THE PREPS : CROSS-COUNTRY ROUNDUP : Dana Hills, Corbin Have a Big Day

The Woodbridge Invitational proved to be prosperous for the Dana Hills girls’ cross-country team and Jessica Corbin of Irvine.

The Dolphin girls’ victory in the Division I varsity race Saturday highlighted the team performances of county schools, and Corbin, running in the same race, ran away from the field for the individual victory.

The Dolphins, behind top five finishes from Sidney Leonard (18 minutes 24 seconds for third place) and Laura Kroninger (18:37, fifth place), edged county foes Esperanza and Los Alamitos for the team title.

Dana Hills finished with 80 points, the Aztecs had 84 and the Griffins 89 for third place.

For Corbin, the race was an opportunity to prove to herself that she had overcome a series of nagging injuries and illnesses that plagued her all summer.

The two-time defending Sea View League champion ran 17:42, besting runner-up Danielle Day of Quartz Hill.

Corbin had company for the first mile of the three-mile race, but then took command, extending her lead to 20 seconds by the time she reached the finish line.

“I wanted to play it conservative in the first mile,” Corbin said of her strategy.

University freshman Allyson Marquand broke the frosh/soph course record by 18 seconds, winning the Division II race in 18:10.

Annie Ebiner of Glendora St. Lucy’s ran the fastest time of the day, a 17:17 clocking to win the Division III varsity race.

Buena Park sophomore Heather Garritson placed third in the same race, running 17:59 and becoming one of only four athletes to break the 18-minute barrier.

Christine Cummins led Corona del Mar to the team title in the Division IV race, taking top individual honors for the Sea Kings with an 18:37 finish.

In the boys’ competition, Mike Avellan of Orange had the fastest clocking for a county runner, finishing in 15:04 for second place in the Division II senior race. Matt Wickersham of Mater Dei was third in 15:07.

The Santa Ana boys’ team posted the county’s fastest team time, the combination of the top five runners’ finishes on each team. The Saints logged a 78:25 clocking, behind team time winner Glendale Hoover (77:45).

Huntington Beach standouts Tony Trueba and Dan Gaston finished 1-2 in the Division III junior boys’ race, running 15:24 and 15:25.