Duarte Runner Sets Course Record

Duarte High senior Mohamed Trafeh set a course record in winning a talent-laden boys’ sweepstakes race in the Irvine Woodbridge Invitational cross-country meet at Woodbridge High on Saturday night.

Trafeh, who won the state Division IV title and placed seventh in the national championships last year, surged past leader Troy Swier of Imperial Beach Mar Vista with a quarter-mile left in the three-mile race on his way to a 14-minute 17-second clocking that cut two seconds off the previous course record set by Ryan Wilson of Agoura in 1992.

Swier, a senior, finished in 14:19.

Chino Don Lugo, paced by sixth-place Fitsum Tesfa, won the boys’ team title with 62 points.

The cumulative time of the Conquistadores’ top five runners was 75:14, more than a minute faster than the previous course team-time record of 76:30 by Santa Ana in 1998.

Murrieta Valley, which defeated Don Lugo in the Bronco Invitational last weekend, was second with 125 points.

Senior Liza Pasciuto of Murrieta Valley won the girls’ race in 16:38 to lead the Nighthawks to a 51-78 victory over second-place Anaheim Esperanza.

Pasciuto’s time was the second-fastest run on the flat, fast course. Lauren Fleshman of Canyon Country Canyon clocked 16:30 in 1998. Murrieta Valley had a course-record team time of 89:01.

-- John Ortega

The Anaheim Esperanza High girls’ volleyball team will make its first appearance in the Division I title match of the Dave Mohs Memorial Orange County Championships after the Aztecs’ 25-16, 25-14 victory over Corona del Mar in the semifinals at Huntington Beach.

The Aztecs, No. 10 in The Times’ rankings, play Los Gatos for the championship Monday night at Edison High. Los Gatos beat tournament host Huntington Beach Edison, 25-21, 25-19, in another semifinal.

Brea Olinda advanced to the Division II title match by beating Chino Hills Ayala, 25-13, 20-25, 15-6. The Wildcats face San Diego Francis Parker.

Esperanza rallied to upend defending San Diego Section champion Torrey Pines and advance to the quarterfinals despite losing the first game and falling behind in the second.

Opposite hitter Ashley Engle sparked that comeback and added several key kills in a sweep of No. 5-ranked Newport Harbor in the quarterfinals. She also had another kill for the last point of the first game against Corona del Mar.

Rachel Lumsden had 14 kills, younger sister Brittni Lumsden added 13 kills and Jenny Smith had seven blocks for Brea Olinda in its victory over Ayala.

-- Paul McLeod

Stesha Selsky of Los Angeles Marymount earned tournament most valuable player honors as the Sailors came from behind to beat Long Beach Wilson, 19-25, 25-10, 15-4, and win the championship of the Las Vegas Durango Fall Classic.