Seven boys and seven girls cross country teams from Orange County have advanced to the CIF State Championships on Saturday at Woodward Park in Fresno.
The teams earned the spots with their performances this past Saturday in the CIF-SS Finals at Mt. SAC in Walnut.
Top-ranked Brea Olinda boys delivered a team title in Division 3. Austin Tamagno (14:39) of Brea Olinda and Brianna Bartello (17:17) of Laguna Hills won individual championships.
Esperanza’s girls team peaked at the right moment, too, as the Aztecs (1:32:59) posted the second best county time of the day behind Capistrano Valley (1:31:00).
Esperanza was the runner-up to Palos Verdes in Division 3. Sophomore Shannon MacKellar (17:54) and senior Katherine Gallaher (17:56) finished sixth and seventh, respectively, to lead the Aztecs.
The Northwood and Corona del Mar girls teams also advanced in Division 3.
– ANDREW TURNER
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
For the second consecutive year, the Mater Dei girls volleyball team lost in the CIF-SS Division 1AA finals, this time to Redondo on Saturday night.
The Monarchs will try to regroup and make a run at CIF State Division I title.
“I told them they had tonight (Saturday) to be upset and frustrated to get it out of their system,” Mater Dei coach Dan O’Dell said he told his players after their loss to Redondo. “That’s our first loss in a while … The hope is that we have another run in us.”
Mater Dei opens regional play Tuesday by hosting Point Loma, the San Diego Section Division 1 champion, at 7 p.m.
– DAMIAN CALHOUN
GIRLS TENNIS
The round of 32 for the CIF-SS Individual Championships in girls tennis will be held Dec. 2 at the Whittier Narrows Tennis Center in South El Monte.
The round of 16 and quarterfinals will be Dec. 3 at the Seal Beach Tennis Center. Semifinal and finals play will also be held in Seal Beach on Dec. 4.
– KENNY CONNOLLY
BOYS WATER POLO
There was talk Saturday that Foothill’s boys water polo team earned a degree of redemption by capturing the CIF Division 2 title, one season after falling in the championship game.
Ever-steady and positive Foothill coach Jim Brumm, however, wasn’t on the redemption bandwagon.
“It was not redemption (for me),” he said after the Knights’ 10-7 victory against Los Osos of Rancho Cucamonga.
“I was very happy and very pleased with the team last year and their results. … To me, it’s all about the day-to-day grind, the training, and it’s always nice to finish the year off (with) a win, but not too many teams get to win their last game.
“I just feel blessed, to be honest, that I get to coach the kids I do.”
Brumm has guided Foothill boys to eight appearances in the CIF finals. His Knights claimed Division 1 titles in 1995 and 2008.
– DAN ALBANO
