Boys and girls cross country: CIF finals will feature rainbow

Steve Virgen

WALNUT - The finale of the CIF Southern Section Cross Country

finals will feature a rainbow as the meet appears headed to end in

colorful style Saturday at Mt. San Antonio College.

There will be shades of green, black, gray and blue, and even pink, as

the boys teams from Costa Mesa High, Corona del Mar and Estancia will

battle in the Division III race at 10:45 a.m.

Look out for the boys in pink. The Eagles, the Pacific Coast League

champions who are ranked No. 3 in Division III, are serious contenders

for the title.

Junior Humberto Rojas, who finished first in his heat last week with a

15:42, will lead the Eagles, which also includes senior Mike Casillas and

junior Aaron Van Geem.

Last week, Daniel Lindstrom of Granite Hills completed the fastest

time in Division III in 15:40.

Estancia has battled through injuries this season, but has an

opportunity to overcome that by capturing the title. It won’t be easy as

teams, including the PCL’s Sea Kings and rival Mustangs, will be primed

for the Eagles.

“Everyone aims for the pinkies,” said Estancia Coach Charlie Appell,

who modified the school’s original color of red to the pink so he can

spot his runners clearly. “We just want to be able to see where they’re

at. But, it makes us more (noticeable). It’s tougher.”

Coach Eric Davies’ Mustangs, who have been improving every week, are

aiming for a trip to the State Meet, while Coach Bill Sumner’s CdM squad

will also contend for that goal.

The first four teams in each division will automatically qualify for

the State Championships in Fresno Nov. 24. The CIF Southern Section is

allowed five individuals in each division provided they finish in the top

20 places in their respective races.

Senior Irwin Salas and sophomore Marco Huipe are focused to continue

Costa Mesa’s peaking trend.

The Sea Kings are rebuilding, so to speak, after the departure of

Travis Beardslee and Josh Yelsey. The two seniors left a strong influence

on CdM runners, including sophomore Kevin Artz and junior Blake Dillion.

In Division II, the Newport Harbor Sailors, who earned a finals berth

with a fourth-place finish in their heat, will race at 9:25. Coach Bim

Barry said he is realistic and doesn’t expect to win the title, but the

Sailors will attempt to complete its best performance of the season as

they depend on junior Alec Urtusuastegui and sophomore Nick Miller.

On the girls side, two-time state champion Corona del Mar and

Estancia’s Diana Rosete will race in Division III at 9:45.

CdM senior Julie Allen headlines for the Sea Kings and plans to make

her fourth state finals appearance. In the preliminaries, she finished

with the fastest time in 17:12 and Coach Sumner expects a sub-17-minute

time for Saturday.

The Sea Kings, who were expected to be a team after the top three this

year because of their youth, have a chance to surprise critics with a

championship, because its young runners have been improving, Sumner said.

They take the lead position into the finals after their strong showing in

the preliminaries.

Junior Becky Cummins finished behind Allen last week in 18:51, while

sophomores Ahlia Kattan and Taryn Kawata and senior Katherine Morse also

have the legs to give CdM a shot for the title.

Rosete, an Estancia junior who won the Yucaipa Invitational Sept. 22

while enduring 102-degree temperatures, will vie for an appearance at

Woodward Park in Fresno. Last week, she finished fourth in her heat

(19:08.6).