Santa Margarita’s Nuanes Breaks 18-Minute Mark

Katie Nuanes of Santa Margarita broke the 18-minute barrier at Woodward Park for the first time Saturday in the West regional cross-country championships and that helped propel her into the national championships for the second consecutive year.

Nuanes, a senior, finished fifth with a time of 17 minutes 55 seconds over the 5,000-meter course to cut five seconds off her best, which she first accomplished while finishing seventh in the 1995 West regional and matched while placing third in the state Division II final Nov. 30.

The top eight finishers in the boys’ and girls’ races qualified for the national championships Dec. 14 at San Diego’s Morley Field.

“I knew I had a shot at [qualifying for nationals],” Nuanes said, “but I also knew it was going to be close.”

Kristen Gordon of Concord Carondelet won the girls’ race in 17:01 after two-time defending champion Julia Stamps of Santa Rosa faded to third (17:15) in the final 500 yards.

In the boys’ race, junior Mark Gleason of Mission Viejo finished 14th in 15:39 and senior Michael Murray of Santa Margarita was 22nd in 15:47.

Gleason was in third at the two-mile mark before fading.