VALLEY / VENTURA COUNTY SPORTS : ROUNDUP : Spiker Starts Senior Season With a First-Place Finish

Josh Spiker of Ventura High, defending Southern Section Division I cross-country champion, opened his senior season with a runaway victory in the Morro Bay Invitational at Morro Bay High on Saturday.

Spiker, who won the 3,200 meters in the state track and field championships in June, clocked 14:34 over the 2 3/4-mile course and Billy Nelson of Bakersfield Taft was second in 15:20 in the nonscoring meet.

Junior Roberto Contreras of Nordhoff placed fourth in 15:25.

Spiker, who will take a recruiting trip to Wisconsin next weekend, clocked 4:45 for the first mile and 4:52 for the last mile over a course that was listed as three miles in length, but was measured at 2 3/4.

Melissa Howery, a Ventura junior, placed third in the girls’ race in 19:12 and sophomore Robin Quinn of Nordhoff was fifth in 19:32.

In another meet:

Millikan Invitational--Anita Siraki of Hoover won the junior girls’ race in a meet-record time of 17:41 over the three-mile course at Heartwell Park in Long Beach.

Siraki, fourth in the state Division I championships last year, broke her record of 18:42 set last season.

WOMEN’S SOCCER

Ventura 3, Orange Coast 0--Sarah Costello scored twice and the Pirates notched their fourth shutout in pool play at the Cuesta College tournament in San Luis Obispo.

Goalie Shelly Wilson of Ventura made two saves in the game, the Pirates’ third of the day.

In earlier pool-play games, Ventura (4-1-1) defeated West Valley, 2-0, on goals by Desiree Tyree and Missy Kalvelage, and the Pirates tied Cuesta, 0-0, as Wilson made five saves.

Ventura plays Long Beach in the semifinals at 10:30 a.m. today.

Pasadena 2, Moopark 1--Amanda Light headed in a goal after a 30-yard free kick by Melanie Katus in the 12th minute to get the Raiders even, but Pasadena scored in the 70th minute to win a nonconference game at Moorpark.

Pasadena also scored in the ninth minute.

Goalkeeper Julie Jensen made 10 saves for Moorpark (2-2).

MEN’S WATER POLO

Golden West 12, Ventura 8--Eduardo Paes de Barros had four goals and Joey Smithers had 10 saves for the Pirates in a Ventura tournament semifinal defeat.

Ventura tied for third place with Orange Coast.

Ventura 9, Mt. San Antonio 6--Antonio Alvarez, Ryan Fisher and Holt Harper each scored two goals for the Pirates in pool play.