Ben Wilson (illness).
Alexis Garcia led the charge, placing third in 15:06. The sophomore was the only underclassman to place in the top 20 overall runners in Division 3.
Sage Hill’s boys’ team was not so fortunate. The Lightning missed the cut by one spot, placing ninth in Division 5, which had three heats.
Sage Hill’s girls placed second in their Division 5 heat, using the day to work on pack running. A grand total of 13 positions separated lead runner Ashton Carroll from Hannah Ren, the team’s fifth runner.
Senior Kelsie Newman (19th, 18:54) paced Ocean View’s girls as they advanced in Division 3 by earning 10th place.
BOYS CROSS COUNTRY
CIF-SS Preliminaries
At Riverside City Cross Country Course
3.06-mile course
Friday Races
Race 2 – Division 1, Heat 2
Team Results
1. Roosevelt 58; 2. Valencia 88; 3. California 106; 4. Long Beach Poly 135; 5. Trabuco Hills 152; 6. Chaparral 157; 7. Valencia 184; 8. Aliso Niguel 211; 13. Edison 372.
Individuals
1. Gonzalez (Katella) 15:01; 2. Ornelas (Roosevelt) 15:04; 3. Spencer (Roosevelt) 15:07; 4. O’Neill (Trabuco Hills) 15:08; 5. Sylva (Paloma Valley) 15:09; 6. Aguirre (California) 15:10; 7. Chavez (Roosevelt) 15:10; 8. Woodward (Centennial/Corona) 15:13; 9. Madrigal (Roosevelt) 15:14; 10. Frankenfeld (Long Beach Poly) 15:14; 48. A. Mitchel (Huntington Beach) 15:58; 49. Bond (Edison) 16:00.
Race 8 – Division 4, Heat 2
Team Results
1. JSerra 36; 2. Granite Hills 113; 3. San Luis Obispo 121; 4. Costa Mesa 158; 5. El Segundo 169; 6. Lompoc 186; 7. Laguna Beach 199; 8. Crean Lutheran 202; 9. Big Bear 203; 10. Salesian 296; 10. Salesian 296; 11. Alemany 309; 12. La Canada 316.
Individuals
1. Bolger (San Luis Obispo) 15:33; 2. Grover (JSerra) 15:39; 3. Garcia (Salesian) 15:43; 4. Hachac (Costa Mesa) 15:53; 5. Acosta (Lompoc) 15:58; 6. Herold (JSerra) 16:02; 7. Ramos (Big Bear) 16:10; 8. M. Burkhardt (JSerra) 16:17; 9. Berrios (JSerra) 16:18; 10. Weiss (Crean Lutheran) 16:18; 11. Johnson (JSerra) 16:20; 12. Miller (Crean Lutheran) 16:21; 13. White (San Luis Obispo) 16:22; 14. Briggs (JSerra) 16:25; 15. Cortez (Costa Mesa) 16:29; 28. Falkowski (Laguna Beach) 16:57.
Saturday Races
Race 11 – Division 2, Heat 1
Team Results
1. Loyola 53; 2. West Ranch 119; 3. Saugus 151; 4. Woodbridge 165; 5. Thousand Oaks 167; 6. Ontario 168; 7. Simi Valley 189; 8. Mission Viejo 222; 9. Newport Harbor 240; 10. Agoura 266; 11. Rowland 273; 12. El Modena 291.
Individuals
1. Sherman (Loyola) 14:54; 2. Arnold (West Ranch) 15:03; 3. Garcia (Newport Harbor) 15:06; 4. Torres (Channel Islands) 15:07; 5. Pope (West Ranch) 15:07; 6. Andrews (Saugus) 15:11; 7. Maines (Mission Viejo) 15:11; 8. Campos (Ontario) 15:14; 9. Bissell (Loyola) 15:18; 10. Salinas (Loyola) 15:18; 11. Clark (Dos Pueblos) 15:18; 12. Metoyer (El Modena) 15:18; 13. Lee (Agoura) 15:19; 14. Abbinanti (Simi Valley) 15:20; 15. Valdez (San Gorgonio) 15:22.
