SD Prep Sports

SD Prep Sports: Cross Country

Baron Invitational

Highlanders’ pack rules the course

By Phillip Brents

CHULA VISTA, Sept. 13, 2002 -- What do preseason rankings signify? Helix High School girls coach Ray Mounts may not exactly agree with their input criteria but does knows something about the power of performance..

Helix finished second in the San Diego Section Division II championship meet last year. The Highlanders entered the state meet ranked ninth and finished seventh in what Mounts called a "huge" achievement for the program. Helix lost just one runner from a season ago – top scorer Stephanie Baird.

The Highlanders entered this season ranked 10th in the state by one Internet publication but otherwise have not received the degree of fanfare that Mounts might have expected.

What matters most of course, is results -- and Helix appears it can once again produce after winning its division at Friday’s seventh annual Baron Invitational at Chula Vista's Rohr Park.

"I thought we built stronger on things throughout the season. I still think we had a better race left in us than what we did at state," Mount said.

Despite the loss of Baird, who finished fourth at last year's Division II finals, the Highlanders appear to have retained the team depth to once again make them a power broker in the division – rankings aside – before the season is finished. It was the strength of the Helix pack that led them to victory at the Baron Invitational. The Highlanders placed three runners among the top 10 finishers, four in the top 12 and seven in the top 20 to comfortably edge runner-up Valley Center and third-place Bonita Vista for the team title in the girls varsity Blue Division race.

Helix totaled a low score of 46 points to the Jaguars’ 75 points and the host Barons’ 76 points. Scripps Ranch was fourth with 94 points, followed by fifth place Pt. Loma with 136 points.

Bonita Vista is considered as a possible state meet qualifier among the section's Division I schools.

Senior Olga Goroberts was the Highlanders’ top finisher, finishing third among individuals with a time of 13 minutes, 28 seconds on the 2.2-mile course behind race winner Kristen Gonzalez of Bonita Vista (13:12) and runner-up Mandy Beatty of Scripps Ranch (13:22). Sophomore Jamie Marliere was Helix’s second finisher (fourth, 13:32), followed by junior Evon Willingham (ninth, 14:06), seniors Amy Johnson-Westlie (12^th, 14:14), Michelle Jensen (18^th, 14:33) and Leah Brucker (19^th, 14:35), and junior Whitney Cleveland (20^th, 14:36). The spread of the team’s top five runners was 1:05.

The Highlanders – with Baird – finished third at last year’s Baron Invitational

"This year, I like our depth. We don’t have the one individual who will go out and dominate like Stephanie did but we have depth in our lineup – the ability to run in a pack.. That’s what wins cross country races," said Mounts, whose team will be out to contend for its third consecutive Grossmont South League girls championship title.

Granite Hills – led by returning state qualifier Eladio Carrillo – finished ahead of Helix in the boys varsity Blue Division. The Eagles, keyed by Carrillo’s overall 10^th place individual finish (16:38 for 3.1 miles), outpointed the Highlanders (who competed without top scorer Babey Wagnew who was being rested for next weekend's Woodbridge Invitational) by a score of 129-152 to finish third in the 10-team field. Junior Garrick Frew finished 18^th for Helix with a time of 17:17, followed by teammate Drew Tidmore (19^th, 17:18). Granite Hills’ Robert Fine was 20^th in 17:22.

Grossmont Conference notepad

Steele Canyon is fielding its inaugural varsity program this season. The Cougars were paced by junior Fadi Al-Banna (10^th, 16:43), sophomore Cole Schumacher (40^th, 19:06), junior Tim Fuchs (49^th, 19:49) and sophomore Matt Timmerman (51^st, 19:52) in the boys varsity Gold Division. Steele Canyon finished second in last year’s junior varsity conference field but returns just one of its top seven runners from last season: Al-Banna. Fuchs is serving as this year’s team captain while Al-Banna has helped supply leadership for this year’s squad. "This year we’re rebuilding. Next year, we’ll be coming back stronger," Al-Banna said.

The Baron Invitational was the second meet of the young season for the Cougars. At the Wolf Pack Invitational the previous week, Al-Banna, Schumacher, Fuchs and Timmerman once again finished in that order. Steele Canyon also boasts a pair of top freshmen prospects: Jordan Zappala and Alexandra Mendoza.

Helix sophomore April Montgomery captured top individual honors in the girls junior varsity Blue Division race, timing 10:29 for 1.65 miles.

Metro Conference notepad

Mar Vista junior Troy Swier, who set a course record at the previous week's Wolf Pack Invitational, set a new course record in topping the boys varsity Blue Division with his time of 15:04. Swier shaved off 42 seconds from his finishing time as a sophomore in besting the previous course record of 15:24 set by Granite Hills Jason Finch in 1998. Valley Center’s Gus Polito was second in 15:52, followed by Bonita Vista junior Ryan Becijos (15:58) and Sweetwater’s Edgar Llanez (16:16). Sweetwater (102 points) finished second in the division to champion Indio (47 points), out-pointing third-place Bonita Vista (113 points) in the process. The host Barons entered the season as the favored team to capture this year’s Mesa League championship.

"It gives the kids some confidence that they can compete. But it’s too early to make any predictions," Sweetwater head coach Tim Latham said.

The Red Devils placed three runners among the top 17 finishers. Following Llanez across the finish line were teammates Hector Arreola (13^th, 17:08) and Rogelio Gonzalez (17^th, 17:16).

Bonita Vista’s top three "A" team scorers, besides Becijos, included Julian Zamora (11^th, 16:49) and Daniel Valdez (26^th, 17:34).

Jonathan Delgado (12^th, 16:45), Hector Mardueno (16^th, 16:54) and Alex Cerda (19^th, 18:05) all posted top 20 finishes for Montgomery in the boys varsity Gold Division. Eric Delgado was second in the boys junior varsity Gold Division race, timing 12:45 for 2.2 miles. Bonita Vista's Michael Morales notched the top time of 12:14 in the boys junior varsity Blue Division race to finish with the fastest JV time on the day.

Bonita Vista’s girls team recorded five top 25 individual finishers. Following division champion Gonzalez were teammates Tiffany Caddell (11^th, 14:08), Kayleigh Knudson (16^th, 14:30), Kristen Milliken (23^rd, 14:38) and Julie Buettner (25^th, 14:44). The Barons finished fourth in last year’s Division I championship meet, denied a berth at the state finals by at-large qualifier Torrey Pines. Bonita Vista appears back to challenge in 2K2 with three team qualifying berths now guaranteed.

"I think if we can keep on working as hard together as we are now that we have a good shot," said Gonzalez.

The BV runner, who just missed earning All-CIF honors last season with an 11^th place finish in the Division I championship meet, emerged with a 10-second margin of victory in the girls varsity Blue Division race.

"At first I wanted to stay with the top people in the field, then when I felt I had the strength to push and go. I wanted to have a quick first mile. After the first mile, I felt strong and took off," said Gonzalez, whose goals this season are to snare a top 10 All-CIF individual finish and to help Bonita Vista defend its Mesa League title.

Hosted by www.Geocities.ws