ORANGE COUNTY CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS : Laguna Hills’ Lynch Runs a Smart Race

Sometimes it pays to run by using your head, as Chris Lynch of Laguna Hills High learned at the Orange County Cross-Country Championships Saturday at Irvine Park.

Too often, Lynch has left caution at the starting line and gone for broke in the early miles. Many times, he has faded at the end. Until Saturday, the only thing holding Lynch back was his inability to hold back.

Lynch finally played it smart, winning the boys’ seeded race in 15 minutes 16 seconds and leading Laguna Hills to a one-point victory over Santa Ana Valley, 119-120. Santa Ana Valley had been Orange County’s top-ranked team since the beginning of the season. Laguna Hills came into the meet No. 2.

Shelley Taylor of Edison won the girls’ seeded race in 17:05. Carrie Garritson of Sunny Hills was second in 17:13. But Taylor’s victory wasn’t enough for top-ranked Edison, which lost the team title to No. 2 Irvine, 89-91.

Jennifer Gillis, who was third in 17:51, and Kelly Roda, sixth in 18:32, were Irvine’s top finishers.

Mercifully, the weather was considerably cooler than it was last Saturday when six runners were hospitalized with heat-related injuries at the Mt. San Antonio College Invitational in Walnut.

With temperatures in the low 60s and a light rain, conditions were ideal when the boys’ seeded race started a few minutes before 10 a.m.

“This is Lynch weather,” said Lynch, who ran 15:47 in the hot and smoggy conditions at Mt. SAC last week.

At the starting line, Lynch was determined to let someone else take the lead. His plan was to go out slow, surge at three designated spots on the three-mile course, then kick for home heading up a steep hill in the race’s final mile.

“I knew I’d self-destruct if I went out too fast,” he said. “I settled down after the first hill, then surged a little at two miles.

“I don’t have a kick and I don’t like getting down to the last 100 yards (with other runners close). It freaks me out. But with 800 (meters) to go I broke those guys.”

Until then, Lynch had been closely followed by Mike Love and Mike Moreno of Katella and Johnny Ochoa of Saddleback. But after Lynch’s surge up the hill, he opened a gap of about 25 meters and held on.

Love finished second in 15:21, with Moreno third in 15:23 and Ochoa fourth in 15:30.

“I don’t normally get nervous before races, but I was definitely nervous at the starting line,” Lynch said. “I knew I could beat everybody, but it’s different when you’re running in the race.

“I’ve been learning more and more. I’ve been running like I was still a freshman all these years.”

Dave Burnette was Laguna Hills’ second man, finishing 14th in 15:51. Jeff Zettel was 27th in 16:10, Rick Stevens was 31st in 16:17 and Aaron Winger 46th in 16:30. The Hawks will attempt to close the gap further in an attempt to win a Southern Section Division III championship Nov. 23 at Mt. SAC.

Doing so means Lynch will be asked to slow down and run with his teammates in a pack. At this point, he’s not sure that’s entirely out of the question. For now, he’s taking these lessons in tactics one step at a time.

Notes

Santa Ana Valley’s top finishers were Peter Reyes, who was seventh in 15:39, and Lucio Brito, who was ninth in 15:42. . . . In winning the boys’ Division III race, Santa Margarita’s Ryan Wilkinson showed why he is one to watch in the upcoming league and section championship meets. Only a freshman, Wilkinson ran 15:52 in his first county championship meet. . . . Capistrano Valley placed five runners in the top seven to win the girls’ Division III race with only 20 points, the lowest score of the meet. Michelle Skinner won in 19:35, beating teammate Maghan Mayes, who ran 19:41.