SD Prep Sports

SD Prep Sports: Cross Country

Monarchs roar on cross country course

2K3 Mustang-Baron Invitational results

By Phillip Brents

CHULA VISTA, Sept. 12, 2003 -- Monte Vista narrowly out-pointed both Granite Hills and Helix to emerge as the top finisher at last year’s Grossmont South League championship meet to solidify its claim to a boys cross country championship.

At right: Garrick Frew of Helix recorded a meteoric third-place finish.

The Monarchs appear back for a taste of more of the same after finishing in second place in their division at the eighth annual Mustang-Baron Invitational, held at Rohr Park in Chula Vista. The event has become one of the largest in the county, attracting a record 31 schools this year with nearly 1,0000 runners.

Monte Vista finished with 95 points to place ahead of third-place Sweetwater (121 points), fourth-place Valley Center (124 points) and fifth-place Helix (129 points). Bonita Vista won the larger schools Blue Division with a meet-low 47 points.

The Monarchs’ spread of five runners — 34 seconds — was the key top catapulting the team to its second-place finish. Junior Rob McGrorty had the top time of 16:33 on the 3.1-mile course, finishing in 14th place overall. Monte Vista’s fifth man, Michael Wallace, was 28th in 17:07.

McGrorty was the Monarchs’ sixth finisher at last year’s San Diego Section Division II championship meet. Senior Zack Norcross — Monte Vista’s No. 2 man at CIF last season — was the team’s fourth finisher at the Mustang-Baron Invitational, clocking 17:00 in 21st place behind third man David Frehafer (17th, 16:38).

For the second week in a row, both McGrorty and Frehafer excelled on the course after Mrgrorty finished sixth and Frehafer was 12th in the junior boys race at the West Hills Wolf Pack Invitational the previous Friday.

Helix nosed out Monte Vista by two points to earn the third and final berth to last year’s state meet to highlight an otherwise convoluted season and the teams look to be just as competitively balanced this year.

Five of seven runners off last year’s state qualifying team return for the Highlanders, including seniors Babey Wagnew, Garrick Frew, Juan Torres and Tim McGraw and sophomore Ahmed Ali. Those five are complemented this season by juniors Timmy Ton, Aaron DeLeon and Gabe Guerrero.

Wagnew, who finished eighth at last year’s Division II state championship meet (he was second to Mar Vista superman Troy Swier at last year’s San Diego Section finals), did not participate in this year’s Mustang-Baron Invitational but Frew recorded a meteoric third-place finish to improve on his 18th-place showing in the race a year ago. Torres was 11th and McGraw finished 36th to just miss earning a medal (the top 35 finishers medaled).

With Wagnew in the lineup, Helix rates a much stronger opponent. Frew finished 11th at last year’s section finals and will be looking to earn First Team All-CIF honors this season by finishing among the top 10 placers.

Granite Hills, paced by Josh Sandoval’s 10th-place individual finish in 16:25, placed ninth in team standings in the Blue Division race.

Steele Canyon, which is fielding its first senior class this year, was fourth in the smaller schools boys varsity Gold Division race, trailing traditional powers La Jolla, St. Augustine and Brawley. The Cougars were led by medalists Fadi Al-Banna (19th, 17:33) and Coel Schumacher (23rd, 17:43). Just missing medals were Nick Buckmaster (37th, 18:12) and Tim Fuchs (39th, 18:15).

At left: Steele Canyon's Coel Schumacher

In girls varsity races, Helix finished third overall in the large school division (behind University City and Scripps Ranch). April Montgomery led the Highlanders’ individuals with a fifth-place finish in 13:24 for 2.15 miles, followed by fellow top 10 place-finisher Jamie Marliere in seventh in 13:31.

Steele Canyon finished third in the smaller schools girls junior varsity race to earn a team trophy. Leading the Cougars’ change on the 1.65-mile course were medalists Allyson Timmerman (9th, 11:26), Cecily Carrillo (18th, 11:42) and Brittney Mello (26th, 11:55).

Three Steele Canyon runners earned medals in the 164-strong boys JV race: freshman Kyle Fox (third, 12:49), junior Matt Timmerman (13th, 13:15) and freshman Anup Patel (29th, 13:43). The Cougars finished fifth in the team standings.

Leading Steele Canyon’s girls varsity runners were medalists Ali Mendoza (20th, 15:08), Amanda Mullahey (22nd, 15:12) and Cori Timmerman (33rd, 15:49). The Cougars were sixth in the team standings.