ATHLETE OF THE WEEK : Dameworth Took Right Course to 1st State Cross-Country Title

A change in courses and race tactics might have been the most important factors in Bryan Dameworth’s victory at the inaugural state high school cross-country championships at Woodward Park in Fresno on Saturday.

After the Agoura High sophomore placed fourth in the Southern Section 2-A Division championships at Mount San Antonio College two weeks earlier, Coach Bill Duley predicted that his protege would improve at the state meet.

“He’s never run to his potential on this course,” Duley said after the Southern Section meet. “He just doesn’t like this course and it shows in his performances. He just doesn’t like the steep hills.

“But he loves the Woodward Park course. He’ll run much better there.”

Dameworth backed up his stepfather’s words, winning the Division I title in 15 minutes, 12 seconds over the 5,000-meter course.

Typically a front-runner, Dameworth surged to victory in the final 440 yards, outkicking several runners who had beaten him earlier this season.

Goshu Tadese of Crawford High in San Diego, who had walloped Dameworth by 25 seconds at the Mount SAC invitational, and David Scudamore of Palos Verdes, who ran 14 seconds faster than Dameworth as a participant in the Southern Section 4-A finals, placed second (15:13) and third (15:14), respectively.

“I was terrified of Tadese,” Duley said afterward. “He just looked so strong at Mount SAC earlier this season. I wasn’t sure if Bryan could hold him off.”

Dameworth wasn’t sure, either.

“I didn’t feel like I had it won until I hit the tape,” he said. “I could see his shadow the whole way. I knew he had a good kick.”

Dameworth, who placed seventh in the 3,200-meter race at the state track championships in June, didn’t expect to win.

“I hadn’t really thought about that,” he said with a smile. “I thought I could place in the top three or four, but I was really focusing on next week. I wasn’t really concentrating on today.”

Dameworth was pointing toward the Kinney West regionals at Woodward Park this Saturday.

Last year, Dameworth placed eighth in the West regionals to become the first freshman ever to qualify for the national championships, where he placed 19th.

“The Kinney meet has been my big goal all year,” he said. “That’s where I really want to run well.”