SD Prep Sports

SD Prep Sports: Cross Country

South Bay League preview

By Phillip Brents

Posted Sept. 30, 2002

Castle Park Trojans
The Trojans boys team was almost nonexistent in recent seasons but that has changed this year with seniors Danny Hernandez, Hector Gutierrez and John Pangalinan supporting juniors Steven Goodsell, Richard Garcia and Victor Ortiz. With depth, there is some emerging talent.

Castle Park’s cross country program, however, continues to be buttressed by its girls team — 2000 South Bay League champions and runners-up to Eastlake last season. The Trojans expect to be competitive this year, though Mar Vista looks to fill the power void left by the departing Titans. Liz Gonzalez, an all-league standout last year, returns to lead the team in her third year in the program. Senior leaders this season include Andrea Huntley and Jennifer Boggs. Cristel Jackson is the team’s freshman find.

Hilltop Lancers
The Lancers boys team is anchored by returners Tommy Hazelwood and Justin Harms, both seniors, and top newcomer Marcos Gonzalez, a junior. Harms was Hilltop’s top finisher at the Baron Invitational on Sept. 13 at Rohr Park, placing 27th in 18:21 for 3.1 miles. He was 55th at last year’s San Diego Section Division II finals; Hazelwood was 81st among 140 finishers. Gonzalez is entering his first varsity cross country season after compiling a promising spring track and field season as the school’s two-miler. He won a gold medal at this summer’s California State Games in the 1500-meter run, timing 4:52 in the boys 16-17 age division.

The Lancers are likely without the services of their top runner from last season, Claudio Melvin, an All-South Bay League finisher (28th at CIF), because of injury. Last year, Hilltop lost to Mar Vista and Eastlake in dual competiton. While the young but improved Lancers don’t have to worry about Eastlake this year, they do still have Mar Vista to worry about.

Sophomore Selina Munoz leads the Lancers girls team. She had a standout freshman season, placing 13th overall at last year’s Metro Conference championship meet — third overall among South Bay League runners. She is back strong this season, coming off an 11th place showing at the Baron Invitational where she timed 14:27 for 2.2 miles. The big news for Hilltop this season is support troops — the team has grown from five girls at the onset to 15. While Munoz is the Lancers’ top returning runner, Ethel Rios is the team’s top senior. However, this year’s Hilltop girls squad remains focused on youth. But youth doesn’t necessarily translate into inexperience — certainly not where freshman Jameela Alne-Yadi is concerned. A member of the San Diego Flyers track and field club team, she placed 16th in this year’s AAU nationals, timing 2:31 for 800 meters in the girls 13-17 age division. At the State Games meet, she finished third in the 800- and fourth in the 1500-meter distances.

Marian Catholic Crusaders
The Crusaders return their top three runners: senior Matt Saenz and juniors Daniel Cervantes and Amir Vafaee. Cervantes is a returning state meet qualifier — finishing eighth overall in last year’s San Diego Section Division IV finals. Saenz was 28th in the same race while Vafaee was 35th. Bryan Bayns also returns after posting the team’s fourth-best time at last year’s CIF meet. The top newcomer is Danny Behema.

Now in its third year in the South Bay League, the Marian Catholic program is starting to show some maturing signs. “I think we can win a couple meets. We won two last year for our first South Bay League victories. We were winless our first year,” said Crusaders coach Michael LeBold. “We have a better team than last year. We’re much better conditioned at the same point this year.”

Nicole Lopez is Marian Catholic’s top returning female runner while both Carolyn Toledo and Marianna Cruz are track and field recruits. The rest of the team, according to LeBold, is comprised of mainly first-year novice runners — a lot of them. “We seem to have more than ever. It’s nice to have them. We’ve never had that many before,” the Crusaders coach said.

Southwest Raiders
Jesus Rodriguez is entering his ninth year coaching the Raiders and his first following Southwest’s switch to the lower enrollment South Bay League. Senior David Figueroa is the team’s top male returner on a boys team otherwise accented heavily by youth with sophomores Adrian Lopez, Adrian Gonzalez, Salvadore Lopez and Ruben Jara and freshmen Anthony Ramos and Jose Morales. Despite the team’s youth, Rodriguez would rather focus on its potential — which he sees quite of bit of in what is assembled.

The girls team, which is coached by Bonita Vista graduate Candice Osuna, features no returners but a lot of enthusiasm. Jennifer Mancilla, a freshman, and Anglica Salas, a sophomore, have been the early season team leaders, followed by sophomores Ashley Roane, Denise Rodriguez and Ashley Stewart.