Mt. SAC Cross-Country Meet : Jorgensen Feels Right at Home, Runs to Sweepstakes Victory

Kira Jorgensen, a junior from Rancho Buena Vista High School, held off Deena Drossin of Agoura to win the girls’ individual sweepstakes at the Mt. San Antonio cross-country invitational Saturday.

In one of the best distance fields in a while, Jorgensen finished in 17 minutes 27 seconds to Drossin’s 17:42.

“She has run the course before, but I’ve done it a lot, and I sort of felt this was my home course,” said Jorgensen, who finished first in the team sweepstakes last year and fourth in the individuals as a freshman. “It made me feel a lot better.

“I knew I had a chance going in, I just didn’t know if it was a good chance. I thought that if it wasn’t smoggy, I could handle it. I got up here and was so pleased to not see any smog.”

Jorgensen took the lead for good just under a mile into the race, but she couldn’t shake Drossin, who came into the race unbeaten in three years, including winning two national age-group championships before high school.

Jorgensen would stretch the advantage going up a hill, but Drossin would make it up on the downward slope, and the two stayed even on flat ground. That went on for about two miles, until Drossin ran out of time at the end.

“After the first half-mile, I was able to run my own race,” Jorgensen said. “I figured, I’m here so I might as well take advantage of it.”

About 7,300 runners from 300 high schools competed.

Palos Verdes won the girls’ team sweepstakes by placing five runners in the first eight for 28 points. Arroyo Grande was second (96) and Reed, Nev., third (106).

Arroyo (69 points) dominated the boys’ sweepstakes with four runners in the first 11. Palos Verdes (76) was second and Corona del Mar (106) third.