GIRLS’ CROSS-COUNTRY PREVIEW : Thousand Oaks Expected to Blow Past Agoura Like a Stiff Wind

The winds of change that began as a light breeze in last year’s Southern Section Division I cross-country championships are expected to reach maximum velocity in early November if Thousand Oaks High supplants Agoura as the dominant girls’ team in the region by winning the Marmonte League title.

Agoura won its fourth consecutive Division I title in last year’s Southern Section finals, but even then, it was obvious to many that the team of the future was Thousand Oaks. The Lancers finished third--23 points behind Agoura--with a team of two juniors, three sophomores and two freshmen.

Thousand Oaks didn’t perform nearly as well in the State championships the following week, but still finished sixth, 15 points behind fifth-place Agoura.

The Chargers’ chances for a fourth consecutive Division I title ended the previous night when No. 3 runner Cathy Prater came down with food poisoning. Without her, the Chargers’ lack of depth became their Achilles’ heel.

Lack of depth should not hamper Thousand Oaks this season.

Although it is unlikely that the Lancers will produce a 1-2 finish--as Agoura did--in the State finals, they will have a quality 1-2 punch in juniors Kim Mortensen and Tara Marsden and will have 10 girls contending for the seven entries each team is allowed in championship meets.

“This is very exciting for the girls,” Thousand Oaks Coach Jack Farrell said. “They seem to like the fact that they’re viewed as a program on the rise. With the guys, they’ve been in this position for the last couple of years and they want to keep it going. But with the girls, it’s new territory.”

Mortensen finished ninth in last year’s State meet, but she didn’t really hit her stride until after that.

She capped her cross-country season with a 10th-place finish in the Foot Locker West regional and posted personal bests of 2:18.9 in the 800, 5:01.27 in the 1,600 and 10:53.65 in the 3,200 in track.

She finished fifth in the 3,200 in the State championships and her increased speed on the track should translate to improved performances this season.

Marsden placed 14th in last year’s State cross-country championships and has personal bests of 2:22.91 in the 800 and 11:27.2 in the 3,200.

Seniors Bridget Roy and juniors Alison Feinstein and Katie Scherrei are expected to supply quality depth.

Roy finished 59th in last year’s State championships and Feinstein placed 85th. Scherrei did not run cross-country last year, but as a soccer player who competes in the 400 in track, she could make a big contribution this season, according to Farrell.

Senior Jamie Palmer and sophomores Megan Cordes and Tamara Savage are the other returnees for a team that is 22nd in The Harrier magazine’s national poll and first in the State Division I poll.

Freshman Erin Sorensen and Stephanie Overton should also contend for a top-seven spot.

“It’s definitely different this year,” he said. “I actually feel like we have more depth on the girls’ team than on the boys.”

Other teams to watch:

Saugus--The Centurions finished sixth in last year’s Southern Section Division I championships. With six of their top seven runners returning, they have a good chance of advancing to the State meet for the first time.

Senior Shelly Burkert, 18th in the section championships, and junior Angela Gundry (23rd) are the top two returning runners for the defending Foothill League champion and fourth-ranked team in the section’s preseason poll.

The other returnees are sophomore Breanne Schweitzer, senior Sabrina Hambel and junior twins Jessica and Jamie Thomas.

Schweitzer’s name might ring a bell among veteran track fans. Her father, Scott, ran 9:04.4 for two miles as a Burbank High senior in 1971.

Agoura--The Chargers will compete at the Division II level this season after seven consecutive appearances in the State Division I championships.

Amy Skieresz, defending State Division I champion, is a dominant front-runner, but her teammates’ performances must improve throughout the season for the Chargers to remain among the top programs in California.

Senior Vickie Greene (30th place) and junior Lisa Refkin (119th) are the only other returning runners from last year’s team that finished fifth in the State meet.

Janet Hwang, who missed the second half of last season with an injury, and cross-country newcomers Sarah Chulak, Jessica Lepisto and Meredith Helman are expected to fill out the squad.

All four are sophomores, but Coach Bill Duley expects them to make an impact.

“(Chulak, Lepisto and Helman) didn’t run cross-country last year, but they ran some decent times in track,” he said. “If they improve as the season goes along, I think we can have a pretty good team.”

Agoura is ranked seventh in the section’s Division II poll.

Hart--Jessica De La Cerda, the Indians’ top runner last season, is at Oklahoma State, but she is the only major loss from a team that finished 10th in the last year’s Southern Section Division I championships.

