Santiago Looks Ready to Go After Title

The Santiago boys’ cross-country team edged Santa Margarita by two seconds for the top team time in Division II at the Southern Section preliminaries Saturday at Mt. San Antonio College.

The Cavaliers, the top-ranked team in Division II, combined to run 1 hour 23 minutes 38 seconds on the three-mile course. Santiago, which finished third in Division II last season, appears hungry for its first team title.

“We want to win that race next week,” Santiago Coach Rex Ressler said. “Our main goal this year is to win CIF. What we do at state is just icing on the cake.”

The Cavaliers were led by senior Juan Corona, who finished fourth in 16:16.62. Rene Rangel was fifth in 16:22.74 and Rudy Corona seventh in 16:34.22 for the Cavaliers.

Villa Park senior Augie Escobar produced the top qualifying time in Division II and the fourth-best time of the meet, covering the hilly layout in 15:41.50.

“I’m a little tired because I ran 11 miles on Thursday,” said Escobar, who was racing the Mt. SAC course for the first time this season. “I’m going to start tapering off next week and then my times will get a little lower.”

Tustin, Laguna Hills, Villa Park, Newport Harbor and Valencia were also among the 13 teams that qualified in Division II.

Katella, ranked second in Division I, had the third-fastest team time in the division (1:22:02), placing three runners in the top six, but its fourth and fifth runners dropped back to 28th and 29th. Chino Don Lugo, the top-ranked team in Division I, had the fastest team time (1:20:00), followed by fourth-ranked Rialto (1:21:51).

Katella’s Danny Mejia, who won a Division II title last season, had the second-fastest time in Division I (15:45.12) behind Lakewood’s Oswaldo Pina (15:39.42). Esperanza’s Ryan Bousquet, who finished first at last month’s Orange County Championships, won his heat with the third-fastest time in the division (15:46.12).

Jeremy Vantress of Rancho Alamitos had the second-fastest time in Division III (16:09) and was the only county qualifier at that level.

Corona del Mar, the third-ranked team in Division IV, had the fourth-best team time in the division (1:25:48). Estancia and Laguna Beach also qualified from Division IV.

Unranked St. Margaret’s had the sixth-fastest qualifying time in Division V (1:29:11).