Race 16 – Division 3, Heat 1
Team Results
1. Ocean View 112; 2. Cathedral 118; 3. St. John Bosco 118; 4. Brea Olinda 130; 5. Rubidoux 164; 6. South Pasadena 209; 7. Esperanza 211; 8. Beverly Hills 219; 10. Cerritos 284; 11. West Valley 291; 12. Torrance 300.
Individuals
1. Gonzalez (Rubidoux) 14:52; 2. Ramos (Rubidoux) 14:55; 3. Corcoran (St. John Bosco) 15:05; 4. Sotelo (St. John Bosco) 15:17; 5. Montes (Ocean View) 15:21; 6. St. Pierre (Ocean View) 15:23; 7. Chang (South Pasadena) 15:24; 8. Cohen (Beverly Hills) 15:24; 9. Vazquez (Bloomington) 15:26; 10. Chavez (West Valley) 15:28; 11. Cervantes (Nogales) 15:29; 12. Gil (Torrance) 15:29; 13. Gonzalez (Shadow Hills) 15:30; 14. Press-Reynolds (South Pasadena) 15:32; 15. Myers (Brea Olinda) 15:34.
Race 17 – Division 3, Heat 2
Team Results
1. Sultana 78; 2. West Torrance 93; 3. Paso Robles 107; 4. Baldwin Park 119; 5. Palos Verdes 170; 6. Bonita 179; 7. Indio 182; 8. South Torrance 213; 9. La Sierra 272; 10. Corona del Mar 273; 11. Servite 293; 12. Cathedral City 308; 13. Oak Park 318.
Individuals
1. Berti (Paso Robles) 14:56; 2. Ramirez (Sultana) 15:00; 3. Beckum (Bonita) 15:05; 4. Melchor (Baldwin Park) 15:08p 5. Armendariz (Paso Robles) 15:12; 6. Hellgren (Corona del Mar) 15:13; 7. Barrera (Indio) 15:14; 8. Nunez (Baldwin Park) 15:17; 9. Smith (Pacifica) 15:19; 10. Botten (Royal) 15:23; 11. Mercado (Sultana) 15:24; 12. Hidalgo (Bonita) 15:30; 13. Tamanaha (West Torrance) 15:31; 14. Bix (West Torrance) 15:31; 15. Mejia (Indio) 15:33.
Race 20 – Division 5, Heat 1
Team Results
1. Desert Christian/Lancaster 76; 2. Campbell Hall 96; 3. Pasadena Poly 96; 4. Pacifica Christian 141; 5. Hamilton 190; 6. Viewpoint 200; 7. Heritage Christian 213; 8. Hawthorne Math and Science 219; 9. Sage Hill 236.
Individuals
1. Moreland (Campbell Hall) 16:14; 2. Shively (Pasadena Poly) 16:18; 3. Deason (St. Monica Catholic) 16:19; 4. Mitchell (Desert Christian/Lancaster) 16:30; 5. Glantz (Chadwick) 16:34; 6. Ballard (Campbell Hall) 16:34; 7. Highducheck (Hawthorne Math and Science) 16:38; 8. Castorena (Hamilton) 16:41; 9. Joiner (Arrowhead Christian) 16:43; 10. Biehl (Desert Christian/Lancaster) 16:43; 18. Nataupsky (Sage Hill) 17:12.
Race 21 – Division 5, Heat 2
Team Results
1. Flintridge Prep 52; 2. Xavier Prep 83; 3. Orcutt Academy 94; 4. Webb 100; 5. Woodcrest Christian 105; 6. Brentwood 117; 7. Academy of Academic Excellence 172; 8. St. Matthias-Pius X 231.
