By Phillip Brents

Posted Sept. 17, 2005

Word had already started to circulate through the ranks of the local high school cross country community that Eastlake would be fielding a much improved team this season. The Titans offered a preview of things to come last season with a second-place finish in the Mesa League girls standings but this year could be the real breakthrough season for both the boys and girls teams.

That much was evident at last Friday’s 10th annual Mustang Invitational at Rohr Park as Eastlake’s girls team strode to a third-place finish in its division and the boys team managed a top 10 finish.

Titan coach Joe Stubbs said it was the first time in his memory that an Eastlake team had managed to come away with a trophy from the event, which attracted more than 900 junior varsity and varsity runners from as far away as Indio.

"Last year the boys were fourth in this meet and the girls were fifth. Two years ago, the boys were 10th and the girls failed to crack the top 10. This year, the girls were third and came home with a trophy and the boys were eighth. That’s improvement. Everyone can feel good about themselves but we know can’t stop there. We have to keep working hard to be better than just good," Stubbs said.

The Titans had six individual medalists (top 35 finishers) in the 2.2-mile girls varsity race: Rachel Naranjo (11th, 14:38), Tania Andrade (17th, 14:49), Anette Dela Rosa (28th, 15:08), Itzelina Nuno (29th, 15:09), Heather Voigt (30th, 15:10) and Maria Lisa Crimi (33rd, 15:17). Sara McKinney (39th, 15:35) also was a part of the trophy-winning team as its seventh runner.

How strong was the team’s third-place finish? Eastlake finished just five points out of second place behind runner-up Valley Center. The Titans’ five-runner scoring spread was 32 seconds.

Eastlake had three medalists in the 3.1-mile boys varsity race: Eric Fujikawa (fourth, 16:55), Jeff Welch (ninth, 17:08) and Che Nevarez (27th, 17:49). Fujikawa finished 10 seconds behind Sweetwater’s Azael Gomez, who placed second at last year’s Metro Conference championship meet by one second to Bonita Vista’s Eric Avila (who did not race last Friday while recovering from a foot injury).

The Titans trailed Otay Ranch (second) and Sweetwater (fifth) in the team standings but did place ahead of a Bonita Vista team (10th) currently depleted somewhat by injuries.

Still, a third-place finish among conference teams in the division was a good barometer reading for the team in terms of future goals, the Eastlake coach said.

The Titans successful outing was not restricted solely to varsity competition. The team also recorded placers in the boys and girls junior varsity races. The JV races were huge this year, with one race featuring 221 finishers and another nearly 150 finishers.

Stubbs attributed the team’s successful showing to its younger runners. "We have some freshmen who have only been out for four weeks. In four weeks, they are only now beginning to get into shape. With people that young, they will only improve," the Titan coach said.

Hilltop’s defending South Bay League championship girls team also fared well at last Friday’s invitational with a third-place trophy finish in the Silver Division (smaller schools) race. The Lancers were paced by Tanya Valenzuela (seventh, 13:45), Lisa Lane (ninth, 13:50) and Karla Atencio (18th, 14:28) with top 20 finishes.

Among varsity girls individuals, Montgomery senior Chelsea Nicklen posted the highest place-finish by taking second in the Silver Division race with a time of 14:02. Nicklen, who won last year’s Mesa League individual title, finished just six seconds behind race winner Kate Barrett of Our Lady of Peace.

Mar Vista’s Edgar Lopez was second in the boys varsity Silver Division race in 17:18. The Mustang Invitational high place-finish built on the second-place effort he turned in a week earlier in the boys frosh/soph race at the Vaquero Stampede in Lakeside.

Sweetwater’s Gomez (16:45) finished behind Granite Hills senior Josh Sandoval (first, 16:08.5) and Monte Vista junior Muluken Beressa (second, 16:19). Other top individual performers were turned in by Castle Park sophomore Julia Hernandez, who placed fifth in the girls varsity Silver Division race (14:24), Trojan teammate Eli Ledezma, who was fourth in the boys varsity Silver Division race (17:31) and Montgomery’s Chris Kaeg and Eric Delgado, who finished fifth and sixth, respectively, in the boys varsity Silver Division with identical 17:33 times.

Castle Park finished third in the boys varsity Silver Division team standings. Edgar Medina helped boost the Trojans with a ninth-place individual finish.

Montgomery finished four points behind Castle Park in fourth place.

Sweetwater also looks to field a very competitive boys team this season, according to coach Tim Latham. Following Gomez on the Mustang course were Alan Gudino (11th, 17:15) and Raul Isais (30th, 17:51) with top 30 place-finishes.

Bonita Vista’s boys team, despite the talent drain, had a pair of top 20 finishers: Mathew Seat (12th, 17:16) and Chris Close (19th, 17:22).

Invitational host Otay Ranch also reaped its fair share of honors at last Friday’s gathering. The Mustangs finished second in the boys varsity Blue Division race and captured the first-place team trophy in the larger schools JV race. Otay Ranch coach Ian Cumming attributed the team’s power-packed debut to talented individuals who trained consistently throughout the summer. "Our JV finish is a statement on the depth of our team," he said.

Top varsity finishers included Ricky Pimentel (seventh, 17:01) Marc Corrales (10th, 17:14), Ryan Matias (15th, 17:20) and Ivan Dallet (24th, 17:42). The Mustangs finished just five points behind defending San Diego Section Division II champion Monte Vista in the team standings.

The Mustang girls — paced by top 30 place-finishes by Jasmine Leija (19th, 14:53), Jessi Tinsley (22nd, 14:57) and Jazmine Schoonmaker (27th, 15:06) — placed seventh in its division.

Both Montgomery (Silver Division) and Otay Ranch (Blue Division) captured first-place team trophies in boys JV races. The Aztecs finished in style by sweeping the top three individual place-finishing positions in the Silver Division race. Jonathan Alcala finished the 2.2-mile course first in 12:37.8, followed by Edgar Enriquez (second, 12:42) and Rene Ruiz (third, 12:44).The Mustangs were buoyed by placing their five scorers among the top nine finishers (2-5-6-7-9). Otay Ranch’s seven runners took top 12 finishes.

Sweetwater’s Juan Nunez captured top honors in the JV race.