SOUTHERN SECTION CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS : Edison Girls, Katella Boys Seeking Titles

WALNUT — The prevailing attitude at last week’s Southern Section cross-country preliminaries was, “Thank goodness that’s over.”

Now, title favorites and hopefuls alike turn their attention to the section championships at 8 a.m. Saturday at Mt. San Antonio College. The top four teams in each division advance to the CIF State meet next Saturday at Woodward Park in Fresno.

Among those expected to win Saturday and move on to the State meet are the Edison girls’ and the Katella boys’ teams. Each breezed to victories in their heats last week at Mt. SAC.

Edison, top-ranked in State Division II, had four runners among the top eight finishers and Katella, second-ranked in Division II, had the top three finishers in its heat.

If there is a team that might knock off Edison, it’s Ocean View. The Seahawks’ team time of 99 minutes 14 seconds was the second-fastest of the day, some 32 seconds better than Edison’s. Moreover, Ocean View came within three points of defeating Edison at the Sunset League championship meet Nov. 7.

Although his team failed to advance out of the prelims, Jaime Martinez of Orange made quite an impression by winning his Division I-A heat in 15:33 seconds. He’ll be running Saturday as an individual.

“I think I can improve a little if somebody pushes me,” said Martinez, who was making his debut on the hilly, three-mile course at Mt. SAC.

He won by a comfortable 12-second margin last week.

The schedule:

Girls’ Division I, 8 a.m.; girls’ Division II, 8:20; girls’ Division III, 8:40; girls’ Division IV, 9.

Boys’ Division I, 9:20 a.m.; boys’ Division II, 9:40; boys’ Division III, 10; boys’ Division IV, 10:20.