Stein Trying to Repeat Herself in Girls’ Race Against Flores

If history repeats itself, Natalie Stein of North Hollywood High will win her second consecutive girls’ title in the City Section cross-country championships today at Pierce College.

If not, Valerie Flores of San Pedro will become the seventh individual champion since Robin Snowbeck of University won consecutive titles in 1990 and ’91.

There will be 74 other runners in the girls’ race, but it would be a monumental upset if any of them beat Stein, a sophomore, or Flores, a junior.

The meet will begin at 8:30 a.m. with the girls’ junior varsity race. Varsity girls will start at 10, followed by the boys’ varsity race at 10:30.

Stein and Flores finished one-two in the City final last year and are 1-1 against each other this season.

Stein finished 24 seconds and five places ahead of Flores with her sixth-place finish in the individual sweepstakes race of the Mt. San Antonio College Invitational on Oct. 24, but Flores finished two seconds ahead of Stein in the City preliminaries at Pierce on Nov. 10.

Flores beat Stein in the City preliminaries last year, but the diminutive North Hollywood runner won the City final.

There is a difference in the scenario this year because Flores is healthy after being hampered by a hip injury last season.

“If the conditions are right, I think she can run under 17:40,” assistant coach Bruce Thomsonof San Pedro said about Flores.

A 17:40 clocking would be 16 seconds faster than Stein or any other City runner has clocked over the three-mile Pierce course, but it could happen if recent winds subside and Flores and Stein push each other the entire race.

The girls’ team race is not supposed to be as close.

Birmingham, with seniors Dina Melendez, Tiffany Burgess and Erika Dolezal, is heavily favored to win its second consecutive title and third in four years.

North Hollywood, Belmont, Palisades and Bell are expected to battle for second, but Birmingham Coach Scott King figures his team won’t be content with winning.

“They’re gearing up for this,” King said. “They’re just really ready to go. To be honest, the girls were bored by the dual-meet season, but there is a sense of excitement there now that wasn’t there before.”

Belmont, the No. 4-ranked Division I team in the state, is heavily favored to win its fourth consecutive boys’ title and 14th in 17 years, but King says Birmingham isn’t conceding anything to the Sentinels.

“They should be favored,” King said. “But we’re going to take a shot at them. We’re not going to look behind us. If we can control the race the first mile and be with them at the second mile, then I think we have a chance.”

Junior Ruben Ruiz, the City freshman-sophomore champion for Chatsworth last year, should be Birmingham’s top runner.

Ruiz, who transferred to Birmingham 3 1/2 weeks ago after moving into the school’s attendance district, won his preliminary heat in a career-best 15:53.

Junior Humberto Vargas of Belmont and senior Andre Young of Marshall are the individual favorites.

Vargas is defending City champion and Young finished fourth last year before winning the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 meters in the City track and field championships in May.

The top two teams and the top five individuals not on a qualifying team but among the top 12 finishers in the boys’ and girls’ varsity races will qualify for the state championships at Woodward Park in Fresno on Nov. 28.