The county’s cross country league finals season started last week with the Empire League.
Valencia swept the boys and girls team titles at Craig Regional Park, and Pacifica and Kennedy filled out the CIF-qualifying top three.
Jacob Smith of Pacifica (15:15.7) took the individual boys title. In the girls race, Western got a one-two finish from Wendi Leos (17:50.0) and Montserray Celis (18:02.8) to qualify for CIF as individuals.
The Academy League raced Thursday at Irvine Regional Park, home of four league finals, and St. Margaret’s walked away with the boys and girls titles.
Sage Hill, Crean Lutheran and Whitney also qualified for CIF in the team top-four on both sides.
Ellah Hess of Crean Lutheran (19:11.56) won the girls title by a whopping 43-second margin. St. Margaret’s Nic Glitter took the boys win with a 15:53.9.
Gabriel Resier of Brethren Christian qualified as an individual in sixth place to be the Warriors’ first CIF representative since the team went in 1996.
In the Sunset League finals Saturday at Central Park, Newport Harbor got a one-two-three finish for the boys with Alexis Garcia leading the way in a dominant 21-74 victory.
Fountain Valley took the girls title. Los Alamitos and Edison finished second and third in the boys and girls races.
Mia Matsunami of Newport Harbor (18:00.1) took first place for the girls and qualified for CIF as an individual. Huntington Beach’s Alekos Mitchel qualified as an individual (fifth place) for the boys.
LEAGUE FINALS SCHEDULE
Schedule of remaining league finals (all times 1 p.m. unless otherwise noted):
Wednesday, Nov. 2: Century Conference at Yorba Regional Park, Anaheim
Wednesday, Nov. 2: Orange Coast League at Irvine Regional Park, Orange
Wednesday, Nov. 2: Golden West League at Central Park, Huntington Beach
Wednesday, Nov. 2: Freeway League at Craig Regional Park, Fullerton
Thursday, Nov. 3: South Coast League at Irvine Regional Park, Orange
Thursday, Nov. 3: Pacific Coast League at Mason Park, Irvine
Thursday, Nov. 3: Garden Grove League at Mile Square Park, Fountain Valley
Thursday, Nov. 3 – Orange League at Craig Regional Park, Fullerton
Thursday, Nov. 3: Olympic League at Craig Regional Park, Fullerton, 2 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 4: Trinity League at Central Park, Huntington Beach, 1:30 p.m.
CIF-SS Preliminaries will be held at Riverside Cross Country Course (1011 Orange St., Riverside). Divisions 1 and 4 will be held Nov. 11 and Divisions 2, 3 and 5 on Nov. 12.
