RUNNING / JOHN ORTEGA : Southern Section Cross-Country Teams Facing Inequitable End to Season

The Southern Section did the right thing when it regrouped the divisions at its cross-country championships to reflect those at the state meet. But the state’s largest section (482 high schools) went too far by dividing those divisions in half.

Previously, 12 teams qualified for the finals in each of the 4-A, 3-A, 2-A and 1-A Divisions (both boys and girls).

In the new setup, 12 teams will compete for the Southern Section Division I, II, III and IV titles--the top four teams in each qualify for the state meet--but each division will be subdivided into six-team A and AA categories, which are based on student-body populations.

For example, Division II in the State and Southern Section meet is for schools with 1,526 to 2,025 students. But in the Southern Section, there are Division II-A (1,776-2,025 students) and Division II-AA schools (1,526-1,775).

Under this format, Hart High--with an enrollment of 2,000--is a II-A school, while Crescenta Valley--with 1,600 students--will compete at the II-AA level.

There are several potential problems with this arrangement.

A team theoretically could finish seventh in the Division II finals, yet still win the II-AA title.

A team could finish fourth in the Division II finals--thus qualifying for the state meet--but fail to win a trophy because it was fourth among II-A schools. In another scenario, a team could finish fifth overall--failing to qualify for the state meet--but still win the II-AA title and be awarded a trophy.

The bottom line is that if teams are competing in the same race in a sectional championship, they should be competing for the same prize.

To have half the teams competing for one title and half for another is confusing to fans and unnecessary. It has the potential to lessen the accomplishments of some very good teams and individuals while rewarding the lesser accomplishments of others.

That shouldn’t happen in cross-country, a sport whose appeal lies in its simplicity. Whoever crosses the finish line first wins. If someone fails to win, he or she should not be regarded as a champion.

Fall prognostication: With the cross-country season beginning shortly, it’s time to make predictions about a pair of area standouts.

First, senior Darcy Arreola of Cal State Northridge will place in the top 10 in the NCAA Division I championships in Knoxville, Tenn., in November.

With All-American honors going to the top 25 United States citizens, Arreola will become the first Northridge cross-country athlete to earn Division I All-American honors since 1978, when Julie Brown finished 12th in the Assn. of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women’s meet in Boulder, Colo.

The Division II cross-country champion last year, Arreola should have no problem making the transition to Division I.

The second prediction involves Dave Hartman of Canyon High. Hartman will earn All-American honors by finishing in the top 15 in the Kinney national championships in San Diego in December.

Hartman, sixth in the 1989 state Division I cross-country championships, ran 9 minutes 6.28 seconds in the 3,200 meters during the 1990 track and field season and is finally healthy after injury-hampered sophomore and junior seasons.

Upcoming event: Louie Quintana of Arroyo Grande and Hartman, the top two returning cross-country runners in the state, are expected to meet in the Seaside Invitational at San Buenaventura State Beach in Ventura on Saturday.

Quintana placed second in the state Division I cross-country championships and third in the Kinney national meet last year. During track season, he ran 4:07.20 in the 1,600 meters and placed second in the state meet.

Trivia question: Which Valley-area high school has produced the most sub-9:05 two-milers?

Honor roll: With the 1990 high school track and field season having officially ended Friday, recognition is due those local athletes who ranked among the top 10 in the state in their respective events.

Former Agoura High standout Bryan Dameworth, who will compete this season for Wisconsin, and Agoura senior Deena Drossin led the state in the boys’ and girls’ two-mile, and Marion Jones of Rio Mesa was second in the girls’ 100, 200 and 400.

Dameworth ran a national-leading 8:53.26 to win the 3,200 in the state championships and Drossin won the girls’ race in 10:29.60.

Those times convert to a 8:56.38 two-mile for Dameworth and a 10:33.28 clocking for Drossin.

Dameworth also ranked third in the boys’ mile (4:09.32), and Drossin was fifth (4:56.44) in the girls’ mile.

Jones, who won state titles in the 100 and 200 as a Rio Mesa freshman, had bests of 11.62, 23.70 and 54.21 in the 100, 200 and 400.

Other local athletes who broke into the top 10 were Ruben Benitez, who as a Taft junior ranked eighth in the 400 (47.89), and Birmingham’s Brian Gastelum, who ranked fourth in the mile (4:11.33) as a senior.

Also in the two-mile, Eliazar Herrera of Hoover (9:02.12), Abe Valdez of Camarillo (9:04.16) and Obed Aguirre of San Fernando (9:04.28)--who competed as seniors--and Hartman (9:09.48) ranked third, fifth, sixth and eighth.

Cornell Hill of Taft, a senior last season, was ninth in the long jump at 23 feet 9 inches, and Patrick Van Scoy of Rio Mesa, then a junior, ranked fourth in the shotput with a 59-3 3/4 mark.

Nikki Shaw of Fillmore, a sophomore last season, ranked 10th in the 800 meters (2:12.98) and seventh in the mile (5:00.82), and Taft’s Sarah White, then a junior, was 10th in the high jump at 5-7.

Angela Arrington of Palmdale, then a senior, was fourth in the girls’ shotput (44-11 1/4) and seventh in the discus (144-0).

Rio Mesa’s relay teams, anchored by Jones, were sixth and 10th in the 400- (47.07) and 1,600-meter (3:53.20) events.

Trivia answer: Burbank.

Led by national high school record-holder Jeff Nelson (8:36.3 in 1979), the school has produced four sub-9:05 two-milers.

The others are Lin Whatcott (9:01.9 in ‘79), Kevin Burkin (9:02.8 in ‘76) and Scott Schweitzer (9:04.4 in ‘71).