Six enough for Cajon runners who honor fallen teammate

The Cajon and Summit cross country teams joined Thursday at Cajon to honor the late Cajon cross country runner Victoria Lemus.

Lemus, 16, died in July from injuries sustained in an auto accident in San Bernardino.

The teams stretched together and Cajon coach Eric Abrams gave a stirring pre-meet speech. Summit coach Michelle Griffith, a 1984 Cajon grad, made green and gold ribbons for athletes from both schools to wear. Cajon runners took it a step further, scrolling VL (for Victoria Lemus) on their arms and legs.

Finally, Cajon ran with just six girls, with Lemus as the symbolic seventh.

The Cajon girls won, too, 20-35 - although all the athletes involved were arguably winners in this instance.

"We felt it was the right thing to do," Summit's Griffith said. "I can't imagine how difficult it must be for a team to lose an athlete like this."

Victoria's parents, John and Maria, were at the meet, as were two of the late runner's aunts.

It was extremely touching way to commemorate an athlete, and Abrams deserves a lot of credit for putting it together, as well as Griffith and the Summit athletes for getting into the spirit.

"She was a very ambitous girl who pushed herself hard," said Sigrid Behrens, the mother of Cajon runner Rebecca Behrens and Victoria's Girl Scout troop leader. "Victoria was always mentoring the younger members of our troop."

The 16-year-old runner and decorated Girl Scout had just left a Rotary luncheon recognizing her as one of the club's Life Scholars when the accident occurred. Her van was broadsided by a driver who was charged with being drunk and on cocaine when he ran a red light.

Besides her interest in Girl Scouts and running, Victoria loved writing and astronomy.

"It's sad the effect something like this has on someone's parents, her brother, her teammates and her troop," Behrens said. "It happened the first day of (cross country) practice. Victoria was a girl who was going to go far in life."

Friday's Sun will include a full story on the meet and photos. Also look for a photo gallery online at sbsun.com.

RESULTS

BOYS
Cajon 15, Summit 50
Julio Ayala ( C ), Jovanny Ramirez ( C ) 16:43, Andrew Duenez ( C ) 16:59, Brad Rutledge ( C ) 17:13, 5. Brian Vanderveer ( C ) 17:16.

GIRLS
Cajon 20, Summit 35
Marisela Giles ( C ) 20:10, 2. Kim Zayer (S) 20:27, Rebekah Sundstrom ( C ) 20:47, Katie Warrick ( C ) 21:36, Nately Bautista ( C ) 22:34.