CROSS COUNTRY: DESERT CHRISTIAN RUNS AWAY WITH TITLES.Byline: Gerry Gittelson Daily News Staff WriterLike the gusty gust·y adj. gust·i·er, gust·i·est 1. Blowing in or marked by gusts: a gusty storm. 2. Characterized by sudden outbursts. wind brushing through the Antelope Valley This article is about the Los Angeles County region. For the census-designated place in Wyoming, see Antelope Valley-Crestview, Wyoming. The Antelope Valley , the Desert Christian High boys' and girls' cross country teams keep blowing away the competition. The boys won their eighth consecutive Desert Mountain League championship - and the girls their seventh - at the league finals Friday at Trona tro·na n. A natural vitreous gray or white mineral, Na2CO3·NaHCO3·2H2O, used as a source of sodium compounds. High. The boys are seeded No. 7 and the girls No. 2 entering Saturday's Southern Section prelims at Mt. San Antonio College Mt. San Antonio College (commonly called Mt. SAC; pronounced as the word "sack") is a community college located in the Los Angeles suburb of Walnut, California, next to California State Polytechnic University, Pomona which is just over a hill. Mt. in Walnut. Heats begin at 1 p.m. At Trona, both dominated, each taking the top four spots. The teams feature a combined 55 participants, fairly remarkable considering just 350 students attend the Lancaster school. In comparison, league mate Owens Valley has two runners and Trona has fewer than 10. (Boron boron (bōr`ŏn) [New Gr. from borax], chemical element; symbol B; at. no. 5; at. wt. 10.81; m.p. about 2,300°C;; sublimation point about 2,550°C;; sp. gr. 2.3 at 25°C;; valence +3. , Mammoth and Lucerne Lucerne (l  sûrn`), Ger. Luzern (ltsĕrn`), canton (1993 pop. Valley round out the conference.)
``It's the dominant sport on campus,'' said athletic director Dean Spoelstra, also the girls' cross country coach. Spoelstra oversees a program that has won two Southern Section Division IV championships - and been runner-up three times - since 1993. The boys placed sixth in the state last year. Desert Christian's most dominant runner this season is freshman Jynnifer Wright, a 5-foot-1, 100-pound jitterbug jitterbug Dance variation of the two-step in which couples swing, balance, and twirl in standardized patterns to syncopated music in ⁴⁄₄ time. It originated in the U.S. in the mid 1930s and became internationally popular in the 1940s. who finished undefeated in league and has won every race by at least 1 minute. ``It must be hard for Jynnifer to always be running all by herself,'' teammate Deann Matteson said. ``I don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. how she does it.'' Wright has broken every school record - including five course records - according to Spoelstra. Her best time is 18:51 over the 2.9-mile course at Bell-Jeff High in Burbank. ``Jynnifer has talent, she works hard, and she's very competitive,'' Spoelstra said. Wright credits her faith in God - and plenty of practice laps - for her success. ``I guess we really have done a lot of training,'' she said. Desert Christian's weekly regimen includes a brisk eight-mile run on Mondays plus conditioning drills: climbing the bleacher bleach·er n. 1. One that bleaches or is used in bleaching. 2. An often unroofed outdoor grandstand for seating spectators. Often used in the plural. steps at Antelope Valley College Antelope Valley College is a comprehensive community college located in Lancaster, California, USA. It is operated by the Antelope Valley Community College District, with a primary service area of 1,945 square miles covering portions of Los Angeles and Kern counties. , traversing hills and running sprints. Matteson, slowed by a foot injury (pulled ligament) suffered Sunday in a club soccer game, has been running No. 2 behind Wright. She was held out of Friday's final. Matteson isn't letting the injury damper her season. ``I think we're doing great,'' she said. ``It's amazing to see how much the team has improved since last year.'' Senior Amberley Horning horn·ing n. Upstate New York, Northern Pennsylvania, & Western New England See shivaree. See Regional Note at shivaree. [Probably because horns are blown at the shivaree.] , a four-year member, is also a top performer. ``She is our team leader. I am going to miss her,'' Spoelstra said. ``Because of her work ethic, Amberley has been a real blessing to our program.'' Horning helped the Lady Knights to a 1995 Southern Section championship as a freshman. Another title in her senior year would be a nice bookend. Junior Pam McLaren and sophomore Bethany Spoelstra are the other key runners. Daniel Miller, a sophomore with a best of 15:37 at Bell-Jeff, leads the boys, followed by junior Zach Schroeder (15:47 at Bell-Jeff) and junior Cory Henwood. Henwood missed the first month due to injury and is peaking at the right time, according to third-year boys' coach Will Laird. RUNNING LIKE THE WIND Desert Christian High has already clinched the Desert Mountain League championship entering Friday's final at Trona at 2 p.m. Coaches: Will Laird, third year, boys; Dean Spoelstra, 10th year, girls Nickname: The Knights Top boys: Daniel Miller, sophomore; Zach Schroeder, junior; Cory Henwood; junior Top girls: Jynnifer Wright, freshman; Deann Matteson, sophomore; Amberley Horning, senior. Fast fact: The boys won a Southern Section Division IV championship in 1994, and the girls won the same title in 1995. CAPTION(S): Box BOX: RUNNING LIKE THE WIND (See text) |
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