El Toro’s Lee Makes Up for Lost Time

Last season at the Laguna Hills Invitational, Danny Lee of El Toro won the boys’ Division I junior race by one second.

Saturday, Lee gave himself a bit more breathing room, posting the fastest time of the day to win the boys’ Division I senior cross-country race.

“My strategy was to go out with the group, but my adrenaline got the best of me and I just took off,” said Lee, who ran 15:03 on the three-mile course. “I was hurting by the two-mile mark, but I got a second wind and I felt better.”

Lee’s second wind helped him outkick Jason Taylor of Palos Verdes Peninsula for the second consecutive year, this time with a four-second margin of victory.

In the girls’ division, Allyson Marquand, who also won her race a year ago, continued her winning ways Saturday, with a first-place finish in the Division I junior/senior race, finishing in 17:55, the second-fastest girls’ time of the day. Irvine’s Melissa Livermore (18:35) was second.

“I would have liked to go a little bit faster, but it’s hard to push yourself when it’s hot,” said Marquand, a junior at University High.

The late-morning heat took its toll on several runners, but it didn’t seem to affect Tustin’s CJ Marciales, who won the boys’ Division II senior race in 15:36, 12 seconds ahead of Santa Margarita’s Brandon von Guenthner.

“I like the heat,” Marciales said. “Everyone has to run in the same conditions.”

The Santa Ana boys’ team also made a strong showing, capturing five of the top 10 places in the boys’ Division I junior race. Alfonso Leon (15:40) and Juan Salgado (15:44) finished first and second for the Saints.

“This team helps me sleep at night,” said Roger Nava, boys’ coach at Santa Ana. “They’re very dedicated and they deserve everything they get, because they work so hard.”

Salgado added: “It’s going to be like this all season.”

Edison’s Andy Knutsen (15:44) won the boys’ Division II junior race, outkicking Yucaipa’s Todd Coshaw in the final 800 meters.

“I like to outkick [opponents] in the last 800 meters,” Knutsen said. “That’s my style.”

Newport Harbor’s Alicia McFall (18:35) ran away from the pack in the girls’ Division III junior/senior race to take first place, 50 seconds ahead of second-place finisher Jamie Denoewer (19:25) of Costa Mesa.

“I started out fast and I guess it helped,” McFall said.

Notes

Woodbridge’s Mary Moore (18:10) had the third-fastest girls’ time. . . . Corona del Mar’s Liz Morse (19:12) and Lindsey Yourman (19:24) won their races. . . . Corona del Mar’s Travis Beardslee (16:59), Chase Emery (18:26) and Josh Yelsey (18:53) finished in the top five in the boys’ Division III freshman race. . . . Santa Ana’s Jose Cholula (17:00) won the boys’ Division I freshman race. . . . University’s Alana Ruthray (20:13) and San Clemente’s Megan Spansail finished first and second in the girls’ Division I freshman race. . . . Woodbridge’s Jesse Graham (16:34) won the boys’ Division II sophomore race. . . . Valerie Morris (18:37) won the girls’ Division I sophomore race for Irvine. . . . Chris Landgren (17:30) won the boys’ Division III sophomore race for Newport Harbor. . . . Edison’s Scott Brandos (16:49) won the boys’ Division II freshman race. . . . Kendal Billingsley (19:04) and Sarah Rettmann (19:22) finished first and third for Mission Viejo in the girls’ Division II freshman race and Lori Mann (19:06) placed second for Santa Margarita.

At the Las Vegas cross-country invitational:

Escobar wins--Villa Park sophomore Auggie Escobar ran a time of 15.20 over three miles to win the Las Vegas Invitational. Villa Park teammates Ramone Rosas (15:48) and Seth Morgan (15:49) finished fourth and fifth respectively.

The Spartans finished second (34 points) behind Hopi (Ariz.).

Villa Park wins girls’ title--Senior Marie Leyrer won the girls’ race with a time of 16:45 to lead Villa Park to the Las Vegas Invitational title. Teammate Maribel Calderon finished third with a time of 17:43 over 2.5 miles at Henderson Basic High School (Nev.).

Freshman Selene Rayo finished fourth (17.44) for Villa Park.