Laguna runners fare well at state

Another successful season for the boys’ and girls’ cross-country teams at Laguna Beach High came to an end Saturday when the Breakers ran at the CIF State Cross-Country Championships at Woodward Park in Fresno.

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Girls’ CIF State Final

Laguna just missed out on reaching the podium for the first time since a third-place finish in 1992, as the Breakers finished in fourth place with 176 points.

Oaks Christian claimed the division state title with 149 points, finishing ahead of division favorite St. Mary’s College, who, like its boys’ team, was second with 158 points.

La Reina of Thousand Oaks was third with 167 points and San Lorenzo Valley (Felton) was fifth at 216.

The top three teams reach the awards podium.

Oaks Christian had finished in second place behind Maranatha at the CIF Southern Section Division IV finals at Mount San Antonio College in Walnut on Nov. 17.

For Laguna, senior Maggie Newton-Neal led the Breakers with a time of 19:51 and a 30th-place finish. Sophomore Parker Yamasaki was next in 35th-place in 19:59 and sophomore Kativa Strickland was in 60th-place at 20:35. Sophomore Camille Borges was 64th (20:38), senior Heather Thomas 75th (20:50) and freshman Taylor Capobianco was in 101st-place at 21:16.

“The girls ran very well,” Coach Earl Towner said of the Breakers performance on Saturday. “It’s nice to finish the season with a fourth-place finish in CIF and in fourth-place at State.”

Towner wasn’t present at Saturday’s race. The girls’ squad was under the guidance of Laguna’s boys’ head coach, Dave Brobeck.

“The girls missed the podium by just nine points,” Brobeck said.

“This was the best performance our girls have had at state since 1993. The majority of our girls will return next year, and the future looks very good. I am most impressed with how the girls came together in CIF as a team, despite the loss of their coach, Earl Towner, and gave their best efforts. Their season was a memorable one, one that they should be very proud of.”

Senior Sarah Sumpter of Healdsburg High of Healdsburg won the race in a division-record time of 17:26. She topped the previous division record time of 17:47 set by Maribella Aparicio of Fillmore in 1991.

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Boys’ CIF State Final

Laguna Beach finished with 193 points and in sixth-place in the Division IV final.

Big Bear repeated as the division champion by finishing in first place with 101 points. St. Mary’s College of Berkeley was runner-up with 135 points. The rest of the top 10 included McFarland (142 points) in third, Nordhoff (165) in fourth, Morro Bay (183) in fifth, Laguna in sixth, Oaks Christian (212) in seventh, Arenal (246) in eighth, Paraclete (262) in ninth and Maranatha rounded up the top 10 in 10th-place with 273 points.

CIF-Southern Section Division IV teams dominated the state final with seven of those teams, including Laguna, finishing among the top 10.

Freshman Matt Neev was Laguna’s top finisher with a time of 16:34 which earned him a No. 20 placement. Junior Casey Finnerty was 34th (16:50), sophomore Richard Mattingley was 56th in (17:03), sophomore Blake Hofmesiter was 49th (17:05), senior Yann Panassie was 80th (17:18), sophomore Tommy Newton-Neal was 107th (17:36) and sophomore Jake Johnson was in 115th-place at 17:42.

Senior German Fernandez of Riverbank High (Modesto) won the Division IV title in a time of 14:24.

“This was, in truth, a rebuilding year for our boys varsity program,” Coach Dave Brobeck said. “Last year we lost four key seniors, and I went into this season with a very young nucleus. Five of my seven runners at State were underclassmen. I did my best as a coach to rally the guys and prepare them to race teams that consisted of all seniors. And, I am very pleased with how it turned out. Sixth in State for the boys is a very good result in a ‘rebuilding’ year.

“We only lose one senior this year and will only lose one senior next year. My depth, our talent lies in the sophomore and freshmen class. We gained some great experience this year at the State meet that we can draw on over the next few years.

“It was strange not being on the podium this year but I know that our performance was a solid one and that we will return there again very soon.”