PREP CROSS-COUNTRY ROUNDUP : La Habra Wins Both Freeway League Team Titles

La Habra swept the Freeway League cross-country finals Thursday at Craig Park in Fullerton, finishing ahead of second-place Sunny Hills in both races.

Senior Charles Gatchell finished second in 15 minutes 20 seconds for three miles to lead the Highlander boys to their fifth consecutive league title.

Garrett Jensen finished first in 15:10 for Sunny Hills, but the Lancers were unable to catch La Habra, which finished with 34 points. The Lancers finished with 47.

Gatchell was followed by teammates Jay Kolb and Bryan Mahon, who finished in third and fourth in 15:34 and 15:47.

Sonora’s Remigio Garcia took fifth in 15:48, helping the Raiders take third place with 80 points and a chance to compete in the Southern Section preliminaries Nov. 12 at Mt. San Antonio College.

In the girls’ race, Buena Park freshman Heather Garritson blistered the field, finishing in 17:41, more than a minute ahead of second-place Elizabeth Sinclair (18:59) of Troy.

La Habra took third, fourth and fifth place and finished with 36 points for the victory. Freshman Maria Agras and sophomore Amanda McDermott led the Highlanders, finishing third and fourth with the same time (19:54). Sophomore Sara Brown was fifth in 20:01.

Tatiana Berdote, who finished seventh in 20:04, led the second-place Lancers. Teammate Tkay Alvarez was eighth in 20:05.

Troy, last year’s league champions, finished third with 68 points to take the final automatic qualifying spot.