SD Prep Sports

SD Prep Sports: Cross Country

Baron Invitational delivers up talent, thrills

By Phillip Brents

CHULA VISTA, Calif., Sept. 7, 2001 -- Metro Conference distance queen Desiree Davila may have ended her reign but an heir apparent appears to be in the making: Hilltop freshman Selina Munoz.

Munoz engineered a second-place finish in the girls varsity Gold Division at last Friday’s sixth annual Baron Invitational at Rohr Park, covering the 2.2-mile course in 13 minutes, 49 seconds to trail race-winner Lauren Swigart of La Jolla Country Day by five seconds.

Munoz is well aware of Davila’s four-year legacy with the Lancers and appears ready to establish one of her own. "I just want to reach Desiree Davila’s records by the time I graduate," the spunky freshman said.

The Hilltop newcomer is coming off an AAU state championship in the 800-meter run earlier this year as a member of the Chula Vista Flyers track and field club. She led a contingent of Lancers across the finish line to help her team post a fifth-place finish in the division. Lupe Lopez was ninth for the Lancers in 14:21.

Mar Vista’s Troy Swier recorded a second-place individual finish in the boys varsity Blue Division, timing 15:46 for 3.1 miles in placing behind winner Babey Wagnew of Helix (15:34). Swier posted the fastest time of any Metro boy on the day, finishing well ahead of Sweetwater’s Abdirizak Abdi (8th, 16:25) in the same race. It was Swier’s best invitational finish in a large schools’ field.

"I already beat my first goal, which was to go under 16:00 for a 5K, and the other goal is to at least do something at CIF. To win it would be great," explained the defending South Bay League champion.

A total of eight races were held — four in both varsity and junior varsity divisions — with host school Bonita Vista finishing second in both the girls varsity and the boys JV large school divisions.

The Baron girls were led by Kristen Gonzalez, who finished third overall in the Blue Division race with a time of 13:20. Also placing among the top 20 finishers in the race were teammates Kate Branson (6th, 13:37), Tiffany Caddell (11th, 13:54) and Morgan Siguad (14th, 14:02). Rounding out the team’s seven runners were Kayleigh Knudson, Angel Torres and Kiersten Dolby.

Baron head coach Ian Cumming was particularly pleased with the team finish, as it came in a field boasting some of the top teams in the section.

"The quality of this year’s field was very good. The girls Blue Division was really loaded," noted Cumming, who also wore the hat of tournament director. "All the varsity races were high quality."

Bonita Vista placed four runners among the top 16 finishers in the 2.2-mile boys JV Blue Division race: Justin Hillery (9th, 12:11), Mike Berdeski (11th, 12:14), Nick Raue (13th, 12:19) and Jared Purkey (16th, 12:29). The Barons finished ahead of a third-place Sweetwater team that was led by John Cleveland (6th, 12:07) and Robert Isais (15th, 12:28).

Sweetwater’s varsity boys squad finished fifth in the large school field, with Jose Guardado (13th, 16:48) and Hector Arreola (16th, 16:51) also posting top 20 place-finishes. Bonita Vista’s boys were led by Ryan Becijos (21st, 17:06). Montgomery’s Hector Mardueno (17:27) was 11th in the boys varsity Gold Division (small schools) race.

Eastlake’s girls team moved up in style this year, placing sixth in the large schools varsity race. The Titans, who have serious aspirations of chasing defending South Bay League champion Castle Park for this year’s title, were paced by the sibling tandem of Pati and Silvia Romero, who finished first and third, respectively, among the team’s finishers (10th and 22nd overall among the division’s 63 finishers). Both all-league runners are off to the best start in their careers after Silvia finished fifth among sophomore girls and Pati finished ninth among senior girls at the previous week’s Wolf Pack Invitational at West Hills High.

Both said they draw inspiration from the other.

"I’m thinking, my sister is right behind me, I’ve got to go faster," Pati said, smiling.

"I’m thinking, my sister is right ahead of me, I want to go faster," Silvia quickly chimed in.

Jackie Paras placed 20th in the field with a time of 14:11 to finish as the Titans’ No. 2 runner, trailing Pati Romero (13:52). Mercedes Razo was Eastlake’s fourth runner to grab a medal in the race.

A total of 30 teams participated in this year’s invitational, making it the largest in the six-year history of the event. University City captured four team titles, running away, so to speak, with trophies in both the boys and girls varsity and junior varsity Blue Division races. La Jolla Country Day won the girls varsity Gold Division team title while La Jolla captured the girls JV Gold Division team trophy. Scripps Ranch won the boys varsity Gold Division team title while St. Augustine captured the team trophy in the boys JV Gold Division.

The wide-ranging field included teams from Brawley, Indio and Holtville from Imperial County as well as North Salinas, which made the 400-mile trek from the Central Valley.

For top 20 individual finishers and team standings in all divisions, please click here.

Hosted by www.Geocities.ws