Individuals
1. Kahn (Brentwood) 16:09; 2. Bradford (Woodcrest Christian) 16:14; 3. Pattinelli (Flintridge Prep) 16:21; 4. Vahala (Flintridge Prep) 16:21; 5. Ordonez (Orcutt Academy) 16:25; 6. Huang (Webb) 16:25; 7. Reynolds (Woodcrest Christian) 16:28; 8. Reiser (Brethren Christian) 16:29; 9. Ramirez (Xavier Prep) 16:37; 10. Montijo (Bell-Jeff) 16:37.
GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY
CIF-SS Preliminaries
At Riverside City Cross Country Course
3.06-mile course
Friday Races
Race 5 – Division 1, Heat 2
Team Results
1. Arcadia 76; 2. ML King 100; 3. El Toro 114; 4. Arroyo Grande 121; 5. Chino Hills 157; 6. Fountain Valley 164; 7. Glendora 178; 8. La Serna 237.
Individuals
1. Peurifoy (ML King) 17:28; 2. Tobin (El Toro) 17:57; 3. Simon (Arroyo Grande) 18:02; 4. Messineo (El Toro) 18:10; 5. Sunagawa (Chino Hills) 18:16; 6. Granados (Arroyo Grande) 18:20; 7. Pendleton (ML King) 18:21; 8. He (Arcadia) 18:25; 9. Langlois (University) 18:26; 10. Owen (Glendora) 18:34; 20. Faller (Fountain Valley) 18:57.
Race 6 – Division 1, Heat 3
Team Results
1. Vista Murrieta 92; 2. Yucaipa 94; 3. Trabuco Hills 119; 4. San Clemente 126; 5. Roosevelt 153; 6. Santa Monica 188; 7. Rancho Cucamonga 199; 8. Downey 224; 14. Edison 344.
Individuals
1. Hill (Etiwanda) 17:17; 2. Virtue (Burroughs/Burbank) 17:18; 3. Scherr (La Quinta/LQ) 17:27; 4. Gaitan (Yucaipa) 18:07; 5. Duda (Trabuco Hills) 18:07; 6. Mason (Yucaipa) 18:09; 7. Holton (Rancho Cucamonga) 18:10; 8. Sturm (Santa Monica) 18:11; 9. Barron (Roosevelt) 18:17; 10. Meyer (Long Beach Wilson) 18:17; 28. Hamel (Edison) 19:07.
Race 9 – Division 4, Heat 1
Team Results
1. Bishop Amat 71; 2. El Segundo 105; 3. Mayfield 128; 4. La Canada 143; 5. Granite Hills 144; 6. Marymount 161; 7. Big Bear 196; 8. Nordhoff 208; 9. Notre Dame/SO 208; 10. Louisville 317; 11. San Marino 320; 12. Costa Mesa 324.
Individuals
1. Ruelas (Bishop Amat) 18:01; 2. Moro (Notre Dame/SO) 18:26; 3. McAllister (Marymount) 18:38; 4. Bergin (Granite Hills) 18:48; 5. Paez (Bishop Amat) 18:52; 6. Ruiz (San Marino) 19:00; 7. Smith (Mayfield) 19:02; 8. Holt (Marlborough) 19:06; 9. Dipaolo (La Canada) 19:06; 10. Jacobo (Rim of the World) 19:11; 11. Matlosz (El Segundo) 19:13; 12. Creasey (Immaculate Heart) 19:15; 13. Rust (Bishop Amat) 19:18; 14. Ellias (Notre Dame/SO) 19:19; 15. Lucio (Bishop Amat) 19:23; 38. Molina (Costa Mesa) 20:11.
Race 10 – Division 4, Heat 1
Team Results
1. JSerra 70; 2. Foothill Technology 97; 3. Harvard-Westlake 134; 4. Covina 137; 5. Laguna Beach 182; 6. Fillmore 194; 7. San Luis Obispo 204; 8. Atascadero 217; 9. Malibu 253; 10. Nipomo 259; 11. St. Joseph/Lakewood 272; 12. Morro Bay 302.
