The Family Plan Works for Monroe’s Guzman

Gabriel Guzman of North Hills Monroe, the defending City champion in boys’ cross-country, never has to worry about finding a running partner on Sunday mornings.

His father, Asuncion a 55-year-old purchasing agent, gladly rises at 6 a.m., drives Gabriel to a trail in Sylmar, Chatsworth or Topanga, and the two take off for a leisurely run through the wilderness.

“It’s not a thing about competition,” Gabriel said. “It’s a thing about him being there and helping me out.”

Said Asuncion: “I’m a workaholic, so I don’t spend much time with him. On Sunday morning, we run. Sometimes he waits; sometimes he goes off. I think we enjoy each other.”

Sometimes parents unwittingly inject themselves in their children’s athletic lives, trying to live vicariously through them, straining the relationship.

That’s not the case with this father and son. It’s all about a father encouraging his son to succeed and joining in the fun as an active observer.

“He’s pretty good for his age,” Gabriel said. “We have something more in common.”

Asuncion has run in four marathons since taking up the sport. Four of his five children have been cross-country runners for Coach Dean Bazarett at Monroe.

“He’s got a wonderful family,” Bazarett said.

Asuncion was at Pierce College last winter and watched Gabriel win the City Section championship.

“It was something else,” Asuncion said. “It’s hard to explain. It was happiness. It was a great feeling. He worked so hard.”

Guzman has been running since middle school, and Monroe assistant coach Leo Hernandez likes his competitive spirit.

“He’s got a kick and can run down people in the last 100 yards,” Hernandez said.

Guzman finished 14th in 15 minutes 36 seconds at the Mt. San Antonio College Invitational Division I sweepstakes race last weekend.

Monroe has produced four individual City champions in cross-country, and Guzman is serving as a role model when it comes to work ethic.

“If you take a day off, it shows in your race,” he said. “If you work hard, it shows in your time.”

Guzman is favored to repeat as City champion at the finals Nov. 19. Whatever pain is necessary to cross the finish line first, he says he’s prepared to endure.

“It’s temporary, but the accomplishment at the end makes it worth it,” he said.

Meanwhile, father and son will continue their bonding experiences.

“Hopefully, we can set an example,” Asuncion said. “Get off the streets and run.”

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There must be lots of available housing in Compton because two of the local high school basketball teams, Dominguez and Centennial, continue to load up on transfer students.

Dominguez started five transfer students last season, and Centennial has picked up three transfers for the upcoming season: 6-foot-6 Bernard Burrell from Reseda Cleveland, 6-9 Genesis Maciel from South Gate and 5-11 Jonathan Love from Torrance Bishop Montgomery.

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Southern Section basketball practice doesn’t begin until Nov. 12, but here’s my preseason list of top 10 teams in the Southland: 1. Los Angeles Fairfax; 2. Westchester; 3. Dominguez; 4. Santa Ana Mater Dei; 5. Villa Park; 6. Santa Margarita; 7. Woodland Hills Taft; 8. Compton Centennial; 9. North Hollywood Harvard-Westlake; 10. Pasadena.

The Westchester tournament on Dec. 5-10 could have Dominguez playing Taft and Westchester facing Centennial in semifinal matchups.

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Who needs to wait for the USC-UCLA football game on Dec. 3 to see the rivalry on display. At Los Angeles Windward, the team’s top two girls’ basketball players are headed in different directions. Guard Hailey Dunham will sign with USC on Nov. 9; forward Ericka Latimer is signing with UCLA.

Coach Steve Smith said he had a conversation with both, telling them, “You guys are going to be bitter rivals in college, but you are friends and teammates right now.”

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Jeff Engilman had 205 football victories when he retired as coach at Sylmar two years ago. Now he’s 8-0 as the freshman coach at newly opened West Ranch in Stevenson Ranch.

“It’s been a challenge,” the always intimidating Engilman said. “When I look at a kid wrong, he starts to cry.”

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The California Interscholastic Federation is sponsoring a free event for parents and students on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Granada Hills Kennedy auditorium that will feature discussions on the dangers of anabolic steroids and performance-enhancing drugs.

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Three Mission Viejo Capistrano Valley pitchers shut out Chatsworth, 6-0, in a winter baseball game last week. The Cougars, armed with pitchers Matt Lazar, Matt Hiserman, Joe Zeller and Kevin Dickey, could contend for the Southern Section Division I championship this spring.

But Riverside Poly, with pitchers Hector Rabago, Bryan Castro and Kyle Ocampo, is just as talented in that department, as is defending City champion Woodland Hills El Camino Real, with returning pitchers Eric Pettis, Shaun Kort and Garett Claypool.

Eric Sondheimer can be reached at eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.