Form Should Hold in Run for Ventura County Titles

Although the course for today’s Ventura County cross-country championships at Lake Casitas in Ojai has been altered since last year because of higher water levels, don’t expect major changes in the races for the boys’ and girls’ titles.

The Thousand Oaks boys’ and Agoura girls’ teams, each ranked fourth in the nation by Harrier magazine, are expected to successfully defend their championships.

A victory by the Thousand Oaks boys would be their eighth since the meet began in 1976. Agoura is gunning for its seventh consecutive girls’ title.

Despite their roles as favorites, Thousand Oaks and Agoura are not expected to be in top shape.

Jeff Fischer and Chadd Aldrich, the Lancers’ No. 2- and 4-runners most of the season, are recovering from sinus infections.

Fischer placed 10th in the team sweepstakes race of Saturday’s Mt. San Antonio College Invitational to help Thousand Oaks to its second consecutive title, but Aldrich faded badly in the last mile to finish 37th.

“Jeff ran a solid race at Mt. SAC, but he was coughing a lot afterward,” Lancer Coach Jack Farrell said. “Hopefully, Jeff and Chadd will both be healthy (for the county championships).”

Despite Thousand Oaks’ favorite status, it is a relatively young team with two seniors (Brandon Del Campo, Aldrich), three juniors (Fischer, Kevin Marsden, Keith O’Doherty) and two sophomores (Todd Disney, Billy Paules).

Del Campo has been Thousand Oaks’ top gun this season and is expected to battle Marmonte League rivals John Greene of Agoura and Eleazar Hernandez of Camarillo for the individual title.

Agoura junior Amy Skieresz, the defending girls’ champion, will run in her first major race since finishing second in the Vulcan Invitational in Birmingham, Ala., on Oct. 2. She still is not at full strength after bouts with an ear infection and flu.

Skieresz and senior teammate Kay Nekota appear to be the class of the girls’ field, although Oxnard senior Gabriela Rodriguez appears to be rounding into the form that helped her finish third in the 3,200 meters in the state track championships in June.

The girls’ varsity race will start at 3 p.m., followed by the boys’ at 3:30.