Santa Ana Runners Thrive in Heat

It wasn’t the hottest spot in the nation Saturday, but it must have felt like it for many of the cross-country runners at the Laguna Hills Invitational. Spoiled by early-morning workouts during the summer, many weren’t ready for the heat that enveloped the midday races.

Santa Ana’s Alfonso Leon had the painful chore of running in the meet’s final event, the boys’ Division I senior race that began at noon. But Leon came prepared and circled the 3.1-mile course in 15:11, which was the fastest time of the day.

“It’s a pretty hot day and was much hotter than the earlier races,” Leon said. “My coach said if you want to feel good during the race, get some cups of water one or two hours before the race. That’s what I did and I think it helped.”

The Saints’ strong corps of seniors took four of the top eight spots in the final race and compiled the overall lowest combined time in any of the 13 boys’ races. Juan Salgado finished fourth (15:54), Jorge Pena was seventh (15:59), and Omar Mateo was eighth (16:07) for Santa Ana.

Throw in Jose Cholula’s third-place time (16:28) in the Division I sophomore race, and the Saints had the best top five combined time among Orange County schools.

“All of our guys are experienced,” Leon said. “I expect us to do good during the season.”

Behind Curt Herberts’ first-place finish in the Division II senior race (15:55), Newport Harbor had the top combined time in that event and the second-best top five combined time in the county. Herberts, teammate Chris McMillen, Villa Park’s Augie Escobar, and the top three runners from Santa Ana were the only Orange County runners to finish under 16 minutes.

Escobar finished first in the Division II junior race (15:46) and McMillen won the Division II sophomore race (15:51). The county’s other individual boys’ winner was Laguna Beach’s David Peel in the Division III freshman race (17:55).

In the girls’ competition, Santa Margarita’s Lori Mann ran the fastest time of the day while winning the Division II sophomore race in 18:40. Yucaipa teammates Heidi Walker (18:42) and Beth Grossheim (18:59) were the only others to run under 19 minutes.

Costa Mesa’s Jamie DeNoewer won the Division III junior/senior race with the fourth-fastest time of the day (19:01). Teammate Sarah Cotton finished fifth (19:59) in the same race to help the Mustangs earn the best combined time.

“My individual goal was to improve on last season,” said DeNoewer, who ran 19:25 on the same course last year. “Our team goal was to beat Corona del Mar.”

Corona del Mar finished fifth in the junior/senior race, but its depth lies in its sophomore class, which took six of the top seven spots in that event.

Newport Harbor’s Alicia McFall won the Division II junior/senior race in 19:05. Among county schools, Mission Viejo had the best top five combined time.

Irvine had three runners finish under 20 minutes and had the county’s second-best combined time. Melissa Livermore (19:17) was sixth in the Division I junior/senior race, Valerie Morris (19:45) was eighth and Jordan Bechtold (19:57) was third in the freshman race.

Mann’s impressive performance helped Santa Margarita compile the county’s third-fastest combined time.

Cross-country notes

Mission Viejo placed third with 141 points at the Las Vegas Invitational and Trabuco Hills was sixth with 155. Vista (San Diego) took first with 58 points. Out of 94 runners, Mission Viejo’s Andy Hassen placed eighth in 14:35 in the 2.9 mile race at Basic High School in Las Vegas.