Skieresz Fails to Qualify for Junior National Team

Amy Skieresz of Agoura High placed eighth in the U.S. World Junior (age 19 and under) cross-country trials in Memphis, Tenn., on Saturday, but fell two places shy of qualifying for the national team for the second year in a row.

Skieresz, who won last year’s trials race before placing 39th in the World Junior championships, timed 15 minutes 9 seconds over the 4,000-meter course at Plough Park in Shelby Farms.

Brigham Young freshman Maribella Aparicio, a former Fillmore High runner, placed 11th in 15:20.

Dartmouth freshman Maribel Sanchez placed first in 14:44.

The top six finishers in both the men’s and women’s races qualified for the U.S. team, which will compete March 26 in the World championships in Budapest.

Fresno State sophomore Fernando Mendoza, a former standout at Channel Islands High, placed 21st in the junior men’s race with a time of 28:07 over the 8,000-meter course. Thousand Oaks High senior Brandon Del Campo finished 29th in 28:36.

Auto Racing

Lance Hooper, whose racing budget vanished in the wreckage of last month’s Los Angeles earthquake, set a NASCAR Southwest Tour qualifying record in Phoenix while winning the pole for today’s 50-lap final.

Hooper, 26, had to borrow money to bring his Oldsmobile Cutlass to Phoenix International Raceway for the $53,500 event, the last of four in the Skoal Bandit Racing Copper World Classic. But he paced a 66-car field with a one-mile lap of 130.833 m.p.h.

“My sponsors were wiped out in the earthquake,” Hooper said. “It was iffy getting here. I borrowed some money from Ron Hornaday Jr. and a couple of other guys.”

Basketball

Chatsworth High senior Trenell Floyd has left the basketball team and is seeking an opportunity transfer to Taft, he said Saturday.

“I just felt like the season was over for us after the earthquake,” said Floyd, a center who was averaging 14.6 points a game.

Floyd will learn Monday if the transfer has been granted. He said he will not play basketball at Taft.