SOUTHERN SECTION

Saturday, Oct. 23

MT. SAN ANTONIO INVITATIONAL

Brandon Bethke does not expect every race day to be like the one Saturday at the Mt. San Antonio College Invitational cross-country meet. For now, the Lake Forest El Toro senior will revel in a breakout performance on the revered course.Bethke continued his strong season with a victorious time of 14 minutes 30 seconds to edge defending champion Mark Matusak of Los Angeles Loyola in winning the Division I-II boys’ individual sweepstakes race and leading El Toro to the race title.

His winning mark was only two seconds off the course record shared by Ryan Hall of Big Bear and Mohamed Trafeh of Duarte on the challenging 2.91-mile course in use at Mt. SAC since 1999.

“This is awesome,” Bethke said. “It’s very humbling. I’m just trying to live up to the legacy of other runners like Ryan Hall and Mohamed Trafeh.”

Emerging as a top contender to win the upcoming Southern Section and state meets, Bethke used a strong kick in the final 400 meters to blow past a fading Matusak, who ran 10 seconds slower than his winning 14:38 time last year.

“We were all pushing each other up front and it could have been any of us,” said Bethke, who set a course record in winning the Orange County Championships last week at Irvine Regional Park. “I wasn’t thinking about a time. I just wanted to come out and run a good race.”

Said Matusak: “Last year, I made my move at the top of Reservoir Hill, and I wanted to do the same this year. It just kind of fell apart at the end.”

Simi Valley Royal used superior depth in to win the Division I-II boys’ team sweepstakes race and finish with the best team time of any team in any division. Royal easily beat Dana Point Dana Hills, 92-122, with Madera third at 133. Senior Dylan Jaedtke wasn’t happy with his 10th-place finish but the Highlanders received strong performances from their fourth and fifth runners -- junior Jason Pedersen was 23rd and sophomore Danny Benson tied for 30th in their course debuts.

“We want [state] pretty bad,” Jaedtke said. “We’ve been close so many times.”

Chino Don Lugo, the defending Division I state champions, settled for fourth despite having three runners among the top nine. The Conquistadores did get a victory as senior Fitsum Tesfa won his fourth race of the season in a time of 14:43.

“I wanted to go downhill from the switchbacks with the lead,” Tesfa said. “At the end, I was tired. The hills get you.”

Murrieta Valley took advantage of the absence of Fountain Valley and Ventura in the girls’ team sweepstakes race to edge Chino Hills Ayala, 122-138. The race provided the day’s most thrilling finish as Palmdale Highland junior Alyssa Craft lunged past Clovis Buchanan sophomore Lauren Saylor at the finish line.

Marie Lawrence of Reno (Nev.), who finished second in the Foot Locker national meet a year ago, set a course record for a sophomore in winning the girls’ individual sweepstakes race in 16:48. Junior Alma Escobar of Corona finished third in 17:24.

--Eric Stephens

Friday, Oct. 22

MT. SAN ANTONIO INVITATIONAL

Anaheim Servite turned in the top team performance and Jake Schmitt of Larkspur Redwood had the top time Friday during the boys’ races at the Mt. San Antonio College cross-country championships.

Schmitt won the Division III individual sweepstakes title over the 2.9-mile course in 14 minutes 47 seconds, nearly 30 seconds ahead of runner-up Nick Mosey of Servite in 15:14. Servite also had Peter Robie finish sixth to help the Friars edge Page (Ariz.), 103-105, for the team title.

Anna Faris-Eisner of North Hollywood Harvard-Westlake won the Division III girls’ sweepstakes title in 18:01, 17 seconds ahead of runner-up Kendall Bruton of Rim of the World. Corona del Mar took second in the Division III girls’ event to Orinda Miramonte, 101-135.

Other winners in the first of two days of competition were Riverside Woodcrest Christian, which won both the Division V boys’ and girls’ sweepstakes titles. Timothy Burdett took third in 16:03 and Kody Peterson was seventh in 16:27 to lead the Woodcrest Christian boys.

Tom McLean of Flintridge Prep won the Division V boys’ title in 15:53, just ahead of Ryan Gordon of Brentwood in 15:59. Ashleigh Pratt won the Division V girls’ race in 19:30 to pace Woodcrest Christian. Rachel Gill of Pasadena Maranatha was second in 19:31.

Chad Hall of Big Bear, the sophomore brother of former All-American Ryan Hall, turned in another top time, 15:26, to win the Division IV boys’ sweepstakes title over Juaquin Gomez of Carpinteria (15:47). Laguna Beach finished second in the team race to Hopi (Ariz.), 41-67. Ventura St. Bonaventure was third with 100.

