PREP ROUNDUP : Katella Boys Are a Class Act; Irvine Girls Upset Nation’s No. 3 Team

The Katella boys’ cross-country team showed that the future looks just as bright as the past Saturday at the Woodbridge-Rotary Club Cross-Country Invitational.

The Knights, third in the State Division II championships last November, placed four among the top nine in the sophomore Division II race, winning handily with 49 points to Glendale Hoover’s 159. And seniors Mike Moreno and Delphino Resendiz were the first two Orange County finishers in the Division II senior race, placing third and seventh, as Katella won with 119 points, to Santiago’s 157.

Perhaps the upset of the meet was in the girls’ Division I race at the expense of Palos Verdes Peninsula, ranked No. 3 nationally in the Foot Locker poll. Putting together a fine early-season performance, Irvine placed five among the top 16 to turn back the Panthers, 54 to 69. Esperanza, paced by junior Carrie Caulkins in second, was third with 93 points.

Jessica Corbin and Stacey McMullen were third and 10th for Irvine, with the Livermore sisters, Erin and Alison, in 11th and 12th.

Orange senior Jaime Martinez separated himself early from his Division I senior competition and cruised to one of only four sub-15 minute races in 14:52. Martinez’s time was third-fastest behind San Diego High senior Mebrahto Keflezighi (14:30) and Agoura junior John Greene (14:51).

Relying on what could be the deepest roster in the county, Santa Ana scored 39 points to run away from Los Angeles South Gate (122 points) in the Division I senior team race. Federico Duran and Juan Zaragoza led the way, both running 15:19 for third and fourth. Juan Medrano was fifth in 15:23.

Buena Park senior Carrie Garritson used a race plan similar to Martinez’s, breaking away early in Division II and running the meet’s fourth-fastest girls’ time, 18:02. Garritson made a wrong turn after two miles, costing her a shot at the fastest time of the day (17:22) by Agoura’s Amy Skieresz.

In the Division IV girls’ race, Corona Del Mar again showed it is the class of the state among small schools (fewer than 1,000 students). The Sea Kings ran from the front all the way, placed three among the top five and scored 25 points, lowest of any team in the meet.

“We knew coming in here that the competition might be a little light in the afternoon,” Coach Bill Sumner said, “so we just decided that we would run hard.”

In the Fullerton girls’ volleyball tournament:

Fullerton wins--Nadia Hoerner had eight kills in the championship match to lead Fullerton to an 11-8, 11-9 victory over Whittier La Serna. The tournament was played with games to 11 points with the first team to win two games the winner of the match.

In the Long Beach Millikan water polo tournament:

Villa Park finishes third--Kevin Bobzien, whose four-meter penalty shot was blocked with three seconds left in regulation, scored in sudden-death overtime to give Villa Park an 8-7 victory over Irvine in the third-place game. Bobzien scored four goals. Steve Carrera and Jason Lezak each scored three for Irvine (3-2).

Villa Park (5-1) lost in the semifinals to North Hollywood Harvard-Westlake, 12-5.