SD Prep Sports

SD Prep Sports: Cross Country

Division V team profile

Julian Eagles flying toward state finals

By Phillip Brents

Posted Oct. 20, 2002

The San Diego Section increased its allotment of qualifying teams for this year’s state cross country championship meet in Fresno to the top three finishers in each enrollment division, with the exception of girls Division IV. The previous qualifying allotment at the divisional championships had been the top two finishers across the board in all five enrollment divisions.

As it turns out, the Julian cross country team may not need the extra qualifying slot in the upcoming Division V championship meet. The Eagles girls team – the defending Division V champions – were ranked at the top of the division in a midseason coaches poll while the Julian boys team – a fourth-place finisher at last year’s Division V section finals – were ranked second overall in the division this year in the same midseason coaches poll.

The San Diego Section will hold its divisional championships on Saturday, Nov. 23, at Morley Field in Balboa Park. The state finals follow on Saturday, Nov. 30, at Woodward Park in Fresno.

The Eagles girls team firmly placed its stamp on last year’s Division V championship race at Morley Field by placing the top three individuals and four of the top five runners in the six-team, 35 individual entry field. Julian finished with a meet low 21 points, easily outdistancing runner-up Calvin Christian with 57 points and third-place Guajome Park Academy with 74 points.

Nicole Bastian, Clare Hutchinson and Heather Sample posted the top three times at last year’s divisional finals, followed by Jill Spevacek in fifth place. Tessa Ridgeway finished in 11^th place, followed by teammates Hannah Thom in 23^rd place and Suzan Faller in 30^th place.

Ridgeway just missed earning All-CIF status (awarded to the top 10 individuals).

This year’s young but talented Julian girls team -- ranked ninth in the state in a preseason poll -- is led by sophomore Serena Gannon, ranked third among Division V individuals at the season’s midpoint, followed by Spevacek, now a sophomore, ranked fifth, freshman Lindsey Vargo, ranked sixth, and Hutchinson, a junior, ranked 10.

Gannon is a first-time cross country runner who came out for the sport after last spring’s track and field season while Sample, Ridgeway and Faller, all sophomores, return to the team. (Julian would actually have six returners off last year’s Division V championship team but Thom is taking this season off because of an injury.)

The Eagles girls team is ranked ahead of Calvin Christian (second), The Preuss School (third), Tri-City Christian (fourth), Santa Fe Christian (fifth) and Vincent Memorial (sixth).

Santa Fe Christian senior Jenny Stripe topped Division V individuals, followed by Calvin Christian junior Sarah Hamilton (20^th at last year’s CIF finals).

Vargo was 19^th in her freshman division at the season-opening Wolf Pack Invitational at West Hills High School on Sept 6. Hutchinson was 22^nd among juniors while Spevacek (28^th) led classmates Gannon (31^st) and Sample (32^nd).

Julian finished in eighth place among Gold Division girls teams at the Baron Invitational on Sept. 13 in Chula Vista, finishing behind Division IV schools La Jolla Country Day (first), Mountain Empire (second) and Coronado (fourth) and Division III schools Brawley (third) and Our Lady of Peace (sixth).

Gannon (30^th) and Spevacek (32^nd) led Eagles’ girls finishers at the St. Augustine Small Schools Invitational Oct. 4.

The big news on the Julian boys team this year is the season being turned in by senior Scott Neth. A third-place finisher at last year’s Division V meet at Morley Field, Neth had garnered third-best ranking among individuals in the division this year behind last year’s Division V champion Garret Metcalf, a senior, and junior Mitch Howell, both from Tri-City Christian. Howell was sixth at last year’s CIF finals for top-ranked Tri-City Christian.

Neth, who placed 13^th among individuals at last season’s combined Citrus/Coastal League finals, helped lead Eagles to a fourth-place finish at last year’s Division V section finals, followed by teammates Jonathan Smith (18^th), Seth Edman (25^th), Daniel Deluca (27^th), Adam Bakken (28^th), Kent Dover (31^st) and Chris Long (41^st). As a team, Julian (with 101 points) finished behind Calvin Christian (first, 26 points), Tri-City Christian (second, 50 points) and Lutheran (third, 74 points).

This year’s midseason coaches poll placed the Eagles behind Tri-City Christian and ahead of Calvin Christian (third), Santa Fe Christian (fourth), Lutheran (fifth), The Preuss School (sixth), Borrego Springs (seventh) and Vincent Memorial (eighth).

Neth and senior teammate Tristan Lewis, ranked fourth among Division V individuals this season, have been Julian’s top place-finishers in invitational meets. Neth was eighth overall at the Baron Invitational with a time of 17:34 for 3.1 miles and 12^th overall at the St. Augustine Small Schools Invitational. Neth jump-started the season with a 16^th finish at the Sept. 6 West Hills Invitational. Lewis was 34^th at the St. Augustine Small Schools Invitational and 40^th at the West Hills Invitational (out of 68 runners).

Other top runners this year include Smith, now a junior, and freshmen David Neth and Garrett Anderson. Neth was 41^st out of 76 freshmen runners at the Wolf Pack Invitational.

Julian competes in the Citrus League along with Mountain Empire, though the deeper Redhawks compete at the Division IV level.

Notepad

Rounding out this year’s top 10-ranked Division V boys individuals were Tri-City Christian senior Nate Brown (fifth), Calvin Christian sophomore Caleb Marcus (sixth), Calvin Christian’s Mike Kroon (seventh), Tri-City Christian sophomore John Pfiel (eighth) and Calvin Christian’s Arnie Tucker (ninth) and Tri-City Christian sophomore Cody Hunter (10th).

Rounding out this year’s top 10-ranked Division V girls individuals were Santa Fe Christian sophomore Madeline Kramer (fourth), Calvin Christian’s Mary Riegler (seventh), Santa Fe Christian’s Elizabeth Alison (eighth) and Tri-City Christian junior Christina Durrett (ninth).