Schools
El Capitan and Monte Vista Runners Take Grossmont Cross Country Titles
Nearly 500 came out and ran hard and fast despite the wet weather.
El Capitan junior Daniel Gomez and Monte Vista junior Emily Lopez were the top runners Saturday in the Grossmont Conference Cross County Championships at Steele Canyon High School. Gomez won the boys 5K race in 16 minutes, 13 seconds, and Lopez took the girls 2.55-mile race in 15:18.
El Capitan High School took the varsity boys title, and Valhalla topped the varsity girls race. Also competing were Steele Canyon, Santana, West Hills, Grossmont, Helix, , , El Cajon Valley and Granite Hills. It was the Hills vs. the Valley as 476 athletes took part in four races (3.1 miles for boys and 2.55 for girls and junior varsity).
No. 1 varsity finishers for Patch community teams:
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- Helix Charter High School: Marco Gutierrez (15th) and Elaine Ribeiro (3rd)
- Grossmont High School: Michael Bradley (3rd) and Adrienne Elliott (10th)
- Monte Vista High School: Steven Lepe (2nd) and Emily Lopez (1st)
- Mount Miguel High School: Paul Gonzalez (21st) and Diana Higuera (33rd)
- : Matt Gearhart (42nd) and Veronica Tischer (58th)
- : Eddie Medine (5th) and Rachel Johnston (8th)
The course at this meet began with running across the varsity football field, down a dirt, puddled ramp around the JV football field, back up the dirt ramp, onto 100 meters of the track, across the student parking lot in front of the school, up and around a mountain, around the back side of the school back around the front and ending on the track.
Spectators could have several vantage points of the runners if they liked running around a bit themselves.
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Cross country meets are won by the team that has the least amount of points. The first runners across the finish line begin the accumulation of points. So the object is to get the most runners on your team across the finish line as fast as possible. The JV Girls race was won by one point and the JV Boys by 10 points. Each race was over three miles and lasting under 20 minutes. The morning went very quickly with some showers and lots of puddle jumping.
Typically, the awards ceremony immediately followed on the track, but the rain had not let up so everyone was moved onto the campus to a huge covered shelter and stage. There the top runners were recognized and received their medals.
JV Girls — Valhalla (winners), Steele Canyon, West Hills, Granite Hills, Monte Vista, Groosmont and El Cajon Valley.
JV Boys — Steele Canyon (winners), Valhalla, West Hills, Helix, Grossmont, El Capitan and Granite Hills.
Varsity Girls — Valhalla (winners), Steele Canyon, Grossmont, Helix, Granite Hills, and West Hills.
Varsity Boys — Steele Canyon (winners), Valhalla, West Hills, Helix, Grossmont and Granite Hills.
