Pack Mentality Makes Difference for Canyon

For the first time in four years, the Canyon Country Canyon boys’ cross-country team lacks an outstanding front runner. But the Cowboys, who are No. 4 in The Times’ Southland rankings, have continued to flourish because of their ability to run in a tight pack.

Canyon had a 12-second gap between its No. 1 and No. 5 runners while finishing sixth in the Irvine Woodbridge Invitational on Sept. 20, and that spread was 18 seconds when the Cowboys won their second consecutive Division I title in the Kenny Staub Invitational at Crescenta Valley Park in Glendale on Saturday.

Senior Jace Getskow led Canyon with a sixth-place finish in the Staub meet. Teammates Adam McDonald, Alex Harris, Tommy Werner and Brian Moore finished seventh, eighth, 12th and 13th.

“We’re all kind of similar in times,” Getskow said. “In practice, we’re right together and so we pretty much run as a pack. It’s good because we have each other to push. We can talk to each other and be like, ‘Hey, let’s start moving. We’ve got to go now.’ ”

Most cross-country coaches are concerned about over-racing their teams, but few have taken their concern to the level of Corona’s Mike Barbee.

Corona opened its season last Wednesday with a meet against Corona Centennial, and many of the top runners on the girls’ team did not run their first race until the Kenny Staub Invitational on Saturday.

In comparison, most teams have run a minimum of three races at this point in the season and many have run five or six.

“I’m a believer that you’ve got six or seven races in you per season,” Barbee said. “That if you want to run well at [the Southern Section championships], you can’t run too many races before then.”

-- John Ortega

St. Louis Cardinal pitcher Brett Tomko will be among those inducted into Placentia El Dorado’s Golden Hawk Athletic Hall of Fame during a banquet Oct. 18 in the school’s gymnasium.

Tomko, a nine-year major leaguer, graduated in 1991 and earned varsity letters in baseball and basketball.

He holds the school record for points scored in a basketball game with 55.

Joining Tomko as inductees will be former athletic director Tom Byrnes; Greg Ernst, track and field; Ray Ernst, parent supporter; Mike Fleming, wrestling; Alan Gresham, water polo/swimming; Scott Lawson, wrestling; Tom Milich, water polo/swimming coach; Mike Moore, water polo/basketball/football/swimming; Shawn Ray, football; Diana Rossi (Endow), volleyball/basketball/softball, and Michael Tillman, water polo/swimming.

Banquet tickets are $40 and available until Wednesday.

Information: Melanie Spickelmier, (714) 993-5350.