CROSS COUNTRY NOTEBOOK: T.O. HAS TECHNIQUES, SWEEP DOWN.

Byline: Ross Siler Staff Writer

The Thousand Oaks High girls' cross country team might have been instructed to use the first two meets this season to work on the technical aspects of running. But the Lancers ended up showing coach Robert Radnoti they've already perfected the art of the sweep.

In back-to-back weeks, the top-ranked Thousand Oaks girls won the freshman, sophomore, junior and senior races at the Fastback Challenge, then nearly duplicated the feat at the Mt. Carmel Invitational in San Diego on Sept. 21 by winning the freshman, sophomore and senior races.

All that kept the Lancers from a second sweep was a poor course layout, which forced junior Alyson Fletcher - leading more than 2 miles into the Mt. Carmel race - to slow down as she encountered runners coming the opposite direction on the loop course, according to Radnoti.

Fletcher ended up settling for second, but the Thousand Oaks girls already had made a statement. Their performance has impressed Radnoti and installed them as the early-season favorite to win the Division I state championship in November. Thousand Oaks finished third last season.

``All of them were running so easy at Mt. Carmel,'' said Radnoti, in his fifth year as the team's coach. ``They were running so effortlessly ... smiling, waving to the crowd, talking to people. It's pretty exciting.''

Senior Whitney McDonald posted Thousand Oaks's best time at Mt. Carmel, winning her race in 15 minutes, 49 seconds. Fletcher came in at 16:20, and sophomore Kathleen Vance finished first in 16:29. The Lancers also got a boost from freshman Lynne Fletcher - Alyson's sister - who won in 16:20 and might be the area's best newcomer.

In the Mt. Carmel race, Lynne Fletcher was in sixth place after 1 mile before Radnoti told her to push herself over the next mile and take over first. She did just that and powered home to the victory.

The team also has gotten a lift from senior Monica Su, who finished third behind McDonald in 16:29. It was an impressive showing considering all Radnoti wanted was for his girls to work on running down hills and turns in the first two meets.

--Taking charge: A large part of the credit for the Canyon boys' ability to stay on top after losing seniors Luke Llamas and Jameson Mora - both of whom finished in the state's top eight last season - goes to senior Troy Werner, who has raised his level of running once again.

At the season-opening Seaside Invitational on Sept. 13, Werner finished in fourth place in 14:49, only one second behind fellow Cowboys senior Ryan Morgan, who took 11th in the state last year. Werner then finished third in the first Foothill League meet Sept. 26, seven seconds behind Morgan.

DAILY NEWS TOP 10

Boys

1. Canyon

2. Royal

3. Crescenta Valley

4. Thousand Oaks

5. Burbank

6. Moorpark

7. Oak Park

8. Rio Mesa

9. Harvard-Westlake

10. Lancaster

Girls

1. Thousand Oaks

2. Canyon

3. Royal

4. Oak Park

5. Harvard-Westlake

6. La Reina

7. Highland

8. Westlake

9. Simi Valley

10. Ventura

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DAILY NEWS TOP 10 (see text)