THE TIMES’ RANKINGS

BOYS’ CROSS-COUNTRY

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L.A. Loyola vaults from sixth to second after romping to the Division I title of the Bell-Jeff Invitational at Griffith Park on Saturday. Although it’s unclear if the cumulative time (74 minutes 26 seconds) of the Cubs’ top five runners was the fastest run on the 2.8-mile course, the time is 12 seconds faster than a highly regarded McFarland team ran at the Bell-Jeff meet two years ago. Chino Don Lugo, with defending state Division I champion Erick Maldonado racing again, makes its debut in the top 10.

Rank School (Section-Division)...Last Week

1. Orange (SS-Division II)...1

2. Loyola (SS-Division I)...6

3. Dana Hills (SS-Division I)...2

4. Long Beach Poly (SS-Division I)...3

5. Canyon Country Canyon (SS-Division I)...4

6. Murrieta Valley (SS-Division I)...5

7. Royal (SS-Division I)...7

8. Barstow (SS-Division III)...8

9. St. John Bosco (SS-Division II)...9

10. Don Lugo (SS-Division I)...NR

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GIRLS’ CROSS-COUNTRY

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Dana Point Dana Hills, the No. 4-ranked team in the nation in Harrier magazine’s preseason poll, falls out of the top 10 after two less-than-impressive performances the last two weekends. Anaheim Esperanza moves from 10th to fifth after finishing ahead of Fountain Valley and Chino Hills Ayala in the race of champions event in the Great American Cross-Country Festival in Charlotte, N.C., on Saturday.

Rank School (Section-Division)...LW

1. Thousand Oaks (SS-Division I)...1

2. Sultana (SS-Division II)...2

3. Murrieta Valley (SS-Division I)...4

4. Canyon Country Canyon (SS-Division I)...3

5. Esperanza (SS-Division I)...10

6. Fountain Valley (SS-Division I)...6

7. Ayala (SS-Division I)...7

8. Long Beach Wilson (SS-Division I)...NR

9. Oak Park (SS-Division IV)...NR

10. Peninsula (SS-Division I)...8

John Ortega

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GIRLS’ GOLF

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Three weeks into the season and the elite teams have begun to separate themselves from the pack. The only motivation for Long Beach Wilson, Rollings Hills Estates Peninsula and Goleta Dos Pueblos might be breaking 200. All have been under 210 regularly, and Wilson came close with a 200 last Tuesday at Recreation Park. The Bruins shot 186 two days later, but that was at par-32 Catalina Country Club. Camarillo moves up after shooting 208 at Las Posas Country Club, site of the Southern Section finals in November. San Clemente took on two-time defending CIF-WSCGA champion Torrey Pines and lost, 165-180, in a match with only four scoring players.

Rank School (Rec., Section-League)...LW

1. Long Beach Wilson (5-0, SS-Moore)...1

2. Peninsula (4-0, SS-Bay)...2

3. Dos Pueblos (6-0, SS-Channel)...3

4. Camarillo (3-0, SS-Pacific View)...5

5. Palm Desert (4-0, SS-Desert Valley)...4

6. Esperanza (3-0, SS-Sunset)...6

7. San Clemente (2-1, SS-South Coast)...9

8. Santa Margarita (4-1, SS-Serra)...7

9. Rosary (4-1, SS-Serra)...8

10. Marina (5-0, SS-Sunset)...10

Peter Yoon

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GIRLS’ TENNIS

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Top-ranked Corona del Mar takes on seventh-ranked Rolling Hills Estates Peninsula today. The Sea Kings were the last team to deny Peninsula the Southern Section Division I title in 1997. Corona del Mar hopes to be at full strength, but No. 1 player Anne Yelsey has yet to play a match and is questionable because of an injured knee. Second-ranked Palm Desert took over the top spot in the Division II poll by beating No. 6 Fullerton Troy with depth and doubles strength. Irvine Woodbridge has tested itself with perhaps the strongest schedule around. The Warriors went 2-1 last week, defeating Mission Viejo Capistrano Valley and No. 10 Irvine University while falling to No. 4 Dana Point Dana Hills.

Rank School (Rec., Section-Division)...LW

1. Corona del Mar (4-1, SS-Division I)...1

2. Palm Desert (3-0, SS-Division II)...2

3. Beverly Hills (3-0, SS-Division I)...3

4. Dana Hills (3-0, SS-Division I)...4

5. Calabasas (6-1, SS-Division I)...5

6. Troy (3-1, SS-Division II)...6

7. Peninsula (3-0, SS-Division I)...7

8. Laguna Beach (3-1, SS-Division I)...8

9. Woodbridge (5-2, SS-Division I)...9

10. Irvine University (4-2, SS-Division I)...10

Lauren Peterson

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GIRLS’ VOLLEYBALL

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Long Beach Wilson once again proved worthy of the No. 1 ranking by finishing second at the Las Vegas Durango tournament, going 6-0 before losing to San Jose Archbishop Mitty in the championship. Los Alamitos finished fourth at the tournament, Manhattan Beach Mira Costa fifth, Santa Ana Mater Dei sixth and Torrance Bishop Montgomery seventh. Mission Viejo Capistrano Valley fell out of the rankings after a poor showing at the Dave Mohs tournament two weeks ago, but returns at No. 9 by winning its own tournament and finishing ahead of Anaheim Esperanza and Dana Point Dana Hills.

Rank School (Rec., Section-Division)...LW

1. Long Beach Wilson (13-1, SS-Division I-AA)...1

2. Marymount (8-1, SS-Division IV-AA)...2

3. Los Alamitos (12-5, SS-Division I-AA)...4

4. Mira Costa (7-2, SS-Division I-A)...3

5. Esperanza (13-2, SS-Division I-AA)...5

6. Newport Harbor (7-1, SS-Division II-AA)...7

7. Mater Dei (10-6, SS-Division II-A)...6

8. Bishop Montgomery (10-5, SS-Division III-A)...8

9. St. Margaret’s (5-2, SS-Division IV-A)...10

10. Capistrano Valley (10-2, SS-Division I-A)...NR

Mike Bresnahan

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BOYS’ WATER POLO

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Long Beach Wilson proved it’s the best team in the Southland by easily defeating top-seeded Anaheim Servite on Saturday in the final of the South Coast tournament at Newport Harbor High. Newport Harbor defeated Lake Forest El Toro in Friday’s quarterfinals and finished fourth, losing by a goal to La Jolla The Bishop’s, while Corona del Mar lost by three to The Bishop’s in another quarterfinal and finished fifth. Laguna Beach makes its debut in the top 10 after edging previously 10th-ranked Villa Park in an early-round South Coast tournament game.

Rank School (Rec., Section-Division)...LW

1. Long Beach Wilson (8-0, SS-Division I)...1

2. Servite (6-1, SS-Division II)...2

3. Harvard-Westlake (7-0, SS-Division I)...3

4. Newport Harbor (4-3, SS-Division I)...7

5. Corona del Mar (6-3, SS-Division I)...4

6. El Toro (4-3, SS-Division I)...6

7. Foothill (5-3, SS, Division I)...5

8. Riverside Poly (10-1, SS, Division V)...9

9. San Clemente (3-3, SS, Division I)...8

10. Laguna Beach (2-3, SS, Division I)...NR

Dan Arritt