SD Prep Sports

SD Prep Sports: Cross Country

Grossmont Conference championships

Helix, West Hills runners star at league finals

By Phillip Brents

Posted Nov. 18, 2002

The Grossmont Conference North and South leagues crowned their respective individual champions at last Saturday’s conference finals at Harry Griffen Park. In the North League, El Capitan’s Benny Gandolfo and West Hills’ Elaine Gillespie earned honors as the male and female meet champions, respectively. In the South League, Helix made it a sweep as Babey Wagnew and Jamie Marliere were the top male and female finishers, respectively.

In the team races, West Hills swept the boys and girls North League titles to complement an undefeated dual meet season. In the South League, the Helix girls team captured the championship title by finished on top in both the dual meet season and conference finals race. The South League boys championship was a bit more convoluted as Monte Vista narrowly out-pointed both Granite Hills and Helix to win the conference meet after finishing with a 4-1 dual meet record.

Runners will now prepare for Saturday’s San Diego Section divisional championships at Balboa Park’s Morley Field. The top three teams in all five divisions, except girls Division IV, earn berths in the state championship meet on Nov. 30 in Fresno. Races begin at 8:30 a.m.

Gandolfo, a two-time returning state meet qualifier, posted the top North League boys time of 16:42 on the 3.1-mile course, edging West Hills’ Ross Halleland (16:59) and Jeremy Root (17:18)..

Gillespie finished with a time of 14:04 for 2.5 miles in placing ahead of Santana’s Erin Price (14:11), El Capitan’s Cassie Atkinson (14:43) and Wolf Pack teammate Janae Dale (14:52).

Wagnew (16:06) finished with a 30-second margin of victory over Valhalla standout Kip Madden (16:36) to finish as the South League boys top individual. Monte Vista’s Dan Driscoll (16:40), Granite Hills Eladio Carrillo (17:02) and Helix’s Garrick Frew (17:11) rounded out the top five South League individuals.

Helix had three of the top four South League girls finishers: Marliere, Amy Johnson-Westlie (third, 15:15) and Olga Gorobets (fourth, 15:20). Granite Hills Cindy Walker finished second in 14:48.