Westlake Brothers Three-Dimensional

Intense sibling rivalries do not exist between brothers Alex, Joel and Arturo Villagomez of the Westlake High boys’ cross-country team.

If they did, Warrior co-coaches Joe and Sheryl Snyder would be required to act as peace keepers on a regular basis because the Villagomezes are the top three runners on a team that is 2-0 in Marmonte League competition entering today’s meet against visiting Newbury Park.

“Competing against one another is not really a big deal to us,” said Arturo, a freshman and the Warriors’ No. 2 runner. “Our teammates are always trying to make a big deal out of it, but it’s never been an issue to us. We just all want to run well.”

Alex, a senior and the team’s No. 3 runner, agrees.

“We’re all out there to run our personal bests,” he said. “I’m not going to be worried if one of my brothers passes me or I pass one of them. We’re all out there to do as well as we can.”

Alex, who at 5 feet 6 1/2 and 160 pounds is bigger than the 5-5, 124-pound Joel or the 5-2, 110-pound Arturo, introduced his brothers to running when he started training with Westlake in the summer before his freshman year.

Joel, who was entering seventh grade at the time, began running for the United cross-country club the next year. Arturo followed suit last year.

“I started running partly because of Alex and partly because I had an interest in it,” said Joel, a sophomore and Westlake’s top runner. “It’s fun to run and be part of a team. But I really enjoy being out there with my brothers.”

Joe Snyder, who has coached at Westlake for five years with his wife, says the brothers have different personalities.

Alex is the typical big brother who will keep his younger siblings in line when needed.

Joel is low-key and jovial, according to Snyder, and Arturo always seems to be smiling because he’s enjoying his first season of high school cross-country.

“He kind of reminds me of [former Santa Maria Righetti High standout Ronnie Buchanan] because of that smile,” Snyder said. “It’s like he’s not out there to run a certain time. He’s out there because he enjoys running with the leaders.”

A strong work ethic is a common trait among the brothers.

“We got that from our parents,” Arturo said. “My mom and dad were born in Mexico and they’ve worked very hard to get us to where we’re at and to give us a good education.”

Said Alex, “They’ve never pushed us to do anything that we didn’t want to do, but they’ve always been very supportive of us when we’ve decided to pursue something.”

Like running.

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The Westlake girls’ team has had a hard time putting seven healthy runners on the starting line this season after being loaded with depth a year ago.

Junior Kristen Anderson, the top returning runner from the Marmonte League championship team, has missed the last three races because of a foot injury.

Senior Jaclyn Huntling has missed two meets since suffering a hip injury when she fell after passing out from heat exhaustion during the Woodbridge Invitational in Irvine on Sept. 16.

Junior Michala Brook has raced but recently suffered a hip injury when she slipped and fell.

In addition, sophomore Lauri Schakett has run only one race--at the junior varsity level--because of her involvement with cheerleading.

“Last year, we had about 10 girls who could run [varsity] for us,” Snyder said. “We just don’t have that luxury this year.”

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Another hip injury probably will prevent junior Brandon Lucero of Camarillo from competing again until the second Pacific View League meet at Arroyo Verde Park on Wednesday.

Lucero won his first three races of the season, but soreness in his right hip kept him out of the Channel Islands Invitational at College Park last Saturday and is expected to keep him out of the Central Park Invitational in Huntington Beach on Saturday.

“He tore a hip flexor muscle during track season,” explained Coach Mike Smith of Camarillo. “And he started to feel tenderness in that area again last week. He wanted to race [last Saturday], but I didn’t want to take a chance with him at this point in the season.”

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A strained right hamstring has prevented sophomore Whitney Russell of Hart from competing this season, but the defending Foothill League champion might return next Thursday for the second league meet at Griffith Park.

Senior Jamie Orlich, Hart’s No. 2 returning runner, ran her first two races of the season last week after being sidelined with back and hip problems. But Coach Larry David says it’ll take time for her to regain her form.

“She’s running pain free as far as I know,” David said. “Now it’s just a matter of getting her back in shape.”

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Seniors Daniel Clements of Taft and Chris Wells-Anders of El Camino Real, both better known for their exploits in track, will meet today in a West Valley League meet at Pierce College.

Clements placed second in the 1,600 and 3,200 in the City Section championships. Wells-Anders won the City title in the 800 and ran a career best of 1:52.28 to place second in the state meet.

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The Top 10

Rankings of region cross-country teams

BOYS

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RK LW School (League) 1 1 Canyon (Foothill) 2 3 Oak Park (Tri-Valley) 3 2 Thousand Oaks (Marmonte) 4 5 Nordhoff (Frontier) 5 6 Royal (Marmonte) 6 7 Santa Clara (Frontier) 7 4 Newbury Park (Marmonte) 8 9 Hoover (Pacific) 9 8 Camarillo (Pacific View) 10 NR Burroughs (Foothill)

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GIRLS

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RK LW School (League) 1 1 Quartz Hill (Golden) 2 2 Canyon (Foothill) 3 4 La Canada (Rio Hondo) 4 3 Thousand Oaks (Marmonte) 5 5 Royal (Marmonte) 6 6 Nordhoff (Frontier) 7 7 Ventura (Channel) 8 9 Crescenta Valley (Pacific) 9 10 Newbury Park (Marmonte) 10 NR Agoura (Marmonte)

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