Individuals
1. Lane (Malibu) 16:51; 2. Crosson (Harvard-Westlake) 18:18; 3. Rodriguez (Fillmore) 18:24; 4. Gracian (Covina) 18:34; 5. Saltonstall (JSerra) 18:37; 6. Wynn (San Dimas) 18:40; 7. Natividad (St. Joseph/Lakewood) 18:43; 8. Blackwood (Malibu) 18:50; 9. Howe (Harvard-Westlake) 18:52; 10. Nisbet (Atascadero) 18:53; 11. Tabrizi (JSerra) 18:56; 12. Tafoya (Foothill Technology) 18:57; 13. Kearney (Foothill Technology) 18:57; 14. M. Giacobetti (JSerra) 19:01; 15. Livengood (Atascadero) 19:01; 29. Kelly (Laguna Beach) 19:41
Race 15 – Division 2, Heat 3
Team Results
1. Saugus 59; 2. Capistrano Valley 71; 3. Ventura 88; 4. West Ranch 115; 5 Ayala 146; 6. Redlands 151; 7. Murrieta Valley 169; 8. Woodbridge 201
Individuals
1. Thompson (Saugus) 17:10; 2. Herberg (Capistrano Valley) 17:13; 3. Ramirez (Ayala) 17:13; 4. Bautista (Capistrano Valley) 17:18; 5. Ramos (Ventura) 17:45; 6. Locher (Ventura) 17:49; 7. Hoelzel (West Ranch) 17:49; 8. Cascione (Saugus) 17:54; 9. Matsunami (Newport Harbor) 17:55; 10. Kline (Woodbridge) 17:58
Race 18 – Division 3, Heat 1
Team Results
1. Palos Verdes 27; 2. Corona del Mar 72; 3. Royal 108; 4. Laguna Hills 132; 5. Yorba Linda 157; 6. Bolsa Grande 175; 7. Brea Olinda 204; 8. South Pasadena 230; 9. Bloomington 273; 10. Ocean View 274; 11. Pacifica 275; 12. Rosemead 321
Individuals
1. Powers (Corona del Mar) 18:07; 2. Meeder (Paso Robles) 18:21; 3. Celis (Western) 18:22; 4. Cohen (Palos Verdes) 18:25; 5. Genovese (Palos Verdes) 18:27; 6. Regan (Palos Verdes) 18:29; 7. Tung (Corona del Mar) 18:29; 8. Catena (Palos Verdes) 18:31; 9. Hines (Palos Verdes) 18:31; 10. Stoner (Palos Verdes) 18:31; 11. Leeb (Pacifica) 18:33; 12. Kanuho (Bolsa Grande) 18:34; 13. Polischeck (Palos Verdes) 18:39; 14. Calderon (Royal) 18:45; 15. Cortez (Royal) 18:45; 19. Newman (Ocean View) 18:54.
Race 23 – Division 5, Heat 1
Team Results
1. Flintridge Prep 31; 2. Sage Hill 112; 3. Sacred Heart 141; 4. Brentwood 143; 5. Academy for Academic Excellence 171; 6. Xavier Prep 198; 7. Webb 215; 8. Hamilton 223; 9. Pomona Catholic 226; 10. Chadwick 293; 11. Mammoth 297; 12. St. Matthias-Pius X 309.
Individuals
1. Pourmussa (Brentwood) 18:12; 2. Ingram (Brentwood) 18:44; 3. Delgadillo (Hamilton) 18:51; 4. Codiga (Flintridge Prep) 18:54; 5. Gitlin (Flintridge Prep) 18:54; 6. Mijares (Flintridge Prep) 18:54; 7. O’Brien (Flintridge Prep) 18:54; 8. Harper (Mammoth) 19:05; 9. Cohen (Flintridge Prep) 19:17; 10. Martinelli (Trinity Classical Academy) 20:00; 11. Ramirez-Garcia (Sacred Heart) 20:11; 12. Valdovinos (Academy for Academic Excellence) 20:13; 13. Bennett (Flintridge Prep) 20:14; 14. Cervantes (Hamilton) 20:15; 15. Wreszin (Flintridge Prep) 20:17.
