CROSS-COUNTRY : Agoura Teams Show They’re in the Running

Palos Verdes High won the boys and girls team titles as expected, but Agoura made a strong showing at the Kenny Staub Cross-Country Invitational on Saturday morning at Crescenta Valley Park.

The Chargers, led by sophomore Bryan Dameworth and freshman Deena Drosin, placed fourth in the boys Division I standings and second in the girls division.

In winning their respective races, Dameworth covered the three-mile course in 15 minutes, 29 seconds and Drosin clocked 17:47.

Palos Verdes, the No. 2-ranked boys team in the Southern Section 4-A Division, scored 51 points to easily defeat runner-up Camarillo (86) and third-place Upland (91).

Agoura, ranked second in the 2-A, followed with 127 points, ahead of highly regarded 4-A teams Thousand Oaks (129) and Canyon (146).

Dameworth, who won his fifth consecutive race this season, was never seriously challenged as the front-runner. David Scudamore of Palos Verdes placed second in 15:48.

Drosin, 14, became the second high school girl to run under 18 minutes on the Crescenta Valley Park course. Melissa Sutton of Newbury Park set the course record last year of 17:31.

Drosin’s time was even more impressive because she wasn’t pushed--she won by a minute--and it came under less-than-ideal conditions as temperatures approached 100 degrees.

The Agoura girls, ranked fifth in the 2-A Division, placed second behind Palos Verdes, the top-ranked team in the state, 32-57.

Thousand Oaks (78), led by the second-place effort of Jena Haggenmiller (18:47), placed third and Newbury Park (107) placed fourth.

COLLEGE MEN’S

Master’s 35, Caltech 42, Christ College 106, Pepperdine 115, Citrus 127, Southern Cal College 191--Jeff Claassen’s victory led Master’s to the team title at the Caltech Invitational at Lower Arroyo Park in Pasadena. Claassen clocked 29:01 over the 5.1-mile course.

COLLEGE WOMEN’S

Orange Coast 55, American River 81, Modesto 88, Moorpark 141--Debbie Ball placed sixth and Moorpark placed fourth in a field of 13 teams in the Crystal Springs Invitational at San Mateo. Ball ran 18:50 over the 3.1-mile course.