LAGUNA HILLS-Canyon coach Patrick Bendzick insisted that his team entered the Laguna Hills Invitational with no expectations other than to try and execute well on the race course and to start their season on a positive note.
The Comanches exceeded expectations with a stellar season opening performance, producing the fastest overall team time of the invitational Saturday at Laguna Hills High.
Canyon entered the meet ranked No. 3 in county and No. 3 in Division 2 in the latest CIF-SS boys cross country rankings, had an overall team time of 79 minutes and 40 seconds.
They were led by Wes Walsh (15:42) who won the Division 2 junior race and Andrew Selevos (15:42) who finished second in the Division 2 senior race. The runners each tied for the ninth fastest overall individual times of the meet.
OCVarsity Hot Shots: Laguna Hills Invitational
Ryan Thompson (15:51) finished second behind Walsh in the junior race, while Chance Lamberth (16:01) finished first in the Division 2 sophomore race.
“It’s a great honor and outcome for us to enjoy for now, but we know we have work to do over the next few weeks,” Benzick said. “The big picture for us is in November.”
Dana Hills (ranked No. 1 in the county and No. 3 in CIF-SS Division 1) finished tied for third with Arcadia at 80:16. El Toro (80:31) finished tied for fifth place with San Pedro.
The Dolphins’ Jake Ogden took home first place in the Division 1 sophomore race. Ogden clocked a winning time of 15:30, the fastest among all county runners and the fourth best overall time of the meet.
“I was prepared to go all out and show what my training has done for me,” Ogden said. “It’s still the beginning of the season and I feel I have a long way to go.”
Woodbridge’s Jackson Marshall posted his second individual victory of the season, winning the Division 2 senior race in a time of 15:34.
“Winning twice in the first two weeks of the season has been more than I expected,” Marshall said. “I just have to keep a more consistent pace in the second mile.”
Other individual county race winners included: Tustin’s Jesus Panteleon (15:50) in the Division 3 junior race, Corona del Mar’s Spencer Keith (15:56) in the Division 3 senior race, JSerra’s Andrew Burkhardt (16:14) in the Division 3 sophomore race, Woodbridge’s Caleb Myers (16:33) in the Division 2 freshman race, and Servite’s Jordan Garcia (17:11) in the Division 3 freshman race.
