SPORTS TALK : A Promise Kept, and a Title Won

Patty Trejo had more than upholding Belmont High’s tradition at stake in the city cross-country finals at Pierce College.

There was also a team promise to Coach Gordon Weisenburger, who is retiring after 17 seasons, to win girls’ and boys’ city titles. Belmont was the only school to accomplish the feat in 1990.

True to the team’s word, Trejo, Yolanda Gomez and Auria Roberto swept the first three places last month and the Sentinels placed five runners among the top eight to win an unprecedented fourth title in a row, breaking the record of three shared with Wilson.

In the boys’ race, Wilburd Estrada and Ricardo Valenzuela finished sixth and 10th to help Belmont win its ninth title in 11 seasons.

“We ran with our hearts,” Trejo, a senior, said.

So did others.

“Before the race, I said to the coach: ‘I’m going to dedicate this race to you,’ ” said senior Fabrizio Flores, who finished 17th. “Tears came out of my eyes because I wanted this championship so bad.”

Imelda Flores and Yalileth Giacoman finished fifth and eighth and Belmont had little difficulty defeating girls’ runner-up Birmingham, 19-75.

It was closer in the boys’ race. Jorge Perea became the first individual champion for Huntington Park since 1950, but Belmont’s Alfonso Falcon (19th) and Oscar Fuentes (21st) helped Belmont edge Huntington Park, 50-54, for the title.

“It wasn’t a shock, but it was a pleasant surprise,” said Weisenburger, 59. “I can walk away happy now.”

Weisenburger, though, will be remembered as more than a coach.

“He’s put in a lot of time for us,” Gomez said. “If we have problems, he pulls us away and helps us. He’s taught us discipline.”

Sports Notes

The Cal State Los Angeles women’s cross-country team earned its fifth berth in six seasons in last month’s Division II national championships in the Western Regional meet at Portland State. Marisol Cossio, Rosa Cazares and Maria Paramo were third, sixth and seventh as the Golden Eagles finished second behind 10-time national champion Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Cossio (third), Kim Ojeda (fifth), Marisol Pedraza (sixth) and Cazares (ninth) also helped the Golden Eagles win the open division of the Stanford invitational. . . . Ed Lopez was selected the Western State Conference Coach of the Year after the Glendale men’s cross-country team won its third consecutive conference title . . . The Cal State Los Angeles men’s soccer team won its first California Collegiate Athletic Assn. championship since 1983. Jesus Gonzalez was named the California Collegiate Athletic Assn. Player of the Year and Leo Cuellar was selected the CCAA Conference Coach of the Year. Gonzalez, a sophomore midfielder from Montebello High, led the Western Region in scoring.

RESULTS

Cross-Country / City Section Finals GIRLS TEAM--1. Belmont, 19; 2. Birmingham, 75; 3. Garfield, 100; 4. Taft, 146; 5. El Camino Real, 146; 6. Bell, 160; 7. South Gate, 161; 8. San Pedro, 166; 9. Hamilton, 236; 10. Palisades, 236. INDIVIDUAL--1. Trejo (Belmont), 18:37; 2. Gomez (Belmont), 18:52; 3. Roberto (Belmont), 19:27; 4. Heagerty (Birmingham), 19:33; 5. Flores (Belmont), 19:50. BOYS TEAM--1. Belmont, 50; 2. Huntington Park, 54; 3. Birmingham, 68; 4. Taft, 103; 5. South Gate, 153; 6. Lincoln, 153; 7. San Pedro, 198; 8. Bell, 201; 9. Garfield, 201; 10. San Fernando, 204. INDIVIDUAL--1. Perea (HP), 15:30; 2. Moreno (Roosevelt), 15:32; 3. Hernandez (T), 15:42; 4. Gomez (HP), 15:47; 5. Guerrero (Locke), 15:49.