University Girls Take a Big Step

The University girls’ cross-country team proved it still is a team to be reckoned with--even without Allyson Marquand, who was dismissed from the team two weeks ago--as the ninth-ranked Trojans won the Division I girls’ race Saturday at the Central Park Invitational.

Sophomore Jessica Howard paced the Trojans with a fourth-place finish in 18 minutes 43 seconds over the three-mile course. Jennifer Allen was eighth in 19:15 and three other runners finished in the top 24 as University finished with 69 points, 27 ahead of second-place Santa Margarita.

“They did great. We knew we’d have a strong team even though we were without Jen Hall, who is out with tendinitis in both knees and is consistently our No. 3 runner,” University Coach Kerry Prins said. “We had the depth and as a pack they did it.”

Howard also was pleased with the team’s performance, as well as her own, despite being outkicked at the finish by Aliso Niguel’s Michelle Basanda, who was third in 18:43.

Fair Oaks Del Campo’s Jennifer Smith won the race in 18:23 and Santa Margarita’s Dani Rope was second in 18:36. Santa Ana finished third with a score of 115.

The Santa Ana boys’ team, ranked No. 1 in the county, had another strong showing, finishing second in the Division I race with a score of 65, behind Fair Oaks Del Campo (58).

“They ran a good race today because Del Campo is an excellent Division II team,” Santa Ana Coach Darel Newman said. “I think we were looking ahead to next week [Orange County Championships]. But I’m happy with the way they ran.”

Alfonso Leon was the top finisher for the Saints, taking fourth in 15:44. Juan Salgado, who was battling the flu, finished 13th in 16:11.

Edison’s Andy Knutsen helped the Chargers to a fourth-place finish as he came in third with a personal-best 15:36, behind Fair Oaks Del Campo’s Nate Bristow (15:22) and Chris Farley (15:31).

The Charger girls’ team finished third in the Division II race with a score of 168, behind Quartz Hill (30) and Thousand Oaks (68).

Notes

The Santa Margarita boys finished third in the Division I race with a score of 144. . . . Santiago was fifth. . . . The Aliso Niguel girls finished fourth in the Division I race. . . . Los Alamitos was fifth.

In the Clovis Invitational, Danny Lee of El Toro placed second overall with a time of 15:25 over the 3.1-mile course at Fresno’s Woodward Park to help the Chargers to a third-place finish. C.J. Marciales placed ninth in 15:57 for Tustin, which finished eighth. . . . In the girls’ race, Michelle Thune of Brea Olinda was the top county finisher, taking ninth place in 19:46, as the Wildcats placed third.