Sofia Abrego of Granada Hills wins second consecutive City Section cross-country title

After leading every step of the race, sophomore Sofia Abrego of Granada Hills took a seat on the dirt at Pierce College, feeling a little tired after running 18:03.54 over the three-mile course to win her second consecutive City Section Division I girls’ cross-country title on Saturday morning.

“It was very difficult,” she said.

Except the race didn’t come close to Abrego’s challenge earlier this season when her coach made her give competitors a 60-second head start in a league race. She caught everyone but two runners. All that training has helped Abrego emerge as the dominant girls’ runner in City Section sports and send her to next week’s state championships in Fresno.

“I’m going to bring it,” she said.

Abrego helped Granada Hills win the Division I girls’ team title.

It was a mad dash to the finish in the boys’ Division I race. San Pedro’s Max Arroyo went up the final hill in second place among three runners but came away with his first City title in 15:36.50.

“I ran up the hill as hard as I could,” said Arroyo, who missed last year’s cross-country season with an injury.

San Pedro won the Division I team title, edging Marshall 53-55.

Another runner coming back from injury was Verdugo Hills’ James Coomber, who took the Division III boys’ title in 15:50.8.

“Four years I’ve been trying to do this,” he said.