CSUN’s Arreola Revels in Fulfilling Win

She is one of the nation’s top middle-distance runners, but Darcy Arreola of Cal State Northridge didn’t consider herself a complete runner until her victory Saturday in the National Collegiate Athletic Assn. Division II cross-country championships.

Although Arreola had won three Division II titles in track, competed in the 1988 Olympic Trials in the 1,500 meters and placed third in that event in this year’s Division I meet, she never took cross-country that seriously.

Arreola’s attitude adjustment was completed Saturday, however, as she surged away from Jill Wood of the Air Force Academy in the final 250 meters to win the 5,000-meter race in 17 minutes, 14.2 seconds.

“I’ve really had a great time running this season.” Arreola said. “I’ve enjoyed it more than ever. I never really enjoyed cross-country that much, but I learned to like it this year. It’s a tough sport, but I like that it’s tough.

“I used to hate running hills, but I’ve learned to like it this season.”

Arreola’s victory--the first Division II cross-country title by a Northridge woman--propelled the Lady Matadors to a surprising fourth-place finish in the team standings.

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo--led by freshman Jamie Park’s third-place finish--placed six runners among the top 14 to score 34 points and easily win its eighth consecutive women’s title.

Air Force (67 points), South Dakota State (108), Northridge (121) and the Naval Academy (141) rounded out the top five.

Northridge placed fifth in the men’s race, powered by the All-American performances of sophomore Sasha Vujic (eighth) and junior Jorge Castro (11th).

South Dakota State defeated three-time defending champion Edinboro University, 97-102, for the team title.

San Luis Obispo placed third with 114 points, followed by UC Riverside (139), Northridge (164) and Humboldt State (192).

The top 25 U. S. citizens in each race earned All-American honors, and for only the second time, Northridge had three women who accomplished the feat in the same year; sophomore Kelly Tremmel finished 15th in 18:12.0 and senior Gena Jauregui placed 25th in 18:26.7.

“The women really came through,” Northridge Coach Don Strametz said. “Especially considering the circumstances with Darcy.”

Arreola, who placed 11th in the 1986 Division II meet and was fifth in ’87 before redshirting last season, was unable to jog the course Friday when a recurring tendon injury in her foot flared up.

Strametz was worried that Arreola might not be able to race, but Arreola was more confident.

“I was going to run no matter what,” Arreola said. “There was no way I was going to come this far--and work this hard--and not run.”

Knowing that her sprinting speed was better than Wood’s, Arreola ran behind the senior for most of the race before pulling away in the final stages.

Sophomore Megan Warner (54th in 19:09.6) and freshman Laura Doering (59th in 19:15.4) rounded out the Lady Matadors’ scoring.

Although the CSUN men’s team was ranked third, Strametz was pleased with its performance.

“The only way we’re going to place higher than that is for our third, fourth and fifth men to run faster,” Strametz said. “They didn’t run badly, but you can’t ask for better races from Sasha and (Castro) . . . (Castro) ran the smartest tactical race I’ve ever seen him run. He did exactly what we told him to do.”

A Division II All-American as a freshman (26th) in 1987, Castro had a disappointing sophomore season but rebounded with a vengeance this season.

Fifth and sixth at the two-mile mark, Vujic and Castro faded slightly in the next three miles before coming on strongly in the final mile.

Vujic, 10th with 400 meters left, pulled away from Uriel Rivera of Edinboro and Tim Campbell of San Luis Obispo in the final straight to clock 32:21.1 over the 10,000-meter course.

“I finally used my kick,” Vujic said. “I really wanted a plaque (top 15), so there was no way they were going to get away from me.”

Castro finished 11th in 32:30.3, and former Kennedy High standout Hebert Saravia of UC Riverside swooped past several runners in the final meters to place 12th in 32:31.6.

Sophomore Jeff Gilkey (38th in 33:17.7), junior Derik Vett (64th in 33:53.3), and freshman Richard Gitahi (81st in 34:17.0) rounded out the Northridge scoring.