HIGH SCHOOL CROSS-COUNTRY STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS : San Gabriel’s Martinez Wins

High expectations were placed on Angel Martinez this fall, but the San Gabriel High senior’s expectations for a State cross-country title were not very high five weeks ago.

Martinez, the nation’s top returning 3,200-meter runner, was sidelined for nearly a month after suffering a strained left calf in late September. However, he had no doubts of winning Saturday after passing Margarito Casillas of Glendale Hoover with 500 meters left to win the Division I title at Woodward Park.

“My finish told everything . . . definitely,” said Martinez, who ran 15 minutes 6 seconds for the 5,000-meter course to help lead the Matadors to a fourth-place finish.

Newhall Hart won its second consecutive team title with 43 points, followed by Palos Verdes Peninsula (88) and Madera (90).

“When I was hurt, I was not sure if I could get back in top shape in time,” Martinez said. “I felt good the whole way and I was just waiting to pass (Casillas). Once I took the lead, I knew the race was over.”

Casillas, who had beaten Martinez by 1:11 at the Mt. San Antonio College invitational in October, was second in 15:14. Cruz Gallegos of Corona Centennial was third in 15:20.

“Angel and I had a talk about it and he knew that he was going to get beat by some people that he should beat in the beginning,” San Gabriel High Coach Michele Buchicchio said.

“It was scary, especially when he ran so poorly at Mt. SAC, but I knew he had the talent to come back.”

Milena Glusac of Fallbrook set a S tate meet record to win the girls’ Division I race in 17:13, breaking the mark of 17:27 set by Agoura’s Deena Drossin in 1989.

Kay Nekota finished second in 18:01 and Agoura placed four runners among the top 11 to retain its state title with 41 points to 67 for runner-up Peninsula. Southern Section teams have won both boys’ and girls’ large school state titles since the meet began in 1987.

Huntington Beach Edison’s Shelley Taylor extended a four-second lead at one mile to win the girls’ Division II race by 38 seconds in 17:28 over Carrie Garritson of Fullerton Sunny Hills and the Chargers (52) edged defending champion San Pasqual of Escondido (55). Concord De La Salle won the boys’ title.

Nordhoff became the second school to win boys’ and girls’ championships in the same season in Division IV. The Laguna Hills boys and Newport Harbor girls were victorious in Division III.