Breakers on run to Fresno

Saturday turned out to be a successful day for the Laguna Beach High cross-country program, as both the boys’ and girls’ teams have qualified to run Saturday at the State meet in Fresno.

BOYS

Obstacles could not prevent the Laguna Beach High boys’ cross-country team from running to an outstanding finish Saturday at the CIF-Southern Section Division IV cross-country finals at Mount SAC in Walnut.

Coach Dave Brobeck’s crew overcame sickness and a race mishap to finish second to top-ranked Big Bear on the day.

Laguna had entered the meet ranked third in the division.

“We had a really nice performance last weekend at Mount SAC for the CIF finals event,” Brobeck said. “We came into the race ranked third in CIF SS and finished second, ‘CIF runner’s-up,’ behind the winning team, Big Bear. This is obviously a very good result any year you can get it.

“However, what made this one special is that we earned second (place) with a variety of very real obstacles in our way. Nothing ever comes easily for us this time of year, but we always manage to find a way onto the podium.”

Here’s how Saturday played out for the Breakers, Brobeck said:

Andrew Raub, senior: “My No. 2 runner came down with a bad sickness a few days before the race. He was severely congested and was not supposed to run. We decided just before going over to the starting line that he would give it a shot.”

Raub finished the race in 16:41, good for 23rd-place. “Andrew ran a courageous race,” Brobeck said. “Without sickness, he likely would have been 30-40 (seconds) faster. He did this for the team. I expect him to recover to near 100-percent for the State meet this Saturday.”

Peter Hastings, junior: “My No. 5 runner has had some serious problems breathing because of asthmatic complications. He fought through this and ran a very respectable time of 16:45, getting him 26th-place.”

Brobeck said that the story of the meet for the Breakers was senior Michael Brown who ran the hilly, dirt course in 16.25 — just two seconds off what would have been an all-time personal record — and finished in 18th-place.

Brobeck said that Brown possesses a “wealth of talent” but that injuries have marred his four-year career.

Brown faced altogether different type of challenge Saturday.

“In the first 200 meters of the race, another runner stepped on the heal of his right shoe and kicked it off,” Brobeck said. “Michael continued to run with one shoe and a sock, until the sock also came off. His right foot was so badly damaged that he lost a large flap of skin on his heel as well as his right big toe. He was cleaned up at the ER after the race and is now bandaged and on crutches.

“He will not run this week. He will be in the pool aqua jogging in hopes that he will lace his shoes again at the State meet for one final race on Saturday. He was a total inspiration. It was a real coming-of-age moment. He would not stop running.”

Laguna’s top finisher was Jeremy Eaton who ran a 15:45 and placed fifth. Yann Panassie went 16:22 and finished 14th and both he and Eaton earned All-CIF honors.

Eaton’s time, Brobeck said, is the fastest time for a Laguna runner at Mount SAC.

“We are ranked sixth going into the State meet,” Brobeck said. “We all know that we will finish better than this.”

GIRLS

Coach Earl Towner called Saturday a “great day” for the girls’ team, which finished fourth in Division IV. Laguna had been ranked sixth throughout the course of the regular season but by running past five teams that had defeated the Breakers at the Nov. 11 CIF prelims, they now head to Saturday’s State meet in Fresno with added confidence.

Top-ranked Marlborough won the Div. IV team title.

“It was very exciting to see the girls run so well and make it to the state finals for the fourth straight year,” Towner said.

Senior Alex Crawley led Laguna’s pack with a fifth-place time of 18:55, good for All-CIF honor. Following Crawley on the Laguna leaders board were Melissa Lenker (20:45, 36th-place), Kativa Strickland (20:47, 38th-place), Kelly McCarter (21:07, 49th-place), Cassidy Robinson (21:16, 57th-place), Chanel Brooks (21:42, 69th-place) and Gerry Artman (22:47, 84th-place).