Cross Country: Whittier Christian's Kellian Hunt is Girls Runner of the Year
ALL-AREA GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY
Runner of the Year: Kellian Hunt, Whittier Christian, Senior
Coach of the Year: Ty Wynn, El Rancho
First team
Bailee Henry, El Rancho, Junior
Marylu Pulido, Whittier, Junior
Ariel Melendrez, St. Paul, Senior
Justine Romo, California, Junior
Taylor Jones, La Mirada, Junior
Ana Galacia, El Rancho, Sophomore
Second team
Sarah Pfaff, La Habra, Junior
Hillary Gutierrez, El Rancho, Senior
Justice Navarro, California, Sophomore
Wendy Carrillo, Whittier, Senior
Corey Luna, La Habra, Sophomore
Lauren Puebla, Cantwell, Senior
RUNNER OF THE YEAR STORY
LA HABRA -- The most difficult task for any athlete is not to achieve a goal, but to repeat it.
Whittier Christian High School senior Kellian Hunt, one of the top girls cross country runners in the area, lived up to those expectations during the 2011 season.
For her efforts, Hunt is Daily News Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year.
Hunt is joined on the team by the El Rancho duo of Bailee Henry and Ana Galacia, St. Paul's Ariel Melendez, Whittier's Marylu Pulido, California's Justine Romo and La Mirada's Taylor Jones.
El Rancho's Ty Wynn is Area Coach of the Year.
But the 2011 season, like it was the previous year, was all about Hunt, who again proved to be the area's best before topping off her three-year reign with another trip to the CIF State championships in Fresno.
"I was really happy with the entire year," Hunt said. "It went really well. We had a good finish to it. I was really happy with my time.
"My goal was pretty much to beat (my) previous best and let the places take care of themselves. I'm happy with the results and the season."
Who wouldn't be?
Hunt, who lowered her personal best to 17 minutes, 19.7 seconds, continued to push the envelope on her performance, scoring three first-place finishes. She won the 3-mile Dana Hills Invitational on Sept. 24 in 17:19.7; the 2.93-mile Mt. San Antonio College Invitational on Oct. 21 in 18:22; and had the top time at the CIF-Southern Section Division4 preliminaries on Nov. 12 with a time of 17:20.
Hunt, who also had a steady time of 17:26 at the Woodbridge Invitational in September, was then stellar when it counted at the end, taking third at the CIF-SS Division 4 finals with a time of 17:53 before finishing fourth at the CIF State championships in Fresno with a time of 17:58.
For her, getting back to the state meet was old hat.
"It was easier in a sense in that I knew what I was doing," Hunt said. "It's my senior year, so I knew it will be my third time there.
"I was ready for it. I knew the process and how the day worked. But there also was some pressure. I knew it was my last year, and I wanted to do well."
Wynn provided the balance for El Rancho, which dominated the Del Rio League regular season, then took three of the top six spots at the league championships.
The Dons' success was keyed by the performances of Henry and Galacia.
Henry was the top runner in the league, setting a league record at the Legg Lake course during the regular season, then finishing first at the league finals over the same circuit in an even 18 minutes. She followed it up with a time of 17:17 to qualify for the Division I finals, placing 77th at 19:35.
Galacia was part of the Dons' one-two punch, placing a solid fourth at the Del Rio League finals with a time of 19:07 before a personal-best 18:53 at the Division 1 prelims.
Jones has been one of the top runners in the area the previous two years and lived up to the billing in 2011. She had a couple of top-10 finishes during the regular season before winning the Suburban League championship in 19:08.
Melendez was the top runner in the Camino Real League, winning the league title in 19:18.2. She also ran 19:35 at the Division 4 prelims.
Pulido had a personal best of 18:03 at the Arcadia Invitational and finished second at 18:27 at the Del Rio League finals. She had a time of 17:53 during CIF-SS prelims.
Romo was third at the Del Rio League finals with a time of 18:39. She had a personal best of 17:42 to finish 16th at CIF-SS prelims.
1 Comments
Leave a comment
About this blog
Steve Ramirez is the prep sports editor for the Whittier Daily News.
Congratulations Bailee Henry, El Rancho, Junior, Ana Galacia, El Rancho, Sophomore, First team, and Second team Hillary Gutierrez, El Rancho, Senior. And Coach of the Year: Ty Wynn, El Rancho for all your dedication to the kids. Hard work always pays off.