Orange County Cross-Country Championships : Competition Too Tough for Only One Girls’ Race

It has been said many times during the past 2 years that Orange County has lost the great strength it once had in girls’ cross-country.

Perhaps that thinking was a bit premature.

In this week’s Southern Section 4-A cross-country poll, 8 of the top 10 girls’ teams are from Orange County.

And in today’s Orange County Cross-Country Championships at Irvine Park, an extra seeded race was needed to accommodate the large number of girls considered contenders for the county individual title.

“There are so many good ones, one seeded race wasn’t enough,” said meet director Jerry Whitaker, who had the undesirable--some would say impossible--task of organizing almost 2,000 runners into 21 separate and balanced heats.

Here’s a look at 10 girls who should contend for the county title:

--Natalie Adam of Huntington Beach--In last year’s Orange County Championships, Adam ran the 10th fastest time of the day (18 minutes 59 seconds). A junior, Adam won the Mt. Carmel Invitational Sept. 19, and is undefeated in Sunset League competition.

--Tanja Brix of University--The freshman is one of the fastest runners to enter the Orange County cross-country scene in several years. She has won 5 of 6 races she has run this season, and many pick her as today’s favorite.

--Andrea Caminiti of Irvine--A junior, Caminiti has probably the best speed of the bunch, and has improved considerably since last year’s county meet, where she was sixth overall (18:50).

--Laura Doering of Villa Park--A former age-group standout, the senior has the most race experience in the field.

--Heather Killeen of Valencia--She was a surprise last year as a sophomore, finishing fourth at the county meet (18:43). This season, she ran the fastest county time in a quality field at the Woodbridge Invitational, and broke the course record at the Buena Park Invitational. She has gotten lost on two courses this year, however.

--Shannon Liddy of El Toro--Liddy was did very well as a freshman last year, finishing fifth at the county meet (18:47). Liddy has run several good races this season, including her frosh/soph victory at the Dana Hills Invitational.

--Stacy Pando of Newport Harbor--Pando, a senior, was the Sailors’ No. 2 runner last season--until the very last meet. She placed ninth at the state meet last year to lead Newport Harbor to the Division II title.

--Martha Pinto of Katella--Pinto, a sophomore, was the biggest surprise last year, recording the fastest time of the day (18:24) at the county meet as a freshman.

--Kim Robinson of Newport Harbor--Robinson, a junior, won the Sea View League championship as a freshman and sophomore. A strength runner, Robinson needs to get out quick and stay--or break away--from the lead pack.

--Terri Smythers of San Clemente--Smythers, a sophomore, is this season’s mystery runner. Last year, she wasn’t anywhere near the rest of this field, finishing 38th in 19:52. But this season, Smythers is undefeated in the highly competitive South Coast League.

Notes

The girls’ seeded individual race--which includes Tanja Brix, Andrea Caminiti, Heather Killeen and Martha Pinto--starts at 9:36 a.m. Natalie Adam, Laura Doering, Shannon Liddy, Terri Smythers, Kim Robinson and Stacy Pando will compete in the seeded team race at 10. . . . Villa Park and Newport Harbor, second and third in the county meet last year, are expected to battle for the title. Newport Harbor is ranked second in Southern Section 4-A, Villa Park is ranked third.

Corona del Mar, the defending boys’ team champion, is favored to repeat today in the boys’ seeded race at 9:48. The Sea Kings, led by senior Eddie Lavelle, a favorite to win the individual title, are ranked second in 4-A. . . . Jimmy Rodriguez of Santa Ana Valley, who has dominated county competition so far this season, will not run in the seeded race, on the request of Falcon Coach George Payan. Rodriguez will run in the first boys’ varsity heat at 8:36 a.m.