SD Prep Sports

SD Prep Sports: Cross Country

Metro Conference showdown

Barons put one foot closer to Mesa League dual title with sweep of Red Devils

By Phillip Brents

CHULA VISTA, Nov. 1, 2002 -- The Bonita Vista High School cross country team took an important step toward solidifying its grab on this year’s Mesa League dual meet titles after sweeping Sweetwater in both boys and girls varsity action at Discovery Park. The Barons improved to 3-0 in league dual meets heading into their regular season finale against Chula Vista Nov. 8 at Discovery Park. Race time is 3 p.m.

The Barons’ biggest challenge came in the boys race against a Red Devils team that sported a previously undefeated 3-0 league dual mark. The teams placed four runners apiece among the top eight finishers on the 3.0-mile course, with the Barons holding a 17-19 mathematical edge in scoring and rights to the win even had Sweetwater placed its fifth runner ahead of Bonita Vista’s fifth man.

As it turned out, the Barons placed four runners ahead of the Devils’ final scorer.
Ryan Becijos keyed the Bonita Vista victory by turning in a course-record time of 16:04.35 to better the mark previously set by Chula Vista’s Adrian Ramirez in 1995. Following Becijos’ lead were teammates Michael Valdez (fourth, 16:58), Julian Zamora (fifth, 17:01), Abraham Alvarez (seventh, 17:24), Chris Wymer (ninth, 17:47), Ryan Groth (10th, 17:59), Daniel Valdez (11th, 17:59) and Phillip Chipounov (12th, 18:02).

The place-finishes of Valdez and Zamora helped offset Sweetwater’s two-three finish of Edgar Llanez (16:30) and Javier Diaz (16:40), giving the Barons a crucial one-point edge as the teams traded individual finishes among the next four runners. The Barons simply added an exclamation point to their 26-31 win by placing six of the top 10 finishers.

For the Devils, Hector Arreola was sixth in 17:12 while Rogelio Gonzalez was eighth in 17:38. SuHi’s fifth man, Fernando Sepulveda, was 13th among individuals in 18:07.

The Bonita Vista girls team also improved to 3-0 in Mesa League duals by defeating Sweetwater 19-41 by placing four of the top five individuals. Kristen Gonzalez (first, 14:27.49) and Tiffany Caddell (14:49) led the Baron scoring parade on the 2.25-mile course, followed by fellow top 10 placers Jessica Munoz (fourth, 15:21), Julie Buettner (fifth, 15:31), Kristen Milliken (seventh, 15:37) and Jessi Tinsley (eighth, 15:40).

Savannah Size (third, 15:16), Lizette Villasana (sixth, 15:34) and Brenda Diaz (ninth, 15:50) keyed the Devils (0-4) with individual top 10 finishes.

Liz Gonzalez led Castle Park’s South Bay League team with a time of 16:07 for 10th place.

The course record is 14:24, set by Bonita Vista’s Claire Becker in 1994.

The Barons can wrap up this year’s Mesa League dual title with a victory against Chula Vista (3-0) on Friday.

In boys junior varsity action, Bonita Vista swept both Sweetwater (16-46) and Castle Park (15-50) as Michael Morales (17:41), Justin Hillery (17:52), Nick Amalfitano (18:12) and Bersain Gutierrez (18:12) swept the top four individual place-finishers for the Barons.

Eastlake can wrap up sole possession of this year’s boys JV dual title with a victory Friday against Montgomery at Luckie Waller Park.

The conference finals, which will determine final overall team placement for the season, are scheduled for Friday, Nov. 15, at Rohr Park, starting at 2 p.m.