PREP CROSS-COUNTRY STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS : Top County Runners Meet in Showdown

WALNUT — When Orange County runners check out the competition at the Southern Section championships today at Mt. San Antonio College, they will see familiar faces. County teams will be pitted against each other in several races.

One that should provide plenty of excitement and settle county bragging rights is the boys’ Division I race, where Saddleback, top-ranked in Division I-AA, will run against No. 3 Santa Ana Valley.

Santa Ana Valley, led by junior Juan Arvizu, finished a close second in its preliminary heat Nov. 10 on the Mt. SAC course; Saddleback, led by Eddie Salinas, easily won its heat.

Today’s 12-team race should be a close one between the two county contenders and the winners of the other preliminary heats--Hart, Arroyo Grande and Channel Islands.

In the girls’ competition, Irvine, the top-ranked team in Orange County and second-ranked in Division I-A, will need a stellar performance to upset top-ranked Agoura and its No. 1 runner, Deena Drossin. Sophomore Kelly Roda and freshman Jennifer Gillis are Irvine’s leaders.

In the girls’ Division II race, Edison’s Shelley Taylor will again be matched against Jeannie Rothman of Westlake.

At the Nov. 10 preliminaries, Rothman turned in the fastest overall girls’ time--17 minutes 49 seconds. Taylor and Katella’s Martha Pinto have the best chances of the division’s runners to upset Rothman.

Other top county runners competing are Daniel Niednagel of Dana Hills, Mark Gonzales of La Habra, Danny Simon of Villa Park, Linh Le of Los Amigos, Tanja Brix of University, Kay Nekota of Woodbridge and Heather Killeen of Valencia.