FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact:
Michelle Czoka
410-271-4983
mczoka@footlocker.com
Cormier and Lawrence Capture First Place
Foot Locker Cross Country Championships
West Regional
Walnut, Calif., December 4, 2004 – Kenneth
Cormier of Douglas, Ariz., and Marie Lawrence of Reno, Nev., won the Foot
Locker Cross Country Championships West Regional at Mount San Antonio College
(Mt. SAC) in Walnut, Calif., today.
The
top