Daily Pilot High School Male Athlete of the Week: Garcia takes another step forward with support system behind him

The past week for Newport Harbor High’s Alexis Garcia was a testament to the value of experience.

As a sophomore last year, the Sailors ace headed up to the CIF State cross-country championships for the first time. From the moment he hopped into the school van to head to Woodward Park in Fresno, the race was part of every thought he had.

The entire day prior to the meet, it consumed him, especially as he sat alone in his hotel room the night before the race. By the time the race arrived, he had worked himself into a tizzy.

Garcia finished 34^th that year, far below his expectations and those created by a runner-up showing in the Orange County Championships that season.

“He was a little up and down because he was only a sophomore,” Sailors coach Nowell Kay said. “There is more fluctuation when you’re younger. As you get older, you get a lot more consistent, and he was a lot more consistent this year.”

The Sailors’ top runner was remarkably solid for Newport Harbor all year. He finished in the top five of every race this year with the exception of the county championships, where he finished seventh.

Garcia repeated as Sunset League champion, and for the second year in a row, he qualified for the CIF State cross-country championships as an individual.

This year, however, Garcia was not alone. Kay told him that if he made the state meet again, there would be room for two teammates to come with him. Garcia made it a junior class vacation, choosing Michael Davey and Luke Downing to come along for the trip.

“We wanted to give him someone that was cheering for him, to give him someone that can inspire him and keep him going,” Downing said of joining Garcia.

Having his friends with him helped Garcia stay loose ahead of the state meet this year, and when the time came to perform, he was able to do so at a high level.

Garcia earned all-state honors by placing fifth in the Division II race in 15 minutes 26.2 seconds.

According to Kay, Garcia is the first Newport Harbor boy to make the podium since the Sailors won the Division III state meet in 1992. That honor is given to the top 10 individuals and the top three teams.

“That was pretty cool, even though we almost missed it,” Kay said, reminiscing that Garcia was called up to the podium out of order as a late arrival to the ceremony following his cool down.

Davey was equally impressed by Garcia’s performance and the scene at the state meet.

“I was so happy for him,” Davey said. “Since June, we have been putting in 110 percent each day of training. For him to get fifth at state, I think it’s safe to say everything paid off.

“[Going up to state to support Garcia] will benefit me greatly for next year. The atmosphere at the state meet is unlike any other meet, and it definitely has given me motivation to try to make it as a team next year.”

What also makes the state meet different is the exclusive club that the all-state performers put themselves in. Only the top 10 finishers in each race at the state championships receive medals.

Conversely, there were 40 medals handed out per race in the Laguna Hills Invitational, one of the year’s first meets in Orange County in September.

“This medal is very special because I know a lot of kids will want it,” Garcia said. “It’s very different than any other meet. I’m happy to have it.”

After his race at Woodward Park in Fresno last Saturday, Garcia was placed on the possible invitee list to the Nike Cross Nationals. Although he did not receive the call he was hoping for, Garcia’s season is not over yet.

Garcia has opted to run in the Foot Locker West Regionals, something he decided not to do last year. At the time, the then-sophomore was feeling down about his 34^th-place finish at state in 2016.

Increased confidence, as well as his support system, played big roles in Garcia changing his tune this year.

“We were kind of waiting for the call from NXN, but it didn’t come,” Garcia said. “I didn’t know if I wanted to run Foot Locker. [My family] pushed me to do it.

“They told me to run it, and if I don’t make it to the Nationals, that it will be fine. It is just that I have to try. It kind of gave me that push to do it.”

Garcia has entered the boys’ seeded race. Again, finishing in the top 10 will be the target, as those to do so will advance to the Foot Locker Nationals the following Saturday, Dec. 9, at Balboa Park in San Diego.

The Foot Locker West Regionals will be run at Mt. San Antonio College. The field will be comprised of runners from 12 different states.

Newport Harbor has not competed in the Mt. SAC Invitational the last two years for multiple reasons. The meet takes place the week prior to the Sunset League Finals. In addition, there has been less incentive to brave the famed hills of the course with the CIF Southern Section postseason races moving to the Riverside City Cross-Country Course the last two years.

“I haven’t run it a lot of times, just my freshman year,” Garcia said of the Mt. SAC course. “That year was hard for me. It was a lot of hills.

“Now, I think I can do better on it. I have a little more to give.”

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Alexis Garcia

Born: April 3, 2001

Hometown: Mexico City

Height: 5 feet 8

Weight: 125 pounds

Sport: Cross-country/track and field

Year: Junior

Coach: Nowell Kay

Favorite food: BBQ ribs from Newport Rib Co.

Favorite movie: “Without Limits”

Favorite athletic moment: Garcia’s most recent race vaulted to the top of his athletic memories because of his marked improvement at the CIF State championship meet. He placed fifth in the Division II race this season after taking 34^th the year before.

Week in review: The Newport Harbor ace earned all-state honors by placing fifth with a time of 15:26.2 in the Division II race of the CIF State cross-country championships on Saturday at Woodward Park in Fresno.

andrew.turner@latimes.com

Twitter: @ProfessorTurner