Orange County Sports : Shelley Taylor

School: Edison High School

Sport: Cross-Country

Class: Junior

Taylor, who went undefeated last season until she finished seventh in the state meet, easily won her first race of this season Saturday at the Laguna Hills Invitational. Taylor finished the 5,000-meter course in 17 minutes 29 seconds, more than 1 1/2 minutes ahead of runner-up Monique Smith of Diamond Bar. Taylor’s time was 13 seconds slower than the course record (17:16) she set last year as a sophomore--a record that was broken Saturday by a second by Fallbrook sophomore Milena Glusac --but Edison Coach Stan Stauble said Taylor was slowed by a cold and the fact that the race was run later in the day. Stauble said Taylor was running at a 16:55 pace through two miles and said she is stronger than she was last year. Stauble said if Taylor is healthy for Saturday’s Dana Hills Invitational, she should run faster than 17 minutes for the first time.

Last year, Taylor ran her personal best (17:03) at Dana Hills, but Stauble said he won’t let her go all out unless she is healthy. “I’m not going to force her to do it if she’s not 100%,” Stauble said. “She’s not an animal. We’re going to have to play it by ear.”

Other top performers:

Tara Kroesch, who had 28 kills in Newport Harbor’s five-game victory Tuesday over Dana Hills and 12 in a three-game victory over Irvine Thursday.

Cindy Kuragami, who won all six of her sets at 6-0 to lead Savanna to girls’ tennis victories Wednesday over Troy and Tustin Thursday. Kuragami is 21-0 in singles this season, having lost only two games.

Martha Pinto, who ran 18:01 over a 5,000-meter course to win the Sonora Cross-Country Invitational Saturday, helping Katella to the combined boys’ and girls’ sweepstakes.

Amy Tamblyn, who had 12 kills and 25 digs in Valencia’s four-game victory Tuesday over Fullerton, and 21 kills and 11 digs in a four-game victory Thursday over Katella.