Mt. SAC Invitational Cross-Country Meet : Freyne and Davis Are Winners in Sweepstakes Races

Brigid Freyne was a reluctant leader in the girls’ individual sweepstakes race at the Mt. San Antonio College Invitational cross-country meet Saturday.

Marc Davis was a reluctant runner in the boys’ individual sweepstakes race.

Both overcame their obstacles to win.

Despite her anxiety over leading the race, Freyne, a junior at Riverside Poly High School, won in 18 minutes 3.2 seconds over the hilly, three-mile course.

Davis, from San Diego High, ran 15:08.0 with a 24-hour flu bug he caught Friday morning.

Freyne took the lead before the mile mark, but not without reservation. “I thought, ‘I don’t want to take the lead at the mile, it’s stupid,’ ” she said.

Freyne may lack confidence, but she doesn’t have any problems with her ability. She led by as many as 60 yards after passing the mile in 5:22.

Jamie Park of Santa Barbara was the closest challenger, finishing second in 18:15.8. Nicole Nugent, from Torrey Pines of Del Mar, was third in 18:19.8.

Still, Freyne had this sinking feeling. “I was sure they were catching me,” she said. “I kept thinking, ‘Where are they?’ I wasn’t planning on winning. I dreamed about it, but I didn’t plan on it.”

Freyne has been improving steadily since running a 5:14 mile in her sophomore track season. The biggest indication has been on her favorite training route. Last season, she ran the loop in 50 minutes. Now she’s down to 40 minutes.

Last year, Freyne’s best time at Mt. SAC was her 18:59, good for 10th place at the Southern Section 4-A championship meet.

For Davis, just running was a victory.

“Going up one of the hills, I thought, ‘Come on, guy, you’re supposed to be sick,’ ” he said. “I got mono (mononucleosis) after the state (track) meet last year, and the last thing I need was to have it act up again. My mom told me not to run, but I’ve never missed a race.”

Davis never missed a beat in running away from Aaron Mascorro of Rosemead, who was second in 15:17.0, and Mason Myers of Vacaville, third in 15:19.0.

They never threatened Davis, though he was worried that Mascorro might catch him on one of the steep hills. Davis was monitoring his lead by listening to the spectators lining the route. He heard varying accounts, but it turned out he had nothing to worry about.

Notes Casa Roble of Orangevale won a close boys sweepstakes race over Arroyo and Palos Verdes. Paul Thomas of Sacramento Jesuit was the individual winner in 15:22. . . . Palos Verdes packed all five runners into the top 10 to win the girls’ team sweepstakes. The Sea Kings, the top girls team in the state, scored just 33 points to runner-up Thousand Oaks’ 112. Tracy Leichter was the Sea Kings top finisher in 18:30.1. Christy Farrell led Thousand Oaks with a 18:21.0, good for second place. . . .Kira Jorgensen of Vista had the fastest girls time Saturday, a 17:59.3.