CROSS COUNTRY: MAHAR'S FINAL SHRED GOOD NEWS AT SAUGUS.Byline: Kirby Lee Special to the Daily News It was a bad break for Jon Mahar but it could not have come at a better time for the Saugus High cross country team. The fanatical fa·nat·i·cal adj. Possessed with or motivated by excessive, irrational zeal. fa·nat  i·cal·ly adv. skateboarder has been grounded, at least temporarily,
after breaking his skateboard. Now, Saugus is starting to roll with the
emergence of the junior as a solid No. 4 runner.
In the Southern Section Division I championships 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. , Mahar helped Saugus finish third in the team competition to earn a berth in Saturday's State championships at Woodward Park Woodward Park (34 acres) is a public park, botanical garden, and arboretum located between 21st Street and 24th Street, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. It is open to the public daily. in Fresno. Last season, Mahar got a late start after cracking his rib while riding a skateboard. That was followed by a broken finger and a sprained arm in another skateboarding skateboarding Form of recreation, popular among youths, in which a person rides standing balanced on a small board mounted on wheels. The skateboard first appeared in the early 1960s on paved areas along California beaches as a makeshift diversion for surfers when the ocean mishap (language) MISHAP - An early system on the IBM 1130. [Listed in CACM 2(5):16, May 1959]. . Despite pleas from Saugus coach Pam Thompson and teammates to curtail cur·tail tr.v. cur·tailed, cur·tail·ing, cur·tails To cut short or reduce. See Synonyms at shorten. [Middle English curtailen, to restrict his daredevil antics antics Noun, pl absurd acts or postures [Italian antico something grotesque (from fantastic carvings found in ruins of ancient Rome)] antics plural noun , it was only after Mahar recently broke his skateboard while jumping off a 6-foot wall that his skateboarding came to a halt. ``We don't have that discussion anymore,'' Thompson said. ``He has told me he put it away but I am not going to supervise him.'' His teammates, however, plan to keep a close watch on Mahar, who said he plans to resume skateboarding once the season is over. ``I think he has stopped,'' senior Daniel Klawer said. ``He better have. I think I am going to come back and run with these guys in the summer and watch what happens to make sure they don't fall apart. He has got so much natural talent, it is amazing a·maze v. a·mazed, a·maz·ing, a·maz·es v.tr. 1. To affect with great wonder; astonish. See Synonyms at surprise. 2. Obsolete To bewilder; perplex. v.intr. what he could do.'' Mahar literally gave a glimpse in the Southern Section Division I finals last Saturday. Running with spiked hair, Mahar clocked 16 minutes, 12 seconds to eclipse his personal best by 19 seconds over the revered 3-mile course. A week earlier in the preliminaries, Mahar had run only 16:57. Inspired by his breakthrough and his girlfriend Krista Schweitzer, a sophomore on the Saugus girls' team, Mahar has pledged to work out with the team regularly next summer. He has also received encouragement from his older brother Mike, a 1993 Saugus graduate who competed for the Centurions. Last summer, Jon did not run because of summer school and took the previous summer off while staying with his father in Orange County. ``This year I am going to train a lot harder,'' Mahar said. ``I enjoy leading the team. It is not really fun to have the juniors beating you when you're a senior.'' Thompson will have to see it to believe it. She his holding out judgment until she actually sees Mahar at a summer workout. ``You would never picture it,'' Thompson joked. ``Training is a novelty for Jon but that is where it sounds like he is headed. It is fun to see him take leadership. He has been a big surprise and it is really enjoyable to see him take a big leap.'' In the state meet, the Centurions will need another strong effort from Mahar as well as seniors Klawer, Jacob Boeding and Steve Wade Steve Wade (died 22nd December 1956) was one of the United Kingdom's executioners from 1940 to 1955. He died in Doncaster Royal Infirmary from carcinoma of the stomach. and sophomore Nick Zoetewey to challenge defending State champion Long Beach Poly. Saugus, Santa Ana Santa Ana, city, El Salvador Santa Ana (sän'tä ä`nä), city (1993 pop. 129,873), W El Salvador. It is the second largest city in the country and the commercial and processing center for a sugarcane, coffee, and cattle region. , Santee West Hills and City champion Belmont are expected to be in the hunt if Long Beach Poly falters. Long Beach Poly defeated Saugus handily hand·i·ly adv. 1. In an easy manner. 2. In a convenient manner. Adv. 1. handily - in a convenient manner; "the switch was conveniently located" conveniently 2. in the Mt. SAC Invitational in·vi·ta·tion·al adj. Restricted to invited participants: an invitational golf tournament. n. An event, especially a sports tournament, restricted to invited participants. Adj. 1. and Southern Section championships but Saugus could have the edge on a flatter Woodward Park course better suited for the Centurions' track speed. ``A top three finish would be phenomenal, but they are still unwilling to believe Long Beach Poly is unbeatable,'' Thompson said. ``We have to get up there early and it will take an outstanding effort from all five runners.'' The state meet will cap another stellar season for Saugus, which won its second consecutive league title this season after ending an 12-year drought without a league crown last season. The Centurions advanced to the state meet for the first time last season, finishing seventh in the Division II after capturing the Southern Section title. Qualifying for the State meet in the rugged Southern Section was a challenge in itself for the Centurions after being elevated to Division I this fall. STATING THEIR CASE What: State championships Where: Woodward Park, Fresno When: Saturday, 8:30 a.m. The facts: The Saugus boys are making their first appearance at the Division I level after finishing seventh in Division II in 1997 in their first-ever state meet. Lauren Fleshman of Canyon is favored for the girls' Division I individual title. CAPTION(S): Box BOX: STATING THEIR CASE (See text) |
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