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When Salas Runs, the Gloves Are Off

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TIMES STAFF WRITER

How fast could I run if I didn’t box?

What kind of boxer could I be if I didn’t run?

Senior Joel Salas of Channel Islands High has wrestled with those questions for 3 1/2 years, but he has always concluded being a boxer and distance runner suits him best.

“I like doing two sports at once,” Salas said. “I like a challenge and this has definitely been one.”

Salas’ dual-sport versatility has made for a hectic schedule this fall.

Consider he won the welterweight title in the 17-and-over division of the Police Athletic League national boxing championships in Orlando, Fla., 1 1/2 weeks ago and finished second in the Pacific View League cross-country final at College Park in Oxnard on Thursday.

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Salas won the first two league meets of the season, but senior Pablo Gallegos of Hueneme upset him in the final.

“I was kind of disappointed,” Salas said. “But I didn’t run during the previous week and I was still adjusting to the time change from Florida.”

Salas, who hopes to box at the professional level, says he should be back in top running form Saturday when the Southern Section preliminaries are held at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut.

Channel Islands, third in the Pacific View League final, is not expected to advance to the Division I final as a team, but Salas could if he runs well at the preliminaries.

“I need to pace myself,” he said. “Last year, I got so excited that I went out real fast and died and didn’t make it [to the final]. I don’t want to do that again.”

No matter what happens, Coach Tom Kiddie of Channel Islands says it has been a pleasure working with Salas, who has missed several workouts and three meets this season because of boxing commitments.

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“He hasn’t been able to be there all the time,” Kiddie said.

“But he works harder than anyone when he is. He’s got a great attitude and work ethic. I wish I could clone him. I wish I had a team full of kids like him.”

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The Notre Dame coaching staff hoped injured senior Kevin Lelles would be able to run in the Southern Section championships at Mt. SAC on Nov. 21 after he missed the Mission League final on Thursday because of a stress fracture above his right ankle.

But don’t try telling that to Lelles’ father.

Steve Lelles said Monday the only way his son will compete is if a doctor can assure him the injury won’t get worse by running.

“The doctor told us last week that there is a 20- to 60-percent chance that if he runs [with the stress fracture, it could become a break],” Steve Lelles said.

“Kevin wants to run and take a chance, but as a parent, I’m not going to let that happen and be responsible for ruining his career.”

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When sophomore Jaclyn Pedersen of Royal won the Marmonte League final on Thursday, she became the first runner from a school other than Agoura or Thousand Oaks to win a girls’ title this decade.

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Deena Drossin (1990), Kay Nekota (1991) and Amy Skieresz (1992-94) of Agoura won the first five titles, with Kim Mortensen (1995), Amanda Armstrong (1996) and Kelley Hess (1997) of Thousand Oaks taking the next three.

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The depth of the Marmonte League was evident Saturday when Newbury Park, Westlake and Agoura, which finished fourth, fifth and sixth in the league final, received at-large bids to the Southern Section preliminaries.

Division I teams Thousand Oaks, Royal and Simi Valley finished first, second and third in the league final to grab the three qualifying spots for the section preliminaries.

Newbury Park, Westlake and Agoura were helped by current or previous top-10 rankings in the section polls.

Newbury Park is ranked No. 3 in Division III, with Westlake No. 9 in Division II. Agoura was ranked 10th in Division II earlier this season.

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Coach Scott King of Birmingham was pleased with the Patriots’ victory in the girls’ race of the Northwest Valley Conference final last Wednesday, but he wasn’t sure if it was a good omen.

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Birmingham won the 1995 and ’97 City Section titles after finishing second in the conference final. The Patriots placed third in the 1996 City meet after winning the conference title.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

The Top 10

Rankings of cross-country teams from the region

BOYS

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RK LW School (League) 1 1 Saugus (Foothill) 2 2 Nordhoff (Frontier) 3 6 Thousand Oaks (Marmonte) 4 4 Notre Dame (Mission) 5 5 Ventura (Channel) 6 7 Camarillo (Pacific View) 7 3 Canyon (Foothill) 8 8 Buena (Channel) 9 9 Agoura (Marmonte) 10 NR Lancaster (Golden)

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GIRLS

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RK LW School (League) 1 1 La Canada (Rio Hondo) 2 2 Thousand Oaks (Marmonte) 3 3 Canyon (Foothill) 4 5 Royal (Marmonte) 5 4 Nordhoff (Frontier) 6 6 Simi Valley (Marmonte) 7 8 Louisville (Mission) 8 7 Birmingham (West Valley) 9 9 Newbury Park (Marmonte) 10 10 Crescenta Valley (Pacific)

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