Boys Cross Country All-Area: Arroyo’s Samuel Garcia earns top honors

BOYS CROSS COUNTRY ALL-AREA PHOTO GALLERY

Runner of the year: SAMUEL GARCIA, Arroyo, Sr.

At the two most important cross country meets of the season, the Knights’ sturdy senior showed why he’s the Tribune’s 2012 boys cross country runner of the year.

At the CIF-Southern Section Division 2 finals at Mt. San Antonio College, Garcia turned in the area’s best performance of the day by finishing ninth overall in 14:20.

At the Division 2 state finals a week later at Woodward Park in Fresno, Garcia finished ninth again – by far the best performance for local runners. The next-closest area finisher was Ayala’s Christian Eagon, who finished 38th.

The Mission Valley League Most Valuable Player also won the league title in 15:45 and was seventh at the Top Speed Super Classic at Bonelli Park in 15:54.

Garcia, who was injured last season, couldn’t believe how everything came together his senior year.

“I still can’t grasp the fact I went to state,” said Garcia, who plans on attending either Chico State or Cal State Fullerton. “I never thought I would be the top runner in the Valley. It’s incredible; all my dreams came true.

“Hopefully in college I can take it a step further and become an All-American. You have to dream big for
big things to happen.”

FIRST TEAM
DAVID GALVEZ, Rowland, Jr.: The senior was steady throughout the season in being named Hacienda League Most Valuable Player. He won the individual league title in 15:13 at Mt. SAC in a race he won by 12 seconds. Galvez bettered that mark at the CIF-Souhern Section Division 2 finals, where he was 10th overall in 14:21.

MARK HUIZAR, Los Altos, Sr.: Was a Hacienda League first-team selection after finishing second in the league finals in 15:25 at Mt. SAC. The senior finished 15th overall at the CIF-SS Division III finals and was the first Los Altos athlete to run in the meet. “It’s a big honor,” he said. “I felt like dying out at the end. I left it all on the field.”

RYAN SANCHEZ, Glendora, Sr.: The Baseline League first-teamer finished fifth at league finals in 15:59 to help the Tartans to a second-place team finish. At The CIF-SS Division 2 finals, he finished 24th overall, which was fourth among area athletes. He won the season-opening Cal Poly Pomona Bronco Invite in 15:46.

DILLON NOBBS, Bonita, Jr.: The Hacienda League first-team selection finished third at league finals and 23rd overall in the CIF-SS Division 3 championships in a season-best 14:49. Nobbs won the three-mile junior race at the Warren Staub invitational (15:12) and won a junior three-mile race at the Woodbridge Classic (15.02).

JEFF KIRWIN, Glendora, So.: The Baseline League first-team pick was fourth at league finals in 15:52 and followed with a season-best 14:44 in a 29th-place finish at the CIF-SS Division 2 finals. At the Top Speed Super Classic Invite at Bonelli Park, Kirwin finished second overall in 15:32. He also was eighth at the Bronco Invitational.

ANTHONY AVILA, Ayala, Jr.: After finishing ninth in the Sierra League finals, Avila was the school’s best finisher at the CIF-SS Division 2 finals, where he was 28th overall in a season-best 14:41 as the Bulldogs placed fourth. At the CIF-State Division 2 finals in Fresno, Avila helped Ayala to a seventh-place finish by clocking 16:15 in the finals.

Coach of the Year: DON SUMNER, Glendora
The Tartans’ coach had another stellar season thanks to the likes of Ryan Sanchez, Jeff Kirwin, Mike Duke, Garrett Hernandez, Damon Payne, Johnny Samuel and Aaron Reyes, all of whom were among top 15 finishers at the Baseline League finals. The Tartans, who finished second behind Etiwanda, were 13th overall at the Division 2 finals.

SECOND TEAM
Samuel Tran, Ayala, Sr.
Christian Eagon, Ayala, Sr.
Mike Duke, Glendora, Jr.
Mica Van Setten, Walnut, Sr.
Andre Tattersall, Rowland, Sr.
Jimmy Baeskens, Claremont, Sr.

HONORABLE MENTION
Mitchell Cameron, Damien, Jr.
Abraham Aldaraca, Pomona, Sr.
Andres Aparicio, Arroyo, Jr.
Douglas Castro, Bassett, Sr.
Millen Trujillo, Walnut, So.
Robert Martinez, Ayala, Sr.

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