SOUTHERN SECTION GIRLS’ CROSS-COUNTRY : Edison’s Taylor Up to Latest Challenge, Captures 4-A Title

There may come a time when Shelley Taylor of Edison High School realizes that she has become one of the finest female distance runners in Orange County history. In only her second year of competition, she has accomplished more than most runners her age dare dream.

But now, Taylor seems content with running, winning and heaping praise on the few who have been able to challenge her this season.

Such was the case on Saturday at the Southern Section cross-country championships at Mt. San Antonio College. In the girls’ 4-A final, Taylor met Westlake junior Jeannie Rothman.

Although Rothman pushed her the entire three miles, Taylor had the strength to pull away in the final 200 yards to win by two seconds and remain unbeaten this season.

But Taylor seemed less impressed with her performance than with Rothman’s.

“Gosh, she ran one heck of a race,” Taylor said. “She was breathing so hard. I mean she really hung in there. What a great race she ran. I really envy her for that.”

Envy? Taylor was asked if she remembered that it was she, not Rothman, who had won the race.

“Well . . . you know . . . I don’t think I run well unless I feel good,” she said. “And I didn’t feel that good today.”

It’s doubtful that those who finished behind Taylor felt much better.

As the race started, Jennie Logan of Wilson immediately opened a 20-yard lead on the front-running pack that included Taylor, University’s Tanja Brix, Villa Park’s Susannah Thrasher, Katella’s Martha Pinto and Terri Smythers of San Clemente. Although Logan led through the first mile, the pack caught her and soon left her behind.

Up the switchbacks, the pack began to string out with Taylor taking the lead and Rothman a step or two behind. Through the next 1 1/2 miles, Taylor set the pace while Rothman struggled but managed to hang on.

“She made me really nervous,” Taylor said. “I really was surprised, because when I started to take off, I felt her drop a little, but then she came back. I’m not used to people being that close to me, so I wasn’t as relaxed as I should’ve been.”

It wasn’t until the two hit the air strip portion of the course, about 300 yards from the finish, that Taylor made her final move. It was not her usual devastating kick, but it was enough to win in 17 minutes 59 seconds.

Rothman (18:01) was followed by Brix (18:22), Pinto (18:43) and Thrasher (18:48), all of whom qualified for Saturday’s state meet at Fresno.

In the team competition, San Clemente fared best among county teams, taking third in the 4-A with 137 points. Palos Verdes won its fifth consecutive title with 51 and Buena was second with 72. Corona del Mar, fifth with 158, will advance to the state meet in the medium-schools division. El Toro was sixth (161), Capistrano Valley eighth (199), El Modena ninth (209) and Tustin 12th (230).

In the 2-A, Woodbridge, competing without two of its top runners--Kaci Keffer (bronchitis) and Kim Tardif (stress fracture)--finished third behind Agoura and Arroyo Grande.

In the 1-A, Santa Margarita, in its first year of varsity competition, placed third with 109 points.

Notes

Although Shelley Taylor’s time in winning the Mt. SAC Invitational last month was not her best on the course--she finished in 17:50, the fourth-fastest time for any sophomore girl and the third-fastest in Orange County history--it was enough to earn her the first sectional title for a county girl since 1981, when University’s Polly Plumer (4-A) and Sonora’s Lesley White (3-A) did it. Plumer (17:27) and University’s Teresa Barrios (17:43) are the only county girls who have run faster than Taylor at Mt. SAC. The girls’ course record is 17:16 set in 1983 by Kirsten O’Hara. . . . La Habra’s Tish Williams is it qualified for the state meet by placing fifth in the 3-A in 19:07.