Cross Country: Huipe conquers new course

Steve Virgen

HUNTINGTON BEACH - Although Estancia High girls cross country

runner Liz Huipe came on a trial run the day before the real competition,

the senior was still a bit confused with the course at Saturday’s

Huntington Beach Invitational at Central Park.

“At first, I didn’t know where to go,” she said.

Huipe, however, found her place. And it was out in front as she

outdistanced the six-team Division II (small schools) field in the last

half-mile of the three-mile race. Huipe’s winning time was 20:12.

“Before, I thought it was going to be hard -- a little bit confusing

-- because it’s a different course,” she said. “But I wanted to win.”

The Huntington Beach Invitational, revived this year after several

years off, included 16 schools.

A Hesperia High runner, Tammy Taylor, actually fell in the last mile

of the race. She tripped and plunged into the mud losing her left shoe.

She threw off her right shoe and finished the course with socks.

But Taylor was fortunate to have even run the race. Some Estancia

runners probably would have taken Taylor’s situation just to run.

Estancia Coach Charlie Appell said his team was beat up on Saturday.

He said he was missing runners Marilyn Reich, Ludi Valdez, both out with

knee injuries. Araceli Morales was just coming off a knee injury herself.

Two other girls, Carmen McNeil and Lindsay Freeman, had asthma attacks on

Saturday morning.

“This has been Sad Saturday,” Appell said.

Estancia still managed to put in a good day with Huipe earning top

honors. Huipe was also No. 1 overall in dual-meet action Thursday.

Estancia’s Stephanie Melendez was 10th Saturday (22:35), followed by

Eagle teammates Janet Cahuantzi (15th in 23:05), Morales (19th in 23:40),

Jessica Butler (20th in 23:50), McNeil (22nd in 24:21) and Lindsay

Freeman (24th in 25:06). The Eagles were third as a team.

“I think it’s OK as you get the time to cool off and stretch,” Butler

said of competing just two days after the dual meet.

The Estancia boys won the Division II team title, behind individual

division champion Humberto Rojas.

Rojas finished in 16:41 to help the Eagles (30 points) best Crescenta

Valley (55) and Martin Luther King (78).

Other Eagle finishers were: Mike Casillas (third in 16:55); Geraldo

Orozco (fifth, 17:06); Aaron Van Geem (ninth 17:38); Abel Flores (12th,

17:45); and Sean Zich (30th, 19:12).

Luis Segoviano missed the race due to a work commitment and Appell

said Eric Lopez sustained an injury and did not finish. The severity of

the injury was not immediately known.

Newport Harbor’s boys got in some running as well. But, contrary to

Estancia, the Sailors are pacing themselves.

Coach Bim Barry has his team competing once a week. He’s methodically

training his runners, including standout Chris McMillen, who finished

second in the Division I (large schools) race in 16:17.

Sailor junior Jesus Santana was third (16:31), while senior John

Peschelt was fifth (16:38). Other Sailors included: Joel Furman (12th,

17:16); Alex Urtusuastegui (16th, 17:37); Ivan Romero (18th, 17:46) and Chris Negrete (24th, 18:09).

Newport freshman Nick Miller won the frosh-soph Division I race in

18:36 and senior Dan Moyer was won the junior varsity race in 17:58.

Barry said his team’s second-place finish, four seconds behind Rialto,

ranked No. 2 in CIF Southern Section Division I, should elevate its

reputation.

“I think our stock improved tremendously,” Barry said.

The Newport Harbor girls competed at the Dana Hills Invitational,

without senior star Amber Steen, who finished eighth in a national

invitational in North Carolina.

At Dana Hills, Lynn Rinek led the Tars with a 26th-place finish in the

junior-senior race (20:19). Erin Friedman was 30th (20:37) and Natalie

St. Andre was 59th (22:03).

Lauren Paul represented Harbor in the freshman race with an

eighth-place finish (22:22).