State Meet Is Next Step for Cross-Country Elite

The Belmont girls’ and boys’ teams lead a City Section contingent that will participate in the state cross-country championships Saturday at Woodward Park in Fresno.

Belmont swept the girls’ and boys’ titles at last week’s City Section cross-country championships at Pierce College in Woodland Hills.

The Belmont girls feature seniors Janeth Osorio and Araceli Campos, juniors Ligia Alvarez and Laura Serrano, sophomores Maria Mateo and Wendy Mendez and freshman Lucia Texcaro.

San Pedro also is competing in the team competition in Division I.

Girls running as individuals include City champion Natalie Stein, a senior at North Hollywood, senior Jessica Lopez of Eagle Rock, freshman Lynette Clark of Franklin, senior Marissa Madsen of Palisades and junior Maria Blazquez of Roosevelt.

The Belmont boys, who won their sixth consecutive City title, are led by seniors Raymundo Castillo, Jose Rojas and Juan Luvian, juniors Rashbo Ahmed, Jose Villela and Marlon Ruiz and sophomore Miguel Hernandez.

North Hills Monroe is also competing in the boys’ Division I race.

Boys competing as individuals are City champion Daniel Clements, a senior at Woodland Hills Taft, and seniors Lino Ortiz of Van Nuys Birmingham, Damian Lopez of Reseda Cleveland, Oscar Sanchez of Eagle Rock and Chris Wells-Anders of Woodland Hills El Camino Real.

Most of the top individuals will qualify for the West Region championships Dec. 2 at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut.

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Defending City Section champion Westchester, Fairfax, Palisades and Gardena will participate in the 16-team Pacific Shores boys’ basketball tournament that begins Monday at Redondo Union High.

Defending Division III state champion Bishop Montgomery, Redondo Union and Long Beach Poly are among other teams in the tournament.