Laguna boys 2nd, girls 12th at State meet

This “podium” thing is getting to become custom for the Laguna Beach High boys’ cross-country team.

And that’s a very good thing.

For the third consecutive year at the CIF State Cross-Country Championships at Woodward Park in Fresno, the Breakers boys reached the awards podium by finishing among the top three teams in Division IV.

Laguna finished second Saturday to champion Big Bear in the Division IV race.

In the girls’ Division IV race, Laguna placed 12th.

Saturday marked the fourth consecutive time that the Laguna boys have reached the state meet, a streak that began with a 13th-place finish in 2003. Two years ago, Laguna won its first state championship since 1989. Last year, the Breakers were third.

“This was an outstanding performance for us,” Laguna boys’ coach Dave Brobeck said of Saturday’s race. “The team that won this year, Big Bear, was the clear favorite, so for us to be second felt a bit like first. In fact, our team time was faster this year than when we won it in 2004. It was our best team race at this level to date. Big Bear, though, was just too loaded this year. We can only control ourselves.

“I knew this team was a podium-caliber squad three weeks ago during the first round of CIF, when we effortlessly won our heat while just cruising. There were consistencies and training indicators that all pointed to a big peak. After doing this for a while, you start to know how good you are before you really race. My expectations were met completely. Unlike the last two years on the podium, I saw this one coming weeks before. I was just hoping for no major crises during the race itself.”

Laguna’s boys ran the program’s fastest team time (1 hour 23 minutes) in its history at Woodward Park. Senior Jeremy Eaton earned All-State status by running to a fifth-place finish in 15 minutes 52 seconds. Brobeck said that Eaton’s time was the fastest by a Laguna runner at the park and highest individual placement.

Senior captain Andrew Raub was the next Laguna runner to cross the finish line. His time of 16:31 garnered him a 17th-place finish. Following Raub for Laguna were Yann Panassie (16:36, 20th), senior Michael Brown (16:49, 28th), junior Peter Hastings (17:12, 57th), sophomore Casey Finnerty (17:22, 68th) and freshman Blake Hofmeister (17:24, 72nd).

“I will be graduating three very good runners from this team and their void will be felt next year,” Brobeck said of Eaton, Raub and Brown. “Jeremy is the most talented runner I have ever coached, period. Andrew is a workhorse and a guy that acts as a second coach to me. Michael is one of the toughest and most motivated guys I have coached. He is respected and loved for his great personality.”

Despite losing three outstanding runners, the future looks bright for the boys’ program. This year’s freshmen team finished second among all county schools and Brobeck said he expects several of his runners to contend for varsity spots in 2007.

“When I started coaching here nine years ago, my one goal was to bring a state championship back to Laguna,” he said. “After we won in 2004, my goal as a coach shifted. I now want to show our program as one that contends at the state level perennially. I want and expect to be on the podium each year, in the hunt for another state championship.

“I have (about) five to seven frosh boys who have a shot of being main varsity players next year. I will also return two senior and two junior varsity runners. It will be a younger team, but another very talented team. Most people will likely say that we will be rebuilding. I think that we will just be reloading.”

GIRLS

“We had a blast at the state meet,” Laguna Coach Earl Towner said after the Breakers finished 12th in Division IV. “It’s always exciting whenever a Laguna Beach team makes the podium, as the boys team did again.

“We had a solid team finish with a 12th-place. Three of our girls ran terrific races. Melissa Lenker PR’ed by 35 seconds and finished second (for us). Kativa Strickland ran a personal best by 1:37 and finished third for the team. Margaux Reckard improved her three-mile time by 1:22 and finished in fifth. Both Kady Tucker and Margaux Reckard ran huge races to step up and garner fourth and fifth in our team scoring.”

Laguna’s team time was 1:43.59. Senior Alex Crawley concluded her Laguna career by once again leading the Breakers pack. She finished 13th, overall, with a time of 19:09. Following Crawley in order for Laguna was Lenker (20:33, 64th), Strickland (20:42, 72nd), Tucker (21:48, 130th), Reckard (21:49, 131st), Kelly McCarter (22:06, 144th) and Cassidy Robinson (22:33, 154th).

“Overall the season turned out to be very successful,” Towner said. “Making it to the state meet for the fourth time in a row is something that’s never been done before at this school and the girls are very proud to keep that accomplishment running. The girls came together as a team in November to surprise many other teams at CIF finals, but I had told them that’s what I expected would happen with good races from everybody.

“With only two seniors on the varsity team this year, next year looks very promising. If the girls will bond together in June and start their base training, next year’s team could do some amazing things.”