CROSS-COUNTRY ROUNDUP

Mission League finals--Kevin Lelles of Notre Dame came from behind in the final 800 meters to win the boys’ race in the meet at Malibu Creek State Park.

Lelles’ time of 16:28 over the three-mile course was three seconds better than Loyola’s Jose Gomez, the runner-up, who had been shadowing the Knights’ junior until the stretch run.

“He’s the toughest guy I’ve seen with a half mile to go. He just has another gear,” Notre Dame Coach Bob Macias said of Lelles.

The Knights finished with 28 points, one more than Loyola, which clinched the league championship and fought off a strong effort by Notre Dame to gain a share of the title.

Notre Dame took five of the top nine spots as Sean Tallungan (16:33) placed third, Johnny Madrid (16:53) finished seventh, Larry Pitkins (17:03) was eighth and Adam Rose (17:12) placed ninth.

“We did all we could,” Lelles said. “I’m proud of my guys.”

Flintridge Sacred Heart, which placed third in the dual-meet standings, won the girls finals with 50 points, three better than dual-meet titlist Louisville, which did not have a runner among the top eight finishers. However, the Royals won the league championship with nine points to the Tologs’ eight.

Michele Wilkinson of Alemany was the runaway individual winner, clocking 19:34 to finish 33 seconds ahead of runner-up Rochele Gomez of Flintridge Sacred Heart. The Tologs’ Katy Thornton placed third in 20:34.

“Usually Louisville’s girls give [Wilkinson] a hard time,” Alemany Coach Steve Murphy said. “I don’t know where those Flintridge girls came from. They must have trained hard.”