Cross Country: Whittier's Aaron Mora is Boys Runner of the Year
ALL-AREA BOYS CROSS COUNTRY
Runner of the Year: Aaron Mora, Whittier, Senior
Coach of the Year: Steve Endemano, Whittier Christian
First team
Kevin Ramirez, Santa Fe, Junior
Michael Munoz, La Serna, Senior
Chris Bates, Whittier Christian, Senior
Angel Escobar, Whittier Christian, Freshman
Art Hernandez, Cantwell Sacred Heart, Senior
Zach Mejia, El Rancho, Junior
Second team
Andrew Abeyta, Whittier Christian, Junior
Jarrod Keithley, Whittier Christian, Senior
Tim Guzman, La Mirada, Senior
Jesse Bonilla, Cantwell Sacred Heart, Senior
Henry Rodriguez, El Rancho, Senior
Christian Garcia, Santa Fe, Senior
RUNNER OF THE YEAR STORY
WHITTIER -- From a talent aspect, there wasn't much difference between the 2011 season and the previous season for Whittier High School's Aaron Mora.
The change for the senior cross country runner was attitude, and the results were quite noticeable.
Mora won the Del Rio League championship, ranked among the leaders at the CIF-Southern Section finals and advanced to the CIF State championships in Fresno.
For his efforts, Mora is the Daily News Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year.
He is joined on the team by the Whittier Christian duo of Chris Bates and Angel Escobar, Santa Fe's Kevin Ramirez, La Serna's Michael Munoz, Cantwell Sacred Heart's Art Hernandez and El Rancho's Zach Mejia.
Whittier Christian's Steve Endemano is Area Coach of the Year.
But this was the year of Mora, who showed from the start that this fall was going to be different.
"It was just more motivation," Mora said. "I wanted to to do it, because basically, I knew I had no more chances. I had to do it this year.
"That was the big thing, just more motivation for me."
The success was built with a strong summer training program, and it paid off early. He put together an excellent run at a meet in San Diego, opening the season with a time of 15 minutes, 16 seconds at 5,000 meters before finishing a solid second with a time of 14:40 at the Rosemead Invitational.
"Off of what I did last year, I just knew I had to work a lot harder this year," Mora said. "I did more running and more double-days."
The extra work paid off late, as he led wire-to-wire to win the Del Rio League championship at Legg Lake in South El Monte with a time of 14:55, then followed it up with a steady 15:05 to finish seventh in the Division 1 race at the CIF-SS finals at Mt. San Antonio College.
He capped it with another seventh-place finish at the state meet in Fresno, running a 15:23 to place sixth among Southern Section competitors.
"It was a good accomplishment," Mora said. "It's what I've been wanting all four years. This was the year to do it. It's my senior year, so I wanted to go all out and do the best I can.
"It was fun (at the state meet). It was a good experience, being there with my coach, my friends, my family. It was good. I liked it. Hopefully, I can do it again at state (in track and field)."
Endemano guided the Heralds to one of their better finishes in recent seasons. Whittier Christian, getting four runners among the top 10, won the Olympic League team title and qualified for the Division 4 finals after a solid showing at the CIF-SS preliminaries. The Heralds finished 16th at the CIF-SS finals the following week.
Whittier Christian was paced by Bates, a senior, and Escobar, a freshman.
Bates placed second at the Olympic League finals with a time of 16:38, before placing 36th in 16:19 at the CIF-SS finals.
Escobar was fourth at the Olympic League finals at 17:01, before placing 45th with a time of 16:36 in the Division 4 finals.
Munoz was one of the top runners throughout the season and was strong late, finishing second behind Mora at the Del Rio League finals with a time of 14:59, then backing it up at the CIF-SS finals to rank among the top 100 with a time of 15:43, which was good enough for 27th in Division 2.
Ramirez was third in the Del Rio with a time of 15:01. He bested Munoz at the CIF-SS finals, placing 18th in Division 1 at 15:22.
Mejia helped key El Rancho's first-place team finish in the Del Rio League with a time of 15:29.
Hernandez was a solid second in the Camino Real League at 16:27 and 37th in his heat in Division 4 at the CIF-SS prelims with a time of 16:03.
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About this blog
Steve Ramirez is the prep sports editor for the Whittier Daily News.
Good job Dons, Zach Mejia first team and second team Henry Rodriguez!