CROSS-COUNTRY ROUNDUP : Easy Still Does It for Katella Boys at Dana Hills Invitational

Katella Coach Dave Wilson told his runners to take it easy at the Dana Hills Cross-Country Invitational Saturday.

He told the the top-ranked team in Orange County to treat the meet as if it were a day at the beach.

“I told them to just come out and have fun,” Wilson said.

Wilson kind of got the beach part; it was just a few miles down the road from the meet at Dana Hills High. But his runners didn’t exactly take it easy.

Katella won the Division II race for juniors and added a second (freshmen), fifth (sophomores) and a seventh (seniors). And Katella’s Mike Love won the senior individual title with the day’s third-fastest time, 14 minutes 53 seconds over a fast three-mile course. That was 16 seconds ahead of runner-up Nathan Elston of University, 20 ahead of Newport Harbor’s Sky Peterka.

Only San Diego’s Mebrahtom Keflezighi (first in the Division III junior race in 14:37, breaking the 10-year-old course record of 14:42 set by Barstow’s Jim Ortiz) and Upland’s Jim Cera (first among Division I seniors in 14:40) were faster than Love.

Although Elston was the runner Love had to fight off through two miles, he probably was paying more attention to Newport Harbor. The Sailors, looking to challenge Katella for county supremacy, won the senior Division II team title with 75 points to 124 for Vista. Jared Overton (fourth in 15:16) and Dylan Guggenmos (fifth, 15:22) followed Peterka.

With two weeks until the Orange County championships, Dana Hills was a place to get a peek at the competition.

“The team that really scares me is Newport Harbor,” Wilson said. “ . . . I think if anyone is going to give us a run for our money (at Orange County), it is Newport Harbor, unless I’m overlooking somebody.

“Those three seniors (Peterka, Overton, Guggenmos) have good tactics, and they run real close together, and they have a lot of experience.”

Wilson has the same in Love and Mike Moreno, who won the junior Division II race in 14:55 despite slowing in the last 10 yards. Both have competed at the State meet.

Delfino Resendiz, who was second behind Moreno (15:07), junior Steve Phan and senior Dan Calleros round off Katella’s top five.

“That’s a solid five right there,” Wilson said.

Irvine’s Kelly Roda had the fastest time among county girls, placing second in the Division I junior/senior race in 17:27 behind Long Beach Wilson’s Erica Sumi (17:22) and leading Irvine to the team title.

In junior/senior Division II, top-ranked Edison defeated Newport Harbor, 63-76. The Chargers were led by sisters Janndee Evans (fifth, 18:08) and Janna Evans (seventh, 18:19). Individually, Canyon’s Kim Nelson (17:33) eventually pulled away from Newport Harbor’s Gwen Twist (17:53).

In the Division II sophomore race, Edison’s Jennifer Formosa, Elyse Homberger and Jeannie Formosa swept the top three.

At the Stanford Invitational:

Corona del Mar, Ocean View win--Dvesden Howell of Corona del Mar finished second in the girls’ Division III race, covering the 5,000 meters in 18:41 to lead the Sea Kings to the team title. Howell was the only county individual with a top three finish.

Corona del Mar scored 49 points to 95 for Laguna Hills. El Modena was fourth (136).

Ocean View won girls’ Division II with 49.

In boys’ Division III, Corona del Mar finished third with 113 points. Mission Bay won with 32.