Cross country teams going back to Mt. SAC

After running countless miles this fall, many local high school cross country teams are now only one step away from a trip to the CIF State Championships.

During the CIF-Southern Section Cross Country Prelims at Mount San Antonio College in Fresno last Saturday, several area schools posted times good enough to move on to the CIFSS Finals this Saturday at the same venue.

Teams that advanced include Thousand Oaks, Oak Park, Oaks Christian, Westlake, Newbury Park, Simi Valley, Royal, La Reina and Agoura.

Both the Oak Park boys' and girls' squad qualified in Division III. James Goldstein won his race on the boys' side with a time of 15:43, while Melissa Skiba led the girls with a 17:43.

"When we write our team goals at the start of the year, we kind of write them backwards," Oak Park head coach Kevin Smith said. "Our first goal is to be competing in Fresno on Thanksgiving weekend in the state finals. I know it's kind of like putting the cart before the horse, but that's how our team works.

"We know we have to do well this week in order for that to happen. If we're off even a little, we're not going anywhere but home," the coach said.

Also advancing in Division III was Agoura. Katie Klezak led the Chargers with a fifthplace finish of 19:05.

In Division II, the Thousand Oaks boys moved on by attaining 31 team points, good enough for first place.

Leading TOHS was Kevin Joerger's 15:44. All six Lancer runners were separated by only 17 seconds.

Thousand Oaks head coach Shawn Morris said his squad has run in packs lately because it helps the time of the fifth and sixth runners. Morris wouldn't say if he planned on using the same strategy this weekend.

"I do know what we're going to do, but I'd rather not say for strategic reasons," Morris said.

"I will say that we'll be running hard, and we'll be going for the win."

Another way Morris pushes his team is by finding the best team at the race and challenging his Lancers to run faster.

"This week, we want to beat Loyola," Morris said. "I told my runners to just focus on the blue-and-white jerseys. They are a good team, so if we're beating them, we'll be running a good race."

Also qualifying in Division II was the Westlake boys' squad, as well as the Newbury Park boys' and girls' teams.

Royal won its heat in the Division I boys' competition and moved on. Senior Travis Edwards was third overall.

Making the CIF-SS Finals as the 16th qualifier in Division II was the Simi Valley girls' squad.

Although the Pioneers will race again, head coach Roger Evans believes the team needs to have a better showing than they did at the prelims.

"We did not have a good performance at the prelims, and truthfully, we were awful," Evans said. "On Monday the team was still licking its wounds from their performance, but on Tuesday the team seemed to pull themselves back together."

SVHS, who just missed out on a state finals bid last season, realizes the importance of this weekend's race.

"Our main goal at the start of the year was to go to state, and even though we didn't have a good showing last week, we're still here," Evans said. "The team is more experienced than last year, and they understand what's at stake."

In Division IV, La Reina and both the boys' and girls' squads at Oaks Christian advanced.