Nordhoff Runners Peak in Time

For the Nordhoff High boys’ and girls’ cross-country teams, it was business as usual Saturday.

For the girls’ squads from Canyon and Louisville, it was a unique experience.

And all four teams won divisional titles in the Southern Section championships at Mt. San Antonio College.

Nordhoff swept the Division III boys’ and girls’ titles for the second year in a row, while Canyon and Louisville won their first Division I and IV titles, respectively.

“It was really nice to win the [boys’ and girls’ titles in the] Ventura County championships,” Nordhoff Coach Ken Reeves said. “That was a big deal. . . . But we try to hit our best times at the end of the season in this meet and in the State championships.”

The top four teams in each race and the top five individuals not on a qualifying team advanced to the State championships at Fresno’s Woodward Park on Saturday.

The Nordhoff boys, paced by individual champion Will Bernaldo, placed five runners among the top 18 finishers to total 38 points, well ahead of second-place Orange El Modena (107). The Rangers also had the fastest team time (80:34) of the meet and won their fourth section title in the past five years.

Bernaldo timed 15 minutes 34 seconds over the three-mile course to hold off St. Francis’ Kevin Koeper (15:35) and cap a remarkable comeback from a case of mononucleosis that kept him out of the Mt. SAC Invitational four weeks ago.

“I thought my season was over,” Bernaldo said. “I didn’t think I was going to be able to race again. To win today, I’m just ecstatic. This is incredible.”

The same thing could be said of Nordhoff’s girls as the Rangers won their fourth section title in six years and had the second-fastest team time (95:04) of the meet behind Division II champion Yucaipa (94:03).

Sophomore Elaine Canchola won her second consecutive individual title with a time of 17:35 as Nordhoff placed five runners among the top 11 to total 30 points, 48 ahead of El Modena.

Canyon, paced by the eighth- and ninth-place finishes of freshman Lauren Fleshman (18:30) and junior Julie Harris (18:40), won as expected, totaling 83 points to runner-up Los Alamitos’ 108. The shocker came when defending champion Thousand Oaks finished fifth with 158 points and failed to qualify for the State championships.

Lancer senior Kim Mortensen placed first in 17:17, the fastest time of the meet, but several teammates turned in sub-par performances after recent bouts with flu.

Louisville senior Shaluinn Fullove won her second consecutive Division IV title with a time of 18:31 as the Royals placed five runners among the top 15 finishers to total 29 points. Defending champion Morro Bay placed second with 61.