County Teams Still in the Running

WALNUT — Orange County athletes had a strong performance with 17 boys’ teams and 17 girls’ teams advancing to the Southern Section finals after qualifying at the Southern Section Preliminaries Saturday on Mt. San Antonio College’s rain course.

The Corona del Mar girls’ team turned in the best performance, placing five runners among the top six of a Division IV heat, for a team score of 16.

The El Modena girls’ team placed five runners among the top nine and seven among the top 11 for 25 points.

“We wanted to send a little message,” said El Modena Coach Tom Weber, whose team has never won a state championship but has won four consecutive Southern Section titles.

The Esperanza girls’ team showed why it has been ranked No. 1 in the county since the season began and No. 2 in Division I. The Aztecs, led by Pam Smith, who won her heat in 18 minutes 21 seconds over the three-mile course, had a score of 43. Irvine, which finished second in the heat, had 89 points. Both teams qualified for the section finals.

Newport Harbor’s Alicia McFall, who won in 18:02, turned in the best time for a Division III runner as she defeated Buena Park’s Heather Garritson (18:31). Garritson had the second-best time in the division. Both of their teams advanced.

“I was going to take it easy because I didn’t feel well [before the race],” McFall said. “I was surprised. I felt good, so I decided to turn it up a notch.”

The Santa Ana boys’ team, ranked eighth in Division I, also advanced to the section finals by winning its heat with a team score of 70, 48 points ahead of second-place Chino Hills Ayala, which was ranked fourth in the division.

St. Margaret’s Ryan Downey moved a step closer to defending his Division V state championship by finishing second in 16:35, two seconds behind Santa Clara’s Aaron Sharp, whom Downey beat in last season’s state finals meet by five seconds.

“Today’s race was just about getting our teams to advance,” Downey said. “I’d love to repeat what I did last year and if all goes well, I will.”

The Tartans, ranked 10th in the division, placed three runners in the top nine to advance to the section finals, finishing first with a team score of 62.

Mission Viejo’s Mark Gleason, who helped his team finish first in its Division II heat with 53 points, won in 15:11. “I get hyped up for CIF,” said Gleason, whose time was 31 seconds faster than the second-place finisher. “There’s just something about having to qualify to get to the next level that just gets me going.”

El Toro’s Danny Lee (15:39) qualified for the section finals as an individual with a fifth-place finish.

“I was just trying to qualify,” Lee said. “It wasn’t about winning.”

The Chargers did not advance, finishing sixth with 194 points in a Division I heat that also featured Irvine, Dana Hills and Capistrano Valley. All three teams advanced; the Vaqueros (126) finished second, the Dolphins (143) third and the Cougars (169) fourth.

Notes

For the girls’ teams, El Toro and Dana Hills also advanced to the Division I finals. . . . In Division II, Woodbridge, Katella, Brea Olinda, Santa Margarita, Troy, Mission Viejo and Tustin advanced. . . . Pacifica advanced in Division III, as did Costa Mesa in Division IV. . . . For the boys’ teams, Irvine, Dana Hills, Capistrano Valley and Esperanza qualified in Division I. . . . Brea Olinda, Katella and Tustin move on in Division II. . . . Newport Harbor, Sonora, La Habra and El Modena advance in Division III. . . . In Division IV, Estancia, Corona del Mar and Costa Mesa qualified for Saturday’s finals. . . . Alysson Marquand, who was dismissed from the University High team earlier this season, ran unattached in the Women’s Reebok Vo2 Max Cup and finished 11th in 17:31 on the same course as the preliminaries.