Gastelum, Aguirre Favored in Cross-Country Prelims

Brian Gastelum of Birmingham High and Obed Aguirre of San Fernando figure to be the top contenders for the boys’ individual title in the City Section cross-country preliminaries at Pierce College today at 2 p.m.

In the team race, Belmont’s seven-year reign as City champion is on the line against Taft, which pounded the Sentinels, 20-43, in a nonconference meet in September. Birmingham, the Valley Pac-8 Conference champion, also is expected to make a strong bid for the title.

Gastelum has the City’s fastest time on the three-mile course this season--a 14-minute, 55-second clocking in the Braves’ dual meet with Monroe on Oct. 26. Aguirre registered a personal-best 15:08 in winning his second Northwest Valley Conference championship last week.

The City’s top returnee, junior Martin Morales of Wilson, started racing again two weeks ago after being sidelined because of injury.

In the girls’ competition, four of Wilson’s top seven runners from a year ago have graduated and the Mules will be hard pressed to win their fourth consecutive City title. The top four runners in 1988 for Garfield, last year’s runner-up, also have graduated.

The City finals will be held Nov. 18 at Pierce.