Boys cross country: Newport puts its best foot forward

Joseph Boo

LAGUNA HILLS - It wasn’t exactly a team race for Newport Harbor

High’s boys cross country team at Saturday’s Laguna Hills Invitational,

and the Sailors weren’t the same without Chris McMillen, but their first

event of the 2000 season ended smoothly enough.

A pair of juniors, one freshman and senior John Peschelt provided

strong finishes to bolster the CIF Southern Section Division II’s No. 6

team without it’s projected star, McMillen, whose eligibility will be

decided this week.

“We couldn’t run as a team because of the separate races,” Newport

Coach Bim Barry said. “We’re a mix of four different classes, but I’m

pleased with their performance. I’m most pleased for where they are right

now for what they’ve done over the summer.”

He got an encouraging run from junior Jesus Santana, who had the

fastest time on the team with a 16:23. Santana placed fifth in the

Division II boys race, while teammate Ivan Romero was eighth (16:37).

Peschelt, who will head Newport’s lineup while McMillen’s eligibility

is settled, was seventh in the seniors race with a 16:35. Sophomore Alec

Urtu was a solid 11th in the sophomore race (17:19).

But it was freshman Nick Miller who caught Barry’s attention with a

17:34 and a fourth-place finish in the freshman race, his very run.

“Our freshmen had a great day,” Barry said. “He ran really well, and

it was only his first race.”

Among Newport’s other varsity runners, Joel Furman was 24th in the

junior race, Chris Negrete was 24th in 17:18 and Negrete was 28th with a

17:33. In the senior race, Guy Vackar was 31st (17:54) and Dan Moyer, a

top hurdler on Newport’s track team, was 33rd (18:00).

The only boys individual winner from the Newport-Mesa schools came

from another cross country runner in his first race. Costa Mesa’s Irwin

Salas won the Division III junior race in 16:37.

“I was surprised that he did so well in his first race,” Mesa Coach

Eric Davies said.

“Physically, it was difficult,” Salas said, “but mentally, I thought

it was easy.”

The Mustangs were encouraged by senior Mike Williams, who showed a

return to form after an ankle injury hobbled him last year. He was 14th

in the senior race with a 17:17.

Corona del Mar’s Travis Beardslee and Josh Yelsey came close to

winning their Division III senior race. Beardslee was second in 15:53 and

Yelsey followed right behind in 16:00. Both set personal records for the

course.

The Sea Kings, ranked No. 3 in CIF Division IV, got encouraging runs

from the rest of their team. Junior John Grod was second in the junior

race with a 16:53 while Blake Dillion was the runner-up in the sophomore

race (17:16). Junior Dustin Hodges had CdM’s fourth-best overall time

with a 17:15.

Two freshmen, J.C. Turner and Danny Quinlan, showed well in their

first competition. Turner was third in the freshman race (18:35) while

Quinlan was seventh (18:57).