PREP CROSS-COUNTRY : Irvine Girls Support High Ranking

The Irvine girls’ cross-country team reinforced its top ranking in the county, and the Corona del Mar boys got the last word in at the Sea View League finals Friday at Irvine Regional Park in Orange.

The Vaqueros edged rival El Toro, 44-46, to win the title. The Sea King boys avenged a dual-meet loss to Woodbridge this season and beat runner-up Newport Harbor, 54-65. Woodbridge finished fourth (73), behind Santa Margarita (66).

The Vaqueros were fueled by the fastest time of the season on the three-mile course from junior Jessica Corbin, who won in 16 minutes 58 seconds.

A new strategy was Corbin’s key to her second consecutive individual title.

“I just go out hard and stay tough,” Corbin said. “It’s simple, but it works.”

Corbin built a 10-second lead on Orange County champion Tracy Clark of Corona del Mar, but the Sea King senior quickly cut the margin in half with a mile to go. Clark faded in the final third of the race, eventually finishing second in 17:16.

Sophomore Katie Nuanes of Santa Margarita (17:33), El Toro’s Stacey Roberson (18:09) and Woodbridge freshman Mary Moore (18:22) finished third, fourth and fifth.

The boys’ race was won by Sea King senior Brian Slingsby, who pulled away from the pack late in the race en route to his fastest time of the year (14:49).

Slingsby held off El Toro’s Martin Pennell (15:07), Newport Harbor senior Shahram DeZahd (15:11), Woodbridge junior Ross Venook (15:14) and Santa Margarita sophomore Mike Murray (15:21).