Stonerock, Sutton Win Individual Titles in Cross-Country Finals

Saugus High, behind Daren and Kirk Stonerock, won its second straight Southern Section 3-A cross-country title Saturday at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut.

Melissa Sutton of Newbury Park won her second consecutive 4-A title, and the Simi Valley boys team won the 5-A championship a second straight year.

Stonerock easily won his showdown with 3-A defending champ Aaron Mascorro of Rosemead by covering the three-mile course in 14:54, the sixth fastest time ever at Mt. SAC. Daren’s twin brother Kirk finished second.

“My plan was to jump out in front and stay there,” Daren said. “Mascorro beat me last year, and I just decided there was no way he was going to do it again.”

Newbury Park’s Sutton was equally impressive. The junior covered the course in 17:32, the fifth fastest girls time at Mt. SAC--and 51 seconds faster than she ran last week in the preliminaries. Kristy Farrell finished second, at 18:12, and helped lead the Thousand Oaks girls to a second-place finish in the 4-A Division.

The Simi Valley boys team won without the benefit of an outstanding individual performance, but demonstrated deep strength with five members finishing in the top 15.

“It’s easy when you have an outstanding number one man because he takes care of himself,” Simi Valley Coach Jim McCullough said. “But to keep winning, you need all of your team to do well and we have a very competitive and coachable top five.”

Heather Scobie of Saugus narrowly missed winning the girls 3-A title when Walnut’s Sandra Acosta passed her just before the finish line. Hart’s Lisa Rizzo, the defending champion, placed fifth.