Resilient Poe Takes Setbacks in Stride

Michael Poe of Etiwanda won three major boys’ cross-country championships during the season, but the way he bounced back from a disappointing performance in the Mt. San Antonio College Invitational in October was the best indicator of his drive and determination.

Poe, a senior, was expected to be one of the top finishers in the individual sweepstakes race at Mt. SAC on Oct. 26. But he placed 13th, 46 seconds behind the winner of a race that included some of the top runners from California, Arizona and Nevada.

Poe attributed his finish to a lack of mental toughness, but he used that to motivate himself to a series of superb efforts, including victories in the Division I races of the Southern Section and state championships in November and in the West region championships Dec. 7.

“I was in great shape going into Mt. SAC,” Poe said. “But I wasn’t mentally ready to run in a race of that caliber. That race was a great example of how you have to be mentally prepared to race.”

Poe felt ready to contend for a top-five finish in the national championships at Morley Field in San Diego last Saturday, but finished 22nd in the 32-runner field while running his sixth race in 40 days.

He wore a look of fatigue and disappointment as he plopped down on the grass near the finish line moments after the race.

“I was a little tired after the last five weeks,” Poe said. “But I’m not going to complain. I had a great season.... It’s a little hard [racing] back to back to back to back, but I’m totally excited just to come here. Still, top 22 in the country isn’t so bad.”

Junior Mohamed Trafeh of Duarte finished seventh in the national meet to beat Poe for the third time in five meetings this season. But the series of superb efforts that Poe strung together from the Baseline League finals Nov. 5 to the West region championships helped him edge Trafeh for The Times’ boys’ cross-country runner of the year honors.

The Baseline League finals were held at Mt. SAC, only 10 days after Poe’s meltdown on that course. Yet he ran 14 minutes 57 seconds over the 2.91-mile layout to win the race by more than a minute and cut four seconds off his previous course best.

He followed that race with an easy 15:21 effort to win his qualifying heat in the section preliminaries at Mt. SAC on Nov. 16 and then zipped to a 14:48 clocking on the same course to win the Division I final by 19 seconds a week later.

He won the state Division I final at Woodward Park in Fresno by 16 seconds Nov. 30 before posting a four-second margin of victory in the West region championships on Mt. SAC’s 5,000-meter course.

He was relaxed and confident entering the national championships, but faded from 10th to 22nd in the second half of the race.

“I knew that I was in shape to run with most of those guys,” he said. “But my body was just tired from all the races in the previous weeks.

“I just need to take some time off and start getting ready for track.”

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FIRST TEAM

*--* Juan Escalante Katella Jr Placed fourth in the Southern Section Division II final and seventh in the state meet after finishing fifth in the Orange County championships Michael Haddan Woodbridge Jr Set a course record in winning the Orange County title and placed second in the Division II races of the Southern Section and state championships Antonio Jimenez Rubidoux Sr Timed his peak perfectly, finishing third in the Southern Section Division II final, fourth in the state meet and ninth in the West region championships David Napper Cypress Sr Runner-up in the Orange County championships placed fifth in the Division II finals of the Southern Section and state championships Michael Poe Etiwanda Sr Won Division I titles in the Southern Section and state championships before winning the West regional and placing 22nd in the national meet Phillip Reid Rio Mesa Sr Ventura County champion won the Division II races of the Southern Section and state championships before finishing 36th in West regional Coach of the Year: Lalo Diaz, Loyola (Assistant: Frank Meza) Diaz and Meza guided the Cubs to their first Division I titles in the Southern Section and state championships and a No. 6 national ranking by Harrier magazine

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SECOND TEAM

*--* Mike Chavez Esperanza Sr Mark Matusak Loyola Sr Jose Melena Antelope Valley So Juan Robles Placentia Valencia Sr Manuel Ruiz Monroe Sr David Torrence Loyola Sr Troy Werner Canyon Country Canyon Sr

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THE TIMES’ RANKINGS

A final look at the top boys’ cross-country teams in the Southland:

1. Loyola (SS-Div. I): Cubs were ranked sixth in Harrier magazine’s final national poll after winning the Southern Section and state titles by large margins.

2. Rubidoux (SS-Div. II): Falcons were ranked 22nd in the nation after winning their second consecutive section title and finishing runner-up to No. 10 Carmichael Jesuit in the state meet.

3. Don Lugo (SS-Div. I): Erick Maldonado’s return from injury helped the Conquistadores finish third in the section finals and second to Loyola in the state meet.

4. Dana Hills (SS-Div. I): Orange County’s champion edged Don Lugo for second in the section final and finished a point behind the Conquistadores in the state meet.

5. Orange (SS-Div. II): Panthers finished third in the state meet after placing second to Rubidoux in the section final.

6. Long Beach Poly (SS-Div. I): With Kevin Brulois slowed by surgery to remove his appendix, the Jackrabbits placed fifth in the section final and fourth in the state meet.

7. Murrieta Valley (SS-Div. I): Nighthawks finished fourth in the section final and fifth in the state meet after defeating Don Lugo in the Inland Empire Challenge earlier in the season.

8. Barstow (SS-Div. III): Aztecs romped to their second consecutive titles in both the section and state finals.

9. Canyon Country Canyon (SS-Div. I): Defending state champions were slowed by illness at the end of the season but finished sixth in both the section and state finals.

10. Royal (SS-Div. I): Highlanders won their second consecutive Ventura County title and finished seventh in the section final.

-- John Ortega