Change of Pace

They remain the centerpiece of the cross-country season for many programs, but the age-old dual meet has become a thing of the past in two Orange County leagues.

Hoping to regulate their schedules better during the middle of the season, coaches from the Century and Sea View leagues voted in the last two years to replace their dual meets with two cluster meets.

Cluster meets include each of the league’s teams and consist of single races for upper and lower levels. Unlike the invitational scoring system used at league finals, separate head-to-head scoring is determined for every possible matchup. The Sea View League made the switch last year and the Century League followed suit this season.

Advocates see a variety of benefits to this format, including reducing the number of times teams have to race twice a week.

The clusters eliminate two dual meets in the five-team Sea View League and three in the six-team Century League. Because the Southern Section limits the number of races a team can enter during the season, teams use the extra dates to run in weekend invitationals, giving runners valuable experience at these larger races.

Since both leagues have programs that typically thrive late in the season, this form of scheduling is an asset.

“For programs that have aspirations of continuing on to the postseason, it’s the best thing you can possibly do,” said Newport Harbor Coach Bim Barry, whose Sailors are favored to advance to the state finals in Fresno next month.

The clusters themselves also provide the feel of a big race, another bonus for the top runners.

“It’s better with 35 people in the race instead of 14,” said Woodbridge junior Meghan Bellotti, who helped the Warriors win a Division I state title last season.

But the new format is not embraced by all. Some athletes and coaches say the absence of league dual meets eliminates any chance of winning for just about every girl except the league’s finest. That was the case in the Sea View League this season, where Newport Harbor’s Amber Steen won both cluster meets with ease.

Blossom Brown, a Laguna Hills senior, ran dual meets her first two seasons in the Pacific Coast League, then switched to clusters when the Hawks joined the Sea View League last year.

“I miss the old way a lot,” said Brown, who finished 10th in a cluster meet Friday at Woodbridge High. “It’s easier to concentrate on certain runners.”

The Sea View League held its two cluster meets this month at Irvine Park and Woodbridge, with the league finals set for Friday at Irvine Park.

Aliso Niguel Coach Stacy Klein believes there are advantages to both the duals and the clusters. She likes the idea of a lighter schedule, but wouldn’t mind adding some new faces to the victory stand.

“My girls never really have a good chance to win a dual meet because you have the best girl in league that’s always going to win [the cluster meet],” Klein said. “That’s kind of disappointing.”

Some leagues, such as the Sunset and Pacific Coast, have begun holding three-way meets in a compromise effort. Others have no plans to change.

Santa Ana is the third-ranked team in Southern Section Division I and consistently the top team in the Golden West League, but Santa Ana Athletic Director Frank Alvarado is content with the current format. “The cluster meets are great for those schools that participate in a number of invitationals,” he said. “But in [the Golden West League], the dual meet is a kid’s only chance at competition.”

LEAGUE FINALS ACTION

In addition to the Sea View League finals, nine other leagues will host finals this week.

The Century League finals are today at Yorba Park in Anaheim Hills, with the Foothill girls’ hoping to bounce back from an injury-filled season and defend their league, Southern Section Division II and state titles.

The Empire and Orange league finals are set for Wednesday. Katella is hoping to defend its Empire League boys’ title at Irvine Park, while Valencia will attempt to defend its Orange League boys’ title at Craig Park in Placentia.

Five leagues scheduled their finals for Thursday, with the highlight expected to be the Serra League finals at Central Park in Huntington Beach. Mater Dei, which finished sixth at the county championships two weeks ago, and Santa Margarita, which finished 10th, should battle to the wire in the girls’ race.

Also hosting finals Thursday are the Freeway and Olympic leagues at Clark Park, the Garden Grove League at Mile Square Park and the Pacific Coast League at Irvine Park. Of that group, the Estancia and Corona del Mar boys should provide the closest competition.

The South Coast League will host its league finals Friday at Laguna Niguel Park. The boys’ race between Dana Hills, Mission Viejo and El Toro should be one of the best of the week as all three teams finished in the top seven at the county championships.

If you have an item or idea for the cross-country report, you can fax us at (714) 966-5663 or e-mail us at Dan.Arritt@latimes.com

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CROSS-COUNTRY TOP 10

Times’ Orange County Rankings

BOYS

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Pos. School League 1. Dana Hills South Coast 2. Santa Ana Golden West 3. Newport Harbor Sea View 4. Edison Sunset 5. Mission Viejo South Coast 6. Fountain Valley Sunset 7. El Toro South Coast 8. Tustin Golden West 9. Santa Margarita Serra 10. Valencia Orange

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GIRLS

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1. Corona del Mar Pacific Coast 2. Woodbridge Sea View 3. Dana Hills South Coast 4. Fountain Valley Sunset 5. Esperanza Sunset 6. Brea Olinda Orange 7. Newport Harbor Sea View 8. Santa Margarita Serra 9. Mater Dei Serra 10. Santa Ana Golden West

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