Sophomore Monica Prelle and senior Krissy Schranz are expected to be the team’s top two runners, followed by junior Michelle Cartier, and sophomores Jennifer Sullivan and Lisa Klinger.

Juniors Jennifer Blackburn, Corey Jones and Kelly Thorn should give the Indians added depth.

“We’re not going to have the front-runner this year like we had last year,” Coach Larry David said. “But I think we’re going to be grouped much, much closer together.”

Canyon--The Cowboys’ top runner last year--Ann Koscki--has moved to San Diego and several team members are recovering from injuries suffered in a July 26 automobile accident, yet Coach Dave DeLong remains optimistic about the season.

“We’re definitely behind where we want to be, but I’m looking forward to it,” he said. “I expect us to do a lot of improving as the season goes on.”

The accident occurred on Highway 126 east of Fillmore when a car traveling in the westbound lane crossed the center line and hit a van driven by DeLong and occupied by nine other people.

The impact of the onrushing car caused the van to roll 3 1/2 times, but fortunately, no one suffered life-threatening injuries. DeLong said that the incident has affected the team’s outlook, however.

“Right now, the team is just happy to be together and running again,” he said. “They’ve kind of lost the drive to try to beat Hart and Saugus, but I think that will come back.”

Senior Teriann Boggio, juniors Kellie Stigile and Tiffany Furuya, sophomore Julie Harris and freshman Brandy Plasschaert are expected to be the Cowboys’ top five runners, although their order could change from race to race.

Senior Kathryn Sherman and juniors Michelle Estes, Betina Hsieh and Danielle Hadfield should supply depth to a team that appears capable of qualifying for the Southern Section Division I finals.

Buena--The Bulldogs have lost five of their top seven runners from a team that finished ninth in last year’s Southern Section Division I finals, but Coach Steve Blum still says they should be favored to win their 12th consecutive Channel League title.

Senior Amy Van Atta, 19th in last year’s State championships, sophomore Barb Almaraz, who has run 5:22 for 1,600 meters, and senior Meaghen Dunne should be Buena’s top three.

Seniors Patty Ortega and Danita Suy, who are running cross-country for the first time, and sophomore Ana Levy are the leading candidates for the next three spots.

“We drop off some after the first three girls, but there aren’t many schools out there who have a trio like ours,” Blum said.

Simi Valley--Juniors Kristin Hawking and Natalie Shaw are expected to be the top performers on a team which finished 11th in last year’s Southern Section Division I championships.

Shaw (30th) finished much higher than Hawking (56th) in the section finals, but the latter is coming off a quality track season in which she ran 2:21.95 in the 800 to place third in the Marmonte League finals.

Seniors Judy Quick and Venessa Gonzalez and junior Lisa Honaker also return from last year’s Pioneer squad.

Westlake--The Warriors finished 12th in last year’s Southern Section Division II championships and five of the team’s top seven runners return.

Junior Patricia Gibby was Westlake’s No. 7 runner in the section meet last season, but she should be its top gun this season if she stays injury-free.

Gibby ran a region-leading 2:17.27 in the 800 meters to win the Marmonte League title during track and she also has a personal best of 5:09.78 in the 1,600.

Senior Jessica Connor, junior Kari-Ann Hong and sophomores Heather Dietzen and April Masiakowski return for the ninth-ranked team in the section’s Division II poll.

Individuals to watch:

Jenny Hansen (Royal)--The Highlander junior placed 16th in last year’s Southern Section Division I cross-country championships and has run 5:11.85 in the 1,600.

Rheina Echols (Glendale)--The Dynamiter junior finished only 49th in last year’s Southern Section Division I cross-country finals, but ran 5:18.9 in the 1,600 and 11:21.61 in the 3,200 during track season.

Shalluin Fullove (Louisville)--The Royals’ junior has not distinguished herself in cross-country, but won the Southern Section Division III title in the 1,600 in May with a time of 5:10.69, in addition to running 11:36.52 in the 3,200.

Brooke Paige (North Hollywood)--With personal bests of 5:21.98 in the 1,600 and 11:47.15 in the 3,200, the junior should be one of the City Section’s top performers.

Jennifer Chipello (Van Nuys)--Although she is a newcomer to cross-country, the junior has run 2:20.26 in the 800 meters and gave the Wolves a second-place finish in the City championships in May.