BEST OF REST NOT BAD AT ALL CANYON'S `OTHER' RUNNERS MIGHT BE KEY TO TITLE CHASE.

Byline: Kirby Lee Special to the Daily News

The exploits of Canyon High's fleet threesome - seniors Jameson Mora and Luke Llamas and junior Ryan Morgan - have been well chronicled as arguably among the fastest groups in the state.

The key to the Cowboys' run at the state Division I title, however, likely will lie with their Nos. 4 through 7 runners, the lesser-known names of juniors Mark Bingham and Troy Werner and sophomores Jace Getskow and Alex Harris.

``Our top three is so potent and so far ahead that if (the others) can stay with another team's fourth and fifth, we will virtually have the meet won,'' Canyon assistant coach Cal Linam said.

That was apparent when Canyon finished third in the Race of Champions at the Great American Cross Country Festival in Rock Hill, S.C. The performance catapulted the Cowboys, who defeated defending state Division I champion Long Beach Poly, to the top of the section rankings.

Canyon will be tested by Poly again the Clovis Invitational on Saturday in Fresno. The competition, run on the state-meet course at Woodward Park, also will include Sacramento Jesuit and McFarland.

Jesuit, which beat Canyon by two points in last year's state Division II final, has emerged as a challenger for the Division I title after posting a victory in the Stanford Invitational last Saturday. McFarland, the defending state Division IV champion, posted the fastest team time at the Bell-Jeff Invitational.

``With Ryan, Luke and Jamie all the way up there, we pretty much know that if we do our best, things will take care of themselves,'' Werner said.

Bingham and Getskow, along with Mora, Llamas and Morgan, return from last year's Southern Section Division II champion team. Werner and Harris have made a smooth transition to a team that began the season 16th in the national rankings.

Werner ran only one race at the varsity level as a sophomore but consistently has been among the top seven. His development has prompted a nickname change from ``Our boy Troy'' to ``Man of Troy'' this fall. ``The back end is stronger than it used to be last year,'' Linam said. ``We have a choice of four guys, who are interchangeable. It makes us a lot more dangerous than having to depend on one guy.''

Bingham and Getskow come from families with older siblings with Saugus High ties, but both opted for Canyon because of junior high friends and the science program.

Bingham's sister, Leah, is a 1999 Saugus graduate who ran cross country, track and played basketball. Brother Alan Jr. is a 1995 Saugus alumnus who competed in track and cross country.

Getskow's brother John, who graduated in 1998, won Foothill League 800 titles as a junior and a senior. He also was a member of the Centurions' 1997 Southern Section Division II champion cross country team.

These days, it's not uncommon to see Bingham's and Getskow's siblings attend their brothers' cross country competitions and cheer for both Canyon and Saugus.

``My brother got into it and I just followed in his footsteps and started enjoying,'' Jace Getskow said.

Getskow and Bingham are starting a legacy of their own at Canyon. In the Foothill League track finals, Bingham was second in the frosh-soph 800 and third in the 1,600. Getskow won the frosh-soph 1,600 and was third in the 800.

The development of Harris has been the most surprising. He was hampered for most of the season by a knee injury but finished second to Werner in the 3,200 at the league championships. Harris finished as the Cowboys' No. 4 runner in his varsity cross country debut at the Great American Cross Country Festival.

``Time-wise, we seem to be doing a lot better,'' Getskow said. ``I'll run 15 seconds faster than last year than I did when I was fifth man and I'll be seventh. We help each other keep pace and push each other.''

During intervals, Mora, Llamas and Morgan typically run their workouts in a separate group while the remaining four run together at their own pace. The group stays together during distance workouts, with the sophomores turning back a few miles earlier.

``When it's 105 degrees and you mention the workout is 14 miles, you would expect moans and groans in general,'' Linam said. ``It's shocking that they don't complain on hellish days and it doesn't faze them. You have to be really impressed. It is kind of scary and admirable that they are wiling to meet the test.''

FEARLESS FOURSOMEA

look at Nos. 4 through 7 runners on Canyon's cross country team, which is first in the Southern Section Division I rankings.

--Mark Bingham, Jr. - Sister Leah competed in the state junior college cross country final at COC last year.

--Jace Getskow, So. - Lone freshman on 2000 Southern Section Division II champion team.

--Alex Harris, So. - Fourth man in varsity debut at Great American Cross Country Festival.

--Troy Werner Jr. - Elevated to varsity for 2000 Foothill League championships.

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo:

Canyon cross country runners (from left) Jace Getskow, Mark Bingham, Alex Harris and Troy Werner.

John Lazar/Staff Photographer

Box: FEARLESS FOURSOME (see text)