DANA POINT- Needing a strong finishing kick to ensure victory down the final straightaway, Villa Park junior Garrett Corcoran instinctively displayed the resolve and determination needed to pull out a dramatic victory.
Corcoran rallied late and out-leaned Orange Glen of Escondido junior Andrew Tellames at the finish line to win the Division 2 junior race and produce the fastest individual time of the day among all divisions at the 2012 Dana Hills Nike Invitational Saturday at Dana Hills High.
“I don’t like losing and if someone tries to make a move on me or I’m behind, I try my hardest to pass them,” Corcoran said.
Corcoran and Tellames went stride for stride down the final 50 meters of the race before Corcoran (14:38.2) managed to dip his head and shoulder across the finish line just before Tellames (14:38.4).
Related:
Boys cross country: 2012 Dana Hills Nike Invitational results
Girls cross country: 2012 Dana Hills Nike Invitational results
“He (Tellames) made a nice surge with about a mile to go and took the lead,” Corcoran said. “I could feel him getting ready to make a move down around the final curve and I started to surge and barely got him.”
Godinez senior Jose Penaloza was victorious in the Division 2 senior race, crossing the finish line in a time of 14:48.6, the fourth best overall time of the meet.
“I felt good and was able to keep my rhythm and pace, which allowed me to pick it up,” Penaloza said.
It was a strong day for two of the county’s top freshmen. In the final race of the meet, Brea Olinda freshman Austin Tamagno set a new freshman meet record, winning the Division 3 race in a time of 14:54.5.
“In the third mile, I was able to kick it in and get a PR,” Tamagno said.
Tamagno’s time broke the freshman mark that was set earlier in the meet by Dana Hills’ Jake Ogden. Ogden thrilled the home crowd with a big victory in the Division 1 freshman race in a time of 15:00.7. That time broke the Division 1 freshman record set by former Woodbridge standout Michael Haddan (15:39) in 2000.
“It is all the more exciting with everyone here supporting me,” Ogden said.
Fountain Valley’s Hunter Gulino (14:55.3) won the Division 1 junior race, Brea Olinda’s Brennon Koryta (15:18.5) claimed the Division 3 junior race, Tesoro’s Sander Kushen (15:20.9) placed first in the Division 1 sophomore race, and Mater Dei’s Michael Hulme (15:43.8) took home a first place finish in the Division 2 sophomore race.
