FALL SPORTS HIGHLIGHTS : Sutton’s Victory Can’t Stop Thousand Oaks

Two weeks after winning the Ventura County Championships at Moorpark College, the Thousand Oaks High cross-country teams returned to the site of that conquest and won the boys and girls titles at the Marmonte League championships on Friday afternoon.

Although Newbury Park’s Melissa Sutton and Mike Esparza won the individual titles, the Lancers boys and girls teams emerged as league champions.

Thousand Oaks, the second-ranked team in the Southern Section 4-A Division, placed four runners in the top eight to score a 34-41 victory over fourth-ranked Westlake in the girls race.

Third-ranked Newbury Park finished third with 55 points, followed by Simi Valley (120), Camarillo (123), Channel Islands (184) and Royal (185).

The Thousand Oaks boys team, also ranked second in the 4-A, won its second league title in the past three years with 35 points. Camarillo and Newbury Park followed with 68 points. Camarillo was awarded second place on the basis of a faster sixth man.

Simi Valley (86), Westlake (123), Royal (176) and Channel Islands (184) rounded out the field.

Although Sutton’s course record streak was snapped at 10, she still won her 11th straight meet. Her time of 17:45.0 over the three-mile course was the second-fastest girls time ever, behind the 17:26.5 she posted at the Ventura County Championships on Oct. 17.

The win was Sutton’s second Marmonte League title in the past three years.

“Missing the record doesn’t matter,” Sutton said afterward. “Winning is all that counts.”

Defending league champion Christy Farrell led Thousand Oaks to its second consecutive league title, placing second with a 18:14.5.

Junior Jena Haggenmiller and freshman Amee Edwards were the key to the Lancers victory margin. Haggenmiller (18:29.1) out-kicked Westlake’s Jennifer Feller (18:33.5) for third place and Edwards (19:31.8) surged past Westlake teammates Jaime Butler (19:34.8) and Desiree Joubert (19:40.3) in the last quarter-mile to finish eighth.

Esparza carried on a family tradition in the boys race. His brothers Gilbert (1971) and Danny (1978) also won league titles for Newbury Park.

However, it didn’t come easily. He had to overtake Simi Valley’s surprising Travis Briggs in the last 400 meters. Esparza’s time of 15:37.3 was a personal best on the Moorpark course by more than 27 seconds.

Briggs qualified for next week’s Southern Section preliminaries at Mt. San Antonio College with his 15:46.4 effort.

John Rogers (third in 15:50.2), Paul McCarter (fourth in 15:52.7) and Bryan Gibby (sixth in 15:58.6) led Thousand Oaks.

The top three boys and girls teams qualified for next Saturday’s Southern Section preliminaries.

BOYS CROSS-COUNTRY

Oakwood 27, Windward 40, Providence 57, Southwestern 88--Jason Kleinberg of Oakwood ran 16:38 over the three-mile course at the Rose Bowl to win the Liberty League title. The top two teams advanced to the Southern Section preliminaries.

MEN’S CROSS-COUNTRY

Allan Hancock 30, Glendale 58, Ventura 118, Oxnard 120, Bakersfield 135, Pierce 152, Cuesta 167, Moorpark 177, Santa Monica 189, College of the Canyons 281--Mike Abrion of Moorpark ran 20:28 over the four-mile course to finish 10th in the Western State Conference meet at Pierce.

WOMEN’S CROSS-COUNTRY

Santa Monica 21, Moorpark 49, Cuesta 78, Bakersfield 113, Ventura 142, Pierce 145, Glendale 175, College of the Canyons 189--Rhonda Ribar of Moorpark ran 18:34 over the three-mile course to place fifth in the Western State Conference meet at Pierce.

WATER POLO

Notre Dame 11, Mater Dei 10--Josh Foster’s sixth goal won the game for Notre Dame (2-6 in the Del Rey League). Notre Dame’s Scott Weber and Kurt Marsden each scored two goals, and goalie Greg Khair recorded 20 saves.