PREP ROUNDUP : Tustin Girls’ Soccer Training Spawns Cross-Country Success

Tustin, led by a group of girls who started running this summer only to stay in shape for soccer, placed second Saturday in the freshman/sophomore race at the Kiwanis Seaside Cross-Country Invitational in Ventura.

The Tillers were led by sophomore Liza Alexander, who finished seventh in 19 minutes 8 seconds on the three-mile course along the beach bike path. She was followed by Jamie Binkley (19:47), Susan Nitao (20:38), Nikki Manning (20:41) and Romeny Ly (24:00).

Claremont won the team title with 146 points and was followed by Tustin (167), Hart (180), Buena (187) and Channel Islands (206).

In the girls’ junior/senior division, Foothill, led by junior Laura Amrofell, who placed seventh (17:56), took third with 113 points. Arroyo Grande won the title with 51 points and Agoura was second (60). Tustin was sixth (210).

Louie Quintana of Arroyo Grande, the nation’s fastest high school cross-country runner, set a course record of 14:14 in the boys’ junior/senior race, breaking Bryan Dameworth’s time of 14:24 set in last year’s inaugural meet. Quintana finished 19 seconds in front of runner-up David Hartman of Canyon Country Canyon.