SD Prep Sports

SD Prep Sports: Cross Country

2005 High School Preview:

Eastlake runners establishing tradition with stability

By Phillip Brents

Posted Sept. 5, 2005

Eastlake High¹s boys and girls cross country teams took a bold step last year. Titan head coach Joe Stubbs hopes it is a step into a new era for the school.

"We are building a tradition in cross country at Eastlake," he said.

Continuity may have something to do with that. Stubbs noted this is the first time the same coach has overseen the program two years in a row in more than six years.

"Hopefully there will be improved continuity and results from this," said Stubbs, who saw the Titans girls team post a 4-1 league record in posting a runner-up Mesa League finish and the boys team finish 2-3.

Included in the girls team¹s victory total was a history-making dual meet win against perennial Metro Conference power Bonita Vista. The Titans dropped a 27-28 dual meet to league champion Chula Vista.

On the girls side, returning are all-league runners Heather Voigt, Tania Andrade and Daphnee Dion. Supporting them will be Maria Lisa Crimi, Anette De La Rosa, Sara McKinney and Sam Bankston. Stubbs said there are several newcomers who will make there presence felt as well.

Eastlake placed three runners among the top nine finishers at last year’s league finals: Andrade (fourth), Voigt (fifth) and Dion (ninth).

The top 10 finishers were accorded First Team All-Mesa League while the top 15 finishers received medals. McKinney finished 14th as the Titans’ fourth medal-winner.

The boys team will be anchored by Eric Fujikawa and Jeff Welch. Challenging the top two will be Che Nevarez, Alex Oleata, David Flores, Scott Walling and Sean Szafarski. Freshmen Gabriel Garcia and Robbie Young have shown a lot of promise early on as have many others, according to Stubbs.

Fujikawa turned in the highest finish at last year¹s league finals by placing eighth to earn First Team All-Mesa League honors. Oleata was 30^th and Welch was 35th in the combined field of 80 Mesa League and South Bay League runners.

However, youth will be served on the 2005 squad. Stubbs is quick to point out that more than two thirds of the team are freshmen or sophomores. There are only three seniors on the team’s 50 student-athlete roster.

However, the Eastlake coach feels that will not deter the team from having a successful season.

"More than half have never run a cross country race before. How do I like our chances? I like them a lot," Stubbs said. "These youngsters are pushing themselves every day. They are learning the fruition from good old fashion hard work, dedication and the desire to do their best. They are learning the biggest enemy of great is good. You can never be satisfied with anything less than your best ‹ and every day go out to work out with a burning desire to become better. That is what I see in this team. Last year we became respectable. This is a new year and Eastlake cross country teams do not want to just be good anymore."

Eastlake Titans 2005 Schedule

September

3: Vaquero Stampede at Lindo Lakes (Lakeside), 8 a.m.

9: Mustang Invitational at Rohr Park, 3:05 p.m.

23: South Bay Invitational at Rohr Park, 4 p.m.

30: Sweetwater dual meet at Rohr Park, 3 p.m

October

7: Southwest dual meet at Discovery Park, 3 p.m

13: Bonita Vista dual meet at Discovery Park, 3 p.m

22: Mt. Sac Invitational (Walnut), TBA

28: Montgomery dual meet at Discovery Park, 3 p.m.

November

4: Chula Vista dual meet at Rohr Park, 3 p.m.

11: League finals at Rohr Park, 2 p.m

19: CIF Finals at Morley Field (Balboa Park), TBA

26: State finals at Woodward Park (Fresno), TBA