SOUTHERN SECTION CROSS-COUNTRY : Grossman’s Surge Pushes Hart to Title : Championships: Sophomore is one of three Indians to place among top 15 in Division I race.

Keith Grossman was faced with a tough decision Saturday with a half-mile remaining in the Division I race of the Southern Section cross-country championships.

But the decision was made for him by a runner from another school.

Grossman, a sophomore at Hart High, had pulled even with senior teammate Billy Dixon on the crest of Reservoir Hill at Mt. San Antonio College. Grossman was reluctant to pass his older teammate, however, until Hoover’s Margarito Casillas stormed by them both as the runners began their descent to the finish.

Although Casillas edged Grossman by four seconds, the Hart runner’s late surge helped his team win the Division I title--the Indians’ second divisional championship in as many years--and a berth in the state meet in Fresno on Nov. 24.

The top four teams and top five individuals not on a qualifying team in each race advance to the state championships.

Grossman finished seventh in 16 minutes flat over the three-mile course, and Dixon placed 13th in 16:12 as the Indians, ranked first in the Southern Section, edged No. 2 Saddleback, 89-95, for the second time this season.

El Toro (128) and Channel Islands (137) finished third and fourth in the Division I final.

“I didn’t think they’d be that close to us,” Hart Coach Phil De La Cerda said of Saddleback.

Hector Chavez was Hart’s third runner, finishing 15th in 16:22.

Hart is ranked second in the state behind Madera of the Central Section.

Meanwhile, the girls’ course record of 17:16 withstood powerful assaults by Agoura’s Deena Drossin and Westlake’s Jeannie Rothman.

Drossin, a co-record-holder with former Palos Verdes runner Kirsten O’Hara, ran 17:23 in winning her second divisional title in a row and third in the past four years. Channel Islands junior Veronica Barajas was second in 17:47.

Rothman, the No. 3 all-time performer at Mt. SAC, clocked 17:27 to capture the Division II title by 27 seconds over Edison’s Shelley Taylor.

Drossin and Rothman were looking for record-breaking performances Saturday because of the cooler weather.

“I wanted to try to get the record today because of the conditions but I couldn’t have gone any faster,” Drossin said.

Both runners also led their teams to division titles.

Agoura placed five runners among the top 24 in the Division I final to total 47 points and claim its fourth consecutive divisional title.

Westlake outdistanced Woodbridge, 72-93, for the Division II championship despite running without No. 3-runner Kerry McCloskey, who was sideline because of a foot injury. Jessica Graham (19:06) placed seventh for Westlake.

Agoura edged Marmonte League rival Camarillo, 77-83, for the boys’ Division II championship and the Chargers’ second consecutive team title. Mike Cherman (15:59) and Ryan Wilson (16:06) paced Agoura with sixth- and 11th-place finishes.

Shannon Brusca (16:01) and Josh Gerry (16:02) placed eighth and ninth for Camarillo.

Oak Park junior J. J. Castner ran a personal-best 15:48 in winning the boys’ Division IV title over former Tri-Valley League rival Jorge Barajas (15:52) of Fillmore.

Nordhoff placed five runners in the top 21 in winning the girls’ Division IV title with 47 points over Morro Bay (53).