SD Prep Sports

SD Prep Sports: Cross Country

Trojans hope to have say in order of finish at league finals

By Phillip Brents
Posted Oct. 26, 2004

Does it run in the family, literally? Castle Park freshman Julia Hernandez is determined to find out.

“She is going to break all my accomplishments. She’s already talking about winning CIF,” said proud father Hector Hernandez, a former star runner at Mar Vista High School and currently serving as head cross country coach at Mesa College and assistant coach at Castle Park.

The younger Hernandez took a step toward her future goal by finishing first among freshmen girls runners at last weekend’s prestigious Mt. San Antonio College Invitational, timing 19:35 on the 3.0-mile course. She finished 27 seconds ahead of Norco’s Catlin Villarreal in race No. 55.

In just her first season, she has already made quite an impact in varsity competition. Both Hernandez and junior teammate Veronica Gonzales have placed their names on the top 10 list for best-ever times on the Luckie Waller course. Gonzales finished 25th in the varsity girls race at Mt. SAC.

The elder Hernandez, meanwhile, continues to be a role model after finishing first in the coaches race at Mt. SAC with a time of 15:25 and placed fourth in his 31-45 age group at Sunday’s Arturo Barrios People’s 10 K race.

The Trojans expect to be a contender — or if not, at least a spoiler — in the upcoming South Bay League finals Nov. 12 at Rohr Park. The Castle Park boys team dropped a 22-36 dual meet decision to defending league champion Otay Ranch earlier this season. A first-place finish at the league finals could level the teams in a co-championship. The Trojans could make things interesting — of difficult — for either currently undefeated Otay Ranch or defending league champion Hilltop in the girls field.

Castle Park’s top boys runners exemplified themselves well over the weekend. Diego Martinez placed third in the sophomore race at Mt. SAC, timing 17:25. Edgar Medina, who has cracked the top 20 all-time best list at Luckie Waller, placed second in his 16-19 age group in the Arturo Barrios People’s 5 K run.

Mt. SAC notepad
Bonita Vista sophomores Eric Avila (15:46) and Austin Jett (16:08) placed first and fifth, respectively, in the boys varsity No. 64 race. As a team, the Barons finished eighth. Senior Bersain Gutierrez was the next BV runner to cross the finish line in 17:32, placing 58th among 185 finishers. Sophomore Mathew Seat was 61st in 17:36.

Otay Ranch finished seventh in the boys varsity No. 10 race with 194 points, trailing La Jolla (80) and USDHS (138). Junior Matt Danielson (17:00) finished 21st among individuals , followed on the course by sophomore Ricky Pimentel (32nd, 17:26) and junior Ryan Matias (36th, 17:33).

Eastlake’s girls team placed seventh in its division (varsity No. 68 race). Sophomore Tania Andrade was 16th among individuals in 20:31, followed by freshmen Heather Voigt (31st, 21:21) and Daphnee Dion (46th, 22:01).