Camarillo, Dana Hills to Make Run at Title in State Division I Race

Camarillo High, after losing to Dana Hills by 4 points in consecutive races, will get a third shot at the Dolphins in the state cross-country championships in Fresno today.

Camarillo, the top-ranked team in the state Division I and Southern Section 4-A Division at the end of the regular season, finished second to Dana Hills in last Saturday’s 4-A championships at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, 86-90.

Dana Hills had defeated Camarillo, 44-48, in the 4-A prelims the week before.

“The loss was very disappointing to the kids,” Camarillo Coach Mike Smith said after the 4-A championships. “They’re really heartbroken about it. But we ran well.”

Mike Williamson of Thousand Oaks and Bryan Dameworth of Agoura will renew their rivalry in the Division I boys’ race, which kicks off the meet at 10 a.m.

This season, Williamson, the Southern Section 4-A champion, has split 2 races with Dameworth, the defending state Division I champion.

Williamson won the team sweepstakes race (15 minutes, 1 second) at the Mt. SAC Invitational in October, while Dameworth placed third, but the Charger junior defeated the Lancer senior for the Ventura County title at Moorpark College 6 days later.

Dameworth placed second to Scott Hempel of Walnut, 15:06 to 15:09, in last week’s 2-A finals at Mt. SAC.

Because divisions in the state meet are determined by enrollment, Hempel will run in the Division II race (for schools with 701-1,599 students); Dameworth will compete at the Division I level (1,600 or more students).

Todd Lewis of Burbank could contend for the Division I individual title. Lewis romped to the 3-A crown at Mt. SAC, even though he was hampered by a cold.

Sophomore Dave Hartman will lead a strong Canyon contingent that is capable of a top-5 finish, and Craig Lawson of Granada Hills, the City Section champion, also will be gunning to finish among the top 10 individuals.

Agoura, paced by sophomores Deena Drossin and Tiffany York, will attempt to better its runner-up finish of a year ago in the Division I girls’ race. Palos Verdes, however, is an overwhelming favorite to defend its title.

Although Drossin is the defending state Division I champion, she was sidelined by a foot injury early in the season and has yet to approach last year’s form.

Jamie Park of Santa Barbara and Rayna Cervantes of Montebello are among the favorites.

Valley-area runners also will run in the Division III race, for schools with 700 students or less.

Ryan Coady of Village Christian (10th in 1987) and Wes Smith of L. A. Baptist (26th) will try to improve upon last year’s performances in the boys’ race; L. A. Baptist, led by Gina Johnson, will compete in the girls’ race.