Onward to State meet for Breakers

For the fifth consecutive year, the Laguna Beach boys’ and girls’ cross-country programs have advanced to the CIF State Cross-Country Championships.

Both teams qualified for the state Division IV state race “” to be Saturday at Woodward Park in Fresno “” by finishing strong at the CIF Southern Section Division IV finals meet held last weekend at Mount San Antonio College in Walnut.

In the Division IV races, Laguna’s girls finished in fourth place and the boys’ team was sixth. The girls’ squad attained its high finish despite not racing one of its top runners, sophomore Camille Borges, due to injury.

Borges will run at Saturday’s state meet, Laguna Coach Dave Brobeck said.

“We’re very proud of our sustained tradition of success,” Brobeck said. “Last weekend at CIF finals, we were pleased with both performances and know that we can do much better.”

Twenty-six teams will compete in Division IV at Saturday’s meet.

Representing the Laguna boys’ team at Saturday’s CIF State meet are senior Yann Panassie, juniors Casey Finnerty and Rand Hardy, sophomores Blake Hofmeister, Richard Mattingley and Tommy Newton-Neal and freshman Matt Neev who is the Orange Coast League champion.

Representing the Laguna girls’ team at the meet are seniors Maggie Newton-Neal, Heather Thomas and Michaela Fleming, sophomores Borges, Kativa Strickland and Parker Yamasaki and freshman Taylor Capobianco.

Both Laguna teams enter the event with top 10 rankings and are looking to earn a spot on the podium Saturday.

At the CIF-SS Division IV finals meet, Laguna’s girls turned in a team time of 1:41.16 to garner fourth-place. Maranatha (1:39.37) won the team title.

Yamasaki was Laguna’s top finisher with a 23rd-place showing at 19:53. Other top finished saw Newton-Neal place 35th (20:06), Strickland 41st (20:20), Capobianco also ran a 20:20 and was 42nd, Thomas was 52nd (20:37), and sophomore Gerry Artman was 83rd (21:43).

Laguna’s boys’ had a team time of 1:23.55, good for sixth place in Division IV. Nordhoff (1:21.49) won the team title.

Panassie ran to an eighth-place finish (16:14) to lead the Laguna crew. Other finishes: Neev (16:24, 17th), Mattingley (16:53, 31st), Finnerty (17:08, 42nd); Newton-Neal (17:16, 46th); Hofmeister (17:22, 52nd) and sophomore Jake Johnson (17:23, 53rd).