County Girls’ Teams Have Repeat Business in Mind

Woodbridge, Foothill and Corona del Mar will begin their quests for consecutive Southern Section and state girls’ cross-country titles at the section preliminaries Saturday at Mt. San Antonio College.

Corona del Mar is the clear favorite to repeat in Division IV, but Woodbridge and Foothill will face uphill battles in Division II.

Woodbridge, tied for second in the Southern Section polls and ranked fourth in the state, won its titles in Division I last season, but dropped a level after the top four divisions had their enrollment cutoffs reconfigured before this season.

Division II is the most competitive division in both the Southern Section and state this season.

“It seems like every year we manage to hit the top divisions,” Woodbridge Coach George Varvas said. “Division II is so deep it’s unreal.”

Foothill, ranked seventh in the Southern Section, won its titles in Division II last season, but is unranked in the state polls after an injury-filled season.

Foothill and Woodbridge are entered in the same preliminary heat Saturday, with the top four teams in each of the four heats advancing in Division II, as well as individuals in the top eight who are not on a qualifying team.

Esperanza and Fountain Valley dominated the Sunset League this season and give the county its best shot in Division I.

The Aztecs have yet to run at full strength because of illness and injury, but have the potential to be near the front.

If the Barons fail to advance out of the section finals Nov. 18 at Mt. SAC, Fountain Valley junior Julie Allen, The Times’ Orange County runner of the year in 1999, is expected to qualify for the state finals Nov. 25 in Fresno. Allen finished second at the Division I state finals last season.

Five girls’ teams from the Pacific Coast League advanced to the section preliminaries, and four are entered in Division IV. In addition to Corona del Mar, Estancia, Northwood and Laguna Beach will vie for one of 13 berths from the three heats. University, the fifth Pacific Coast League team to qualify, is entered in Division I.

Northwood was runner-up in Division V last season and finished third in state, but the Timberwolves were recently bumped up to Division IV based on new enrollment figures.

In the boys’ races, Orange County teams and individuals aren’t expected to win any titles, but there should be some tight battles for state qualifying berths.

Dana Hills could be the deepest team in the Southland, with 12 runners finishing under 17 minutes at the Mt. SAC Invitational last month. The Dolphins are ranked fourth in the Southern Section and seventh in state.

Orange County’s best chance at a boys’ title will come from Newport Harbor, ranked third in the Southern Section and fourth in the state. The Sailors won the Division II title at the Stanford Invitational and the sweepstakes race at the Orange County Championships last month.

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County Competitors

BOYS

DIVISION I (Top four teams in each of the four heats advance. Individuals in the top eight who are not on a qualifying team also advance):

Race 1 (7:45 a.m.)--Aliso Niguel, Edison, Marina. Individuals--Coria Filemon (San Clemente). Race 3 (8:12 a.m.)--El Toro, Santa Ana Valley. Race 5 (8:39 a.m.)--Mission Viejo, Santa Ana. Individuals--Mike Beadle (Capistrano Valley). Race 13 (10:27 a.m.)--Century, Dana Hills, Fountain Valley, Saddleback. Individuals--Mark Murray (Los Alamitos).

DIVISION II (Top four teams in each of the three heats advance, plus the fifth-place team with the fastest team time. Individuals in the top 10 who are not on qualifying teams also advance):

Race 7 (9:06 a.m.)--Anaheim, Brea Olinda, Cypress, Los Amigos, Santa Margarita, Sonora. Individuals--Billy Pittman (El Dorado), Tim Aukshunas (El Modena). Race 9 (9:33 a.m.)--Foothill, Katella, Santiago, Sunny Hills, Tustin, Woodbridge. Individuals--Chris Zepeda (Mater Dei). Race 11 (10 a.m.)--Newport Harbor, Orange, Valencia. Individuals--Josh Pena (El Dorado), Salvador Herrera (Loara).

DIVISION III (Top six teams in each of the two heats advance, plus the seventh-place team with the top team time. Individuals in the top 15 who are not on qualifying teams also advance):

Race 21 (1:45 p.m.)--Pacifica. Race 23 (2:12 p.m.)--Buena Park. Individuals--Patrick Jones (Fullerton), Irwin Salas (Costa Mesa).

DIVISION IV (Top six teams in each of the two heats advance, plus the seventh-place team with the top team time. Individuals in the top 15 who are not on qualifying teams also advance):

Race 16 (11:14 a.m.)--Laguna Beach, Orange Lutheran. Race 18 (11:41 a.m.)--Corona del Mar, Estancia.

DIVISION V (Top six teams in each of the two heats advance, plus the seventh-place team with the top team time. Individuals in the top 15 who are not on qualifying teams also advance):

Race 25 (2:50 p.m.)--Capistrano Valley Christian, St. Margaret’s.

GIRLS

DIVISION I (Top four teams in each of the four heats advance. Individuals in the top eight who are not on a qualifying team also advance):

Race 8 (9:17 a.m.)--Individuals--Serena Waraino (Aliso Niguel). Race 12 (10:11 a.m.)--Dana Hills, Marina, Mission Viejo. Individuals--Valerie Castelazo (Century). Race 14 (10:38 a.m.)--Esperanza, Fountain Valley, Saddleback, Santa Ana, University. Individuals--Britney Webster (Capistrano Valley), Maryanne Pynchon (Edison).

DIVISION II (Top four teams in each of the four heats advance. Individuals in the top eight who are not on a qualifying team also advance):

Race 15 (10:58 a.m.)--Laguna Hills, Santa Margarita, Santiago, Sunny Hills. Individuals--Jenna Wheeler (Loara). Race 17 (11:25 a.m.)--Cypress, Foothill, Garden Grove, Sonora, Woodbridge. Race 19 (11:52 a.m.)--El Dorado, Villa Park, Mater Dei, Tustin, Valencia. Individuals--Ana Ngo (Troy). Race 20 (12:12 p.m.)--Brea Olinda, El Modena, Katella, Newport Harbor, Trabuco Hills. Individuals--Cynthia Mendez (Savanna).

DIVISION III (Top four teams in each of the three heats advance, plus the fifth-place team with the fastest team time. Individuals in the top 10 who are not on qualifying teams also advance):

Race 26 (3:01 p.m.)--Garden Grove, La Habra, Pacifica. Race 28 (3:28 p.m.)--Magnolia. Race 29 (3:50 p.m.)--Rosary. Individuals--Filadelfa Abarca (Rancho Alamitos).

DIVISION IV (Top four teams in each of the three heats advance, plus the fifth-place team with the fastest team time. Individuals in the top 10 who are not on qualifying teams also advance):

Race 2 (7:56 a.m.)--Corona del Mar, Whittier Christian. Race 4 (8:23 a.m.)--Estancia, Northwood. Race 6 (8:50 a.m.)--Laguna Beach, Orange Lutheran.

DIVISION V (Top six teams in each of the two heats advance, plus the seventh-place team with the top team time. Individuals in the top 15 who are not on qualifying teams also advance):

Race 22 (1:56 p.m.)--Connelly, St. Margaret’s.