Mission Viejo Comes Close, but County Is Shut Out

Orange County boys’ cross-country teams were shut out in their bids to win a Southern Section title Saturday at Mt. San Antonio College, and only five of 17 teams qualified for the state finals Saturday at Fresno’s Woodward Park.

In the last and closest race of the day, Mission Viejo, which has been ranked at or near the top of the Southern Section Division II poll all season, finished second with 94 points to Saugus, which had 85. Katella also qualified, finishing fourth with 135 points.

“There is so much pressure at this meet,” Mission Viejo Coach Gene Gurule said. “Three or four teams at this level could have won it. It came down to which team was more relaxed and felt less pressure to win.”

Mark Gleason, the individual titlist last season, had the lead at about the two-mile mark on Saturday, but finished third in 15 minutes 39 seconds over the three-mile hilly course.

“Mark was way too focused,” Gurule said. “Maybe he’s saving the best for last.”

Newport Harbor Coach Bim Barry hopes the same is true for his team after the Sailors’ second-place finish in the Division III race behind Rosemead Bosco Tech (48 points).

“We had our work cut out for us,” said Barry, whose team finished with 91 points. “Bosco Tech ran outstanding today. I’m satisfied, but I think there is room for improvement next week as well.”

Estancia, led by an eighth-place finish by Alberto Munoz (16:12), qualified in Division IV for the state finals with a second-place finish behind Ojai Nordhoff, which had three runners among the top 10.

Sonora’s Heriberto Sarabia turned in the fastest time by a county runner with a second-place finish in 15:30. Sarabia also qualified for the Division II state meet. Teammate Fabian Ruelas also qualified with a fifth-place finish in 15:48. The Raiders, however, did not qualify as a team, finishing in sixth place, four points behind the final qualifying team, Lake Elsinore Temescal Canyon (147).

In the Division I race, Santa Ana qualified with a third-place finish as Alfonso Leon (15:40) finished fifth and Juan Salgado (15:44) was ninth for the Saints. El Toro’s Danny Lee also qualified in Division I, finishing fourth in 15:40.

“I didn’t stick to my game plan,” Lee said. “I went out a little too fast. We’ll see what happens at state.”

St. Margaret’s Ryan Downey, who was the state and Southern Section champion last season, almost didn’t qualify for the state finals, finishing 10th in 16:51. Downey aggravated an injury to his left hip at the meet.

“Downhills hurt a lot. I haven’t trained in two weeks. I wanted to be healthy for my senior year,” Downey said.

Loara’s Jose Herrera (15:41, fourth) and Tustin’s C.J. Marciales (15:56, eighth) qualified for the finals in the Division II race.

Costa Mesa’s Bruce Hancock (16:10) finished seventh in the Division IV race to qualify.