Cross-Country Titles Up for Grabs : City, Southern Section Boys to Chase Individual Crowns

Mike Williamson of Thousand Oaks High, Todd Lewis of Burbank and Bryan Dameworth of Agoura will be gunning for their first individual titles in the Southern Section cross-country finals today at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut.

Also today, Craig Lawson of Granada Hills will contend for individual honors in the City Section finals at Pierce College.

Camarillo and Hart will be seeking their first titles in the boys’ 4-A and 3-A divisions, respectively, at the Southern Section meet, and Agoura is favored to defend its title in the girls’ 2-A race. In the girls’ City final, Alex Guidi of El Camino Real is a contender for the individual title.

The Southern Section meet begins at 8 a.m. with the boys’ 4-A race and the City Section meet starts at 10 a.m. with the boys’ frosh-soph race.

The meets also will determine representatives for next Saturday’s state championships at Woodward Park in Fresno.

The top 5 teams and the top 5 individuals not on a qualifying team at the Southern Section championships, and the top 2 teams and the top 5 individuals not on a qualifying team at the City meet will advance to the state meet in each of 3 divisions.

Although there are 4 divisions in the Southern Section, the state meet is divided into 3 classes based on school enrollment.

At the state level, Division I includes schools of 1,600 or more students; Division II is for schools with 801-1,599 students; and Division III schools have 800 students or less.

Williamson is favored to win the Southern Section 4-A title, but Mike Tansley of Dana Hills, Jimmy Rodriguez of Santa Ana Valley, Eddie Lavelle of Corona del Mar and Canyon sophomore Dave Hartman will be in hunt.

Lewis established himself as a heavy favorite in the 3-A Division when he won his prelim in 15:17.

Peter De La Cerda of Alemany, who defeated Lewis in the Bell-Jeff Invitational earlier this season, and Marco Oceguerra of Rubidoux should be Lewis’ closest challengers.

Dameworth, the defending state Division I champion, will battle Scott Hempel of Walnut, the defending state Division II champion, in the 2-A race.