Woodbridge Meet Draws Top Field : Cross-Country Event Saturday Has Become the Largest in County

More than 100 high school cross-country teams are scheduled to compete Saturday in the Woodbridge Invitational at Woodbridge High School.

The event has grown into the largest meet in Orange County, and the second-largest in the state behind the Mt. San Antonio College Invitational, according to George Varvas, the Woodbridge coach and meet director.

More than 3,000 athletes from 101 teams competed in last year’s meet. This year, Varvas predicts an even larger field for the event that begins at 7:45 a.m.

“Right now, we have 111 schools scheduled to compete,” Varvas said. “And no other invitational or tournament brings together so many of the top-ranked teams.”

The meet is divided into three divisions based on school enrollment: small schools (less than 1,500 students), medium (1,500-2,000) and large (2,001 and more). Boys will run by class--freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors. Girls will run in freshman/sophomore, junior varsity and varsity divisions.

In the boys’ division, top teams include Canyon Country Canyon, Santa Ana, Saddleback, San Clemente and Fountain Valley. Top individuals include Mike Farrell of San Clemente, Bryan Dameworth of Agoura and Rich Lockwood of Fountain Valley.

Varvas said the girls’ division includes most of the county’s top teams, though the medium-schools division has the best competition. Agoura, Villa Park, Woodbridge, Tustin, El Toro and University are among the teams in that division.

In the girls’ small-schools division, Newport Harbor, Yucaipa and Foothill are the teams to watch.

The event is co-sponsored by the Newport-Irvine Rotary Club.