Skieresz Aims for Top-5 Finish in Kinney Meet

If Amy Skieresz of Agoura High places among the top five finishers in today’s Kinney national cross-country championships in San Diego, she will accomplish something that eluded former Charger standout Deena Drossin.

Skieresz, a sophomore, and Nordhoff senior Karen Bockel have qualified for the girls’ race, but for the first time since 1983, no area runners qualified for the boys’ race. Today’s races will be contested over a 5,000-meter course at Balboa Park’s Morley Field.

Drossin, who finished second for Arkansas in this year’s NCAA championships, qualified for the Kinney national championships four times during her high school career, but she never finished higher than sixth.

Skieresz appears capable of placing among the top five after finishing second behind Milena Glusac of Fallbrook in last week’s West regional. Still, Skieresz is taking a low-key approach to the national meet.

“I’m not making any goals based on place,” she said. “My goal at the start of the year was to qualify for nationals and I’ve done that. I just want to enjoy this meet and run well.”

Glusac and Amanda White of Dulaney High in Cockeysville, Md., are co-favorites.

Bockel, an exchange student from Germany, is shooting for a top-15 finish after placing seventh in last week’s West regional. She won the state Division IV title in Fresno on Nov. 28.

The girls’ race starts at 10 a.m.