Hart Learns Value of Sharing in Finals : Boys Tie for Foothill League Title; Girls Win 6th Cross-Country Crown in a Row

For the first time since 1984, the Hart High boys’ cross-country team will not be the undisputed Foothill League champion. But the Indians have won at least a share of the title for the sixth year in a row.

That’s why Coach Gene Blankenship found extra reason to celebrate after the Indians won both the boys’ and girls’ team races Thursday in the Foothill League finals at Griffith Park.

Burbank swept the individual titles as Todd Lewis won his second consecutive crown and Nicole Jimenez took her first league title.

Hart defeated Burbank, 44-55, in the boys’ race to earn a share of the league title. The winner is determined using a combination of a team’s finish in dual meets and in the league finals.

Though Burbank placed second Thursday, the Bulldogs won the league dual meet crown to earn a share of the league title for the first time since 1982.

Things were less complicated in the girls’ race as Hart won the team title outright after going undefeated in dual meets.

Jimenez was timed in 19 minutes, 19 seconds over the 3-mile course, but Hart’s Anjanette Dionne (19:58) and Laura Hunter (20:01) placed second and third as Hart scored 31 points to win its sixth consecutive league title. Schurr placed second with 44 points.

Lewis’ easy victory was in contrast to last year’s league meet, in which he had to outkick Sasha Vujic of Burroughs in the final 200 meters.

“I still had to work for it,” Lewis said. “I just wanted to make a break early and maintain my pace.”

Lewis, runner-up in the 1,600 meters at the Southern Section 3-A Division track championships, clocked 15:10 over the 3-mile course.

After sharing the early lead with teammate Mike Sanchez and Armando Sanchez of San Gabriel, Lewis attacked on the only steep hill of the 3-loop course, quickly opening a lead and extending it to 30 yards as he passed the mile mark in 4:53.

As Lewis passed 2 miles in 10:02, the lead was 60 yards. He won by more than 100 yards.

Armando Sanchez placed second in 15:33 and Mike Sanchez was third in 15:37.

Despite the 1-3 finish, however, the Bulldogs could not repel Hart’s charge. “This was a great team victory for us,” Blankenship said. “We beat a very good team in Burbank. Everyone ran well, especially Shaan Blanchard, our fifth man.”

Though Blanchard finished 17th, he beat Burbank’s fourth and fifth runners, who placed 19th and 20th.

Stephen Lepken (15:44), Billy Dixon (16:03) and Arik Florimonte (16:08) placed fourth, fifth and seventh for Hart, the No. 3-ranked team in the Southern Section 3-A.