Boys

INVITATIONALS

MT. SAN ANTONIO INVITATIONAL

Division III Sweepstakes Race

TEAM

1. Servite, 103 (80:40); 2. Page (Ariz.), 105 (81:02); 3. Moraga Campolindo, 111(81:09); 4. Orinda Miramonte, 112 (81:09); 5. Lompoc Cabrillo, 174 (83:01); 6. Oak Park, 197 (83:31); 7. Barstow, 203 (83:43); 8. Bonita, 212 (83:52); 9. Santa Margarita, 218 (85:16); 10. Lafayette Acalanes, 229 (84:39); 11. Lompoc, 232 (94:39); 12. Rancho Verde, 245 (84:58); 13. Roseville Oakmont, 294 (85:50); 14. Northview, 310 (86:06); 15. La Canada St. Francis, 351 (86:06); 16. Visalia Mt. Whitney, 362 (87:29).

INDIVIDUAL

1. Schmitt, Larkspur Redwood, 14:47; 2. Mosey, Servite, 15:14; 3. Vizcaino, Moraga Campolindo, 15:32; 4. Flynnperault, Moraga Campolindo, 15:32; 5. Hacker, Lompoc Cabrillo, 15:39; 6. Robie, Servite, 15:40; 7. Smith, Northview, 15:41; 8. Brook, Oak Park, 15:44; 9. Ramos, Lompoc, 15:46; 10. Castaneda, Bonita, 15:48; 11. Zalan, Orinda Miramonte, 15:51; 12. Melton, Bonita, 15:53; 13. Williams, Page (Ariz.), 15:56; 14. Stroup, Rancho Verde, 15:58; 15. Lee, Page (Ariz.), 15:59.

Division IV Sweepstakes Race

TEAM

1. Hopi (Ariz.), 41 (82:39); 2. Laguna Beach, 67 (83:18); 3. St. Bonaventure, 100 (85:07); 4. Half Moon Bay, 107 (85:16); 5. Dallas St. Mark’s, 121 (86:01); 6. Salesian, 161 (87:32); 7. Big Bear, 162 (86:57); 8. Oaks Christian, 172 (88:32); 8. Santa Ynez, 198 (91:38).

INDIVIDUAL

1. Hall, Big Bear, 15:26; 2. Juaquin Gomez, Carpinteria, 15:47; 3. Fuszard, Laguna Beach, 16:07; 4. Grech, Half Moon Bay, 16:13; 5. Lomyestewa, Hopi (Ariz.), 16:18; 6. Mullender, Laguna Beach, 16:19; 7. Lamson, Hopi, 16:22; 8. Secakuku, Hopi, 16:29; 9. Eaton, Laguna Beach, 16:37; 10. Nunes, St. Bonaventure, 16:41.

Division V Sweepstakes Race

TEAM

1. Woodcrest Christian, 83 (83:40); 2. Flintridge Prep, 89 (83:56); 3. Maranatha, 85 (84:04); 4. Santa Clara, 101 (84:12); 5. Webb, 144 (85:28); 6. San Francisco University, 172 (86:30); 7. Vista Tri-City Christian, 183 (87:11); 8. Brentwood, 195 (86:44); 9. Buckley, 203 (87:35); 10. Chadwick, 211 (87:34); 11. St. Margaret’s, 240 (89:31); 12. Sage Hill, 286 (91:40); 13. Upland Christian, 365 (94:00).

INDIVIDUAL

1. McLean, Flintridge Prep, 15:53; 2. Gordon, Brentwood, 15:59; 3. Burdett, Woodcrest Christian, 16:03; 4. Cisneros, Santa Clara, 16:06; 5. Hilling, Maranatha, 16:08; 6. Burris, Webb, 16:09; 7. Peterson, Woodcrest Christian, 16:27; 8. Ceniseroz, Santa Clara 16:32; 9. Timphony, Maranatha, 16:35; 10. Pfeil, Vista Tri-City Christian, 16:41.

Others Races

RACE 9

TEAM

1. Northwood, 61 (85:58); 2. Nordhoff, 73 (86:32); 3. Yucca Valley, 112 (88:39); 4. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, 169 (90:31); 5. Costa Mesa, 212 (92:37).

INDIVIDUAL

1. Duran, Northwood, 16:09; 2. Gomez, Dublin, 16:32; 3. Dunn, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, 16:34; 4. Oberlin, Northwood, 16:35; 5. Torres, El Monte Mountain View, 16:45.

RACE 10

TEAM

1. Corona del Mar, 74 (83:48); 2. La Jolla, 80 (83:42); 3. San Luis Obispo, 117 (85:10); 4. San Diego University, 138 (86:16); 5. Rim of the World, 142 (85:50); 6. Ridgecrest Burroughs, 142 (85:50); 7. Chula Vista Otey Ranch, 194 (88:10); 8. Bishop Amat, 236 (88:53); 9. Sahfter, 244 (89:37); 10. Harvard-Westlake, 149 (88:22).

INDIVIDUAL

1. Loforte, Martinez Alhambra, 15:49; 2. Bell, Harvard-Westlake, 15:51; 3. Medigovich, San Luis Obispo, 15:51; 4. Kayali, La Jolla, 15:55; 5. Johnston, Rim of the World, 16:05.

RACE 21

TEAM

1. North Tahoe (Nev.), 65 (87:57); 2. Paraclete, 66 (87:24); 3. Felton San Lorenzo Valley, 111 (89:18); 4. Beaumont, 155 (90:08); 5. Crespi, 190 (92:40).

INDIVIDUAL

1. Herkey, Bell-Jeff, 15:48; 2. Garcia, Parlier, 15:55; 3. Sanchdez, Beaumont, 16:00; 4. Taylor, FSLV, 16:41; 5. Weary, Paraclete, 16:47.

RACE 22

TEAM

1. Escalon, 105 (89:38); 2. Palos Verdes, 126 (90:19); 3. L.A. Baptist, 128 (90:51); 4. Woodcrest Christian, 143 (91:15); 5. Berean Christian, 157 (91:53).

INDIVIDUAL

1. Berkeley St. Mary’s, 40 (85:34); 2. Cottonwood West Valley, 44 (85:12); 3. CAMS, 143 (90:57); 4. Templeton, 161 (92:00); 5. Malibu, 180 (92:22).

INDIVIDUAL

1. Fairley, Cottonwood West Valley, 16:15; 2. Crowl, Cottonwood West Valley, 16:31; 3. Duffy, Berkely St. Mary’s, 16:42; 4. Routh, Chaminade, 16:42; 5. Lengle, Village Christian, 16:47.

Girls

MT. SAN ANTONIO RELAYS

Division III Sweepstakes Race

TEAM

1. Orinda Miramonte, 101 (97:22); 2. Corona del Mar, 135 (98:42); 3. Moraga Campolindo, 166 (99:30); 4. Lafayette Acalanes, 168 (98:54); 5. Bonita, 169 (99:08); 6. Harvard-Westlake, 174 (98:23); 7. Northwood, 176 (100:08); 8. Rim of the World, 204 (100:05); 9. Page (Ariz.), 209 (101:28); 10. Yucca Valley, 220 (101:00); 11. Lompoc, 235 (101:55); 12. Larkspur Redwood, 256 (102:23); 13. Northview, 294 (104:29); 14. Rancho Verde, 324 (104:51); 15. St. Lucy’s, 340 (104:32); 16. Lompoc Cabrillo, 344 (104:54).

INDIVIDUAL1. Farias-Eisner, Harvard-Westlake, 18:01; 2. Bruton, Rim of the World, 18:18; 3. Kari Hardt, Queen Creek (Ariz.), 18:24; 4. Huber, Lafeyette Acalanes, 18:30; 5. Nugent, El Cajon Valhalla, 18:32; 6. Bergren, Orinda Miramonte, 18:37; 7. Ballard, Harvard-Westlake, 18:P40; 8. Heuring, Bonita, 18:47; 9. Dickson, Lafayette Acalanes, 18:57; 10. Mendoza, Rancho Verde, 18:58.

Division IV Sweepstakes Race

TEAM

1. Half Moon Bay, 41 (95:01); 2. San Lorenzo Valley, 52 (96:36); 3. Riverbank, 96 (99:30); 4. Orange Lutheran, 97 (99:59); 5. Oaks Christian, 158 (105:00); 6. Great Oak, 168 (106:02); 7. Hopi (Ariz.), 170 (016:05); 8. St. Bonaventure, 199 (108:57).

INDIVIDUAL

1. Hitchner, Half Moon Bay, 18:14; 2. Johnson, San Lorenzo Valley, 18:30; 3. Millett, Half Moon Bay, 18:36; 4. Herhold, Half Moon Bay, 18:41; 5. Kerner, Orange Lutheran, 18:50; 6. Campfield, Great Oak, 18:52; 7. Moreno, Escalon, 19:06.

Division V Sweepstakes Race

TEAM

1. Woodcrest Christian, 56 (101:05); 2. Flintridge Prep, 77 (102:41); 3. Maranatha, 82 (102:37); 4. San Francisco University, 100 (103:45); 5. Chadwick, 107 (104:15); 6. Brentwood, 160 (108:01); 7. St. Margaret’s, 182 (108:03); 8. Pasadena Poly, 201 (109:05); 9. Webb, 219 (109:41); 10. Upland Christian, 270 (112:38).

INDIVIDUAL

1. Pratt, Woodcrest Christian, 19:30; 2. Gill, Maranatha, 19:31; 3. Imhof, San Francisco University, 19:44; 4. McFarlane, Chadwick, 19:47; 5. Lewis, Woodcrest Christian, 19:50.

Other Races

RACE 11

TEAM

1. Ganesha, 92 (111:41); 2. Page (Ariz.), 92 (11:11); 3. Novato, 94 (111:32); 4. Oxford Academy, 106 (111:57); 5. Rancho Alamitos, 130 (113:31).

INDIVIDUAL

1. Frier, Calaveras, 20:10; 2. McCarley, Riverside Ramona, 20:34; 3. Presley, Yucca Valley, 20:38.

RACE 12

TEAM

1. Rosary, 98 (102:45); 2. Lakewood St. Joseph, 111 (102:09); 3. Costa Mesa, 126 (103:19); 4. Santa Margarita, 144 (104:36: 5. San Diego University, 152 (104:18); 6. San Luis Obispo, 166 (104:26).

INDIVIDUAL

1. Pelavo, Bolsa Grande, 18:49; 2. Rueschenberg, San Luis Obispo, 19:15; 3. Portner, Lakewood St. Joseph, 19:32; 4. Day, Costa Mesa, 19:26; 5. Dawkins, Lakewood St. Joseph, 19:32.

RACE 24

TEAM

1. Lancaster Desert Christian, 72 (103:00); 2. Laguna Beach, 98 (104:14); 3. Big Bear, 146 (107:00).

INDIVIDUAL

1. Rios-Satelo, Berkeley St. Marys, 18:47; 2. Crawley, Laguna Beach, 19:17; 3. Cline, Big Bear, 19:35; 4. Andrews, Orange Lutheran, 19:44; 5. Richards, Lancaster Desert Christian, 19:53.

RACE 25

TEAM

1. Paraclete, 54 (101:45); 2. Felton San Lorenzo Valley, 67 (103:09); 3. North Tahoe (Nev.), 130 (107:50); 4. La Jolla The Bishop’s, 136 (107:44); 5. Templeton, 138 (107:51).

INDIVIDUAL

1. Bowles, Santa Ana Calvary Chapel, 18:34; 2. Rocha, Paraclete, 18:57; 3. Deane, Felton San Lorenzo Valley, 19:29; 4. Huerta, Paraclete, 19:52; 5. Kuntz, La Jolla The Bishop’s, 19:56.

RACE 26

TEAM

1. Palos Verdes, 65 (107:49); 2. Exeter, 91 (108:31); 3. Visalia Central Valley Christian, 120 (112:16); 4. Linfield Christian, 151 (155:04); 5. St. Matthias, 153 (114:15).

INDIVIDUAL

1. Gonzales, Exeter, 19:56; 2. Dianda, Hilmar, 20:02; 3. Adamiec, BC, 20:09.

Thursday, Oct. 21

Boys

FREEWAY LEAGUE

La Habra 15, Sunny Hills 43
Michael Ruvolo came in first with a time of 17:25 in the three mile races for host La Habra (3-1 in league).

Girls

FREEWAY LEAGUE

Sunny Hills 20, La Habra 41
Host La Habra dopped to 0-4 in league play.

Wednesday, Oct. 20

Boys

GARDEN GROVE LEAGUE

Garden Grove La Quinta 23, Rancho Alaimotos 36
Mason Miller of Garden Grove La Quinta (2-2) was the individual winner at 17:19 for three miles at Mile Square Park. Rancho Alamitos is 1-3 in league.

Garden Grove Santiago 19, Garden Grove Pacifica 36
Garden Grove Santiago 15, Garden Grove 50
Garden Grove Pacifica 15, Garden Grove 50
Gabriel Monjares of Garden Grove Santiago (4-0) was the individual winner in 16:02 over the three-mile course at Mile Square Park. Garden Grove Pacifica is 2-2 and Garden Grove 4-2 in league.

Girls

CHRISTIAN LEAGUE CLUSTER MEET

1. Ontario Christian, 23; 2. Western Christian, 56; 3. Arrowhead Christian, 59; 4. Aquinas, 94; Pomona Catholic, no score. IND.--1. Marcos, OC, 23:04; 2. Johnson, AC, 23:16; 3. Yancy, OC, 23:20.
Freshman Morgan Marcos of Ontario Christian was the individual winner in 23:04 for three miles at Ford Park in Redlands.

GARDEN GROVE LEAGUE

Rancho Alamitos 24, Garden Grove La Quinta 31
Nguyen Mai of Garden Grove La Quinta (1-3) was the individual winner at 19:38 over the thrree-mile course at Mile Square Park. Rancho is 2-2 in league.

Tuesday, Oct. 19

Girls

SUNSHINE LEAGUE

Marlborough 27, Immaculate Heart 29
Christina Phillips and Kate Grace of Marlborough (4-1 in league) finished Nos. 1 and 2 with times of 19:02 and 19:19, respectively, at Griffith Park. Theresa O’Neal was the top finisher for the defending Sunshine League champions, Immaculate Heart, with a time of 19:30.