Nordhoff, Canyon Cross-Country Teams Downgraded

The Canyon High girls’ cross-country team and the Nordhoff boys’ and girls’ squads won State Division I and III championships last year, but each program has been dropped a level this season due to the expansion of the State meet from four to five divisions.

Canyon is a Division II school and Nordhoff a Division IV program in the realignment based on enrollment in grades 10-12.

Schools can petition to move up to Division I level by Sept. 25, and Canyon Coach Dave DeLong said the Cowboys might do that.

“I’ve always been one of those people who feel you should compete at the level you’re at,” DeLong said. “But it would be stupid of me not to move up if it improves our chances of making the State meet.”

Although Division I consists of the largest--and in theory the most talented--schools, that might not be the case on the girls’ side this year. Yucaipa, defending state Division II champion, Dana Hills, third in the 1995 State Division II meet and Canyon, three of the state’s top returning teams at any level, are all in Division II.

The Nordhoff boys are three-time defending state Division III champions, but the Rangers’ move to Division IV could pit them against four-time defending champion McFarland in the State meet.

Hart, which won three consecutive state Division I boys’ titles from 1990 to 1992, and Highland, which has one of the top girls’ runners in the state, Andrea Neipp, are two local schools that have dropped from Division I to II.

Agoura went from Division II to III, St. Francis from III to IV and Oak Park from IV to V.

Louisville, defending state Division IV girls’ champion, will remain at that level.

Soccer

The Valley United Blast under-17 team won the North Huntington Beach boys’ tournament last weekend.

The Blast beat the La Jolla Nomads, 1-0, in the semifinals on a goal by Pat Thomsen of Notre Dame High.

In the final, Marvin Quijano of Reseda High scored to defeat the Upland Celtics, 1-0.

Valley United goalkeeper Juan Plascencia of Notre Dame did not allow a goal in six tournament games.

Contributing: Paige A. Leech, John Ortega, Tris Wykes.