Flacks, Escobar Impressive

Senior Lindsay Flacks of North Hollywood Harvard-Westlake and sophomore Alma Escobar of Corona moved to fourth and fifth on the all-time state performer list in the girls’ 5,000 meters with their performances in the 46th Mt. San Antonio College Relays on Friday night.

The Stanford-bound Flacks won the 3.1-mile race in 16 minutes 51.64 seconds to barely hold off Escobar, who ran 16:51.97. The times also moved them to 14th and 15th on the all-time national list.

It was the first time that the Mt. SAC Relays offered 5,000-meter races for high school competitors.

“I really hadn’t given it much thought,” Flacks said when asked if she was shooting for a specific time in the race that is 1,800 meters farther than the longest race contested at the state championships. “But I had someone to push me, which was great. So I just ... wanted to keep a good pace and go strong.”

In other races Friday night, senior Ryan Deak of Aurora (Colo.) Smoky Hill won the boys’ 5,000 in 14:24.89, and Pleasant Hill College Park placed first in the girls’ four-mile relay in a state-record 20:33.97.

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Senior Mohamed Trafeh of Duarte did not run in the boys’ 5,000 meters in the Mt. SAC Relays on Friday night after bypassing the Arcadia Invitational last weekend, but Coach Nick LaCapria said Trafeh could run in the Montview League finals May 5 if he improves his academic standing in the next couple of weeks.

Trafeh, a two-time all-American and two-time state Division IV champion in cross-country, signed a letter of intent with Arizona in November. But LaCapria said he needs to raise his grades by the end of the school year in order to be eligible to compete in the fall.

-- John Ortega

Baseball

Cole Hathcock threw a four-hitter and drew a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the eighth to lift Orange El Modena to a 1-0 upset over visiting Anaheim Canyon, the No. 3-ranked team in the Southland by The Times, in a Century League game.

Nick Casanova threw a complete game for the Comanches (13-5, 5-2), giving up no earned runs and four hits and striking out seven. It was the fourth consecutive season the Vanguards (8-10, 2-5) shut out Canyon at home. “We’ve been a little bit of a thorn in their sides,” said El Modena Coach Steve Bernard.

-- Dan Arritt

Boys’ Tennis

Santa Barbara had the best player, but North Hollywood Harvard-Westlake had depth on its side, which propelled the Wolverines to a 9-9 (84-74) nonleague road victory Friday afternoon in a showdown of top-three teams.

The Dons, ranked No. 2 in the Southland by The Times, had five match points at No. 2 doubles but couldn’t convert. Instead, No. 3 Harvard-Westlake (11-0) remained unbeaten.

The Wolverines won, 13-5, last season. The Dons (13-1) were without top singles player Blake Muller, who had a back injury, in that matchup.

Muller (19-1) swept his sets against Harvard-Westlake, 6-1, 6-3, 6-2, Thursday. But the Wolverines’ top two singles players, Joshua Lederman and Jon Greenberg, took four of six sets to lead their team to victory.

Santa Barbara was without No. 2 singles Taylor Chavez-Goggin, who sat out because of a back injury.

-- Elia Powers

Basketball

Two regional all-star basketball doubleheaders, featuring top senior players, will take place today.

The 39th Orange County doubleheader begins with the girls’ game at 5 p.m. followed by the boys’ game at 7 at Orange Coast College. Tickets are $10 for adults, $6 for students.

The eighth Battle of the Valley doubleheader also opens with the girls’ game at 5 followed by the boys’ game at 7 at Cal State Northridge. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students and children.

-- Bob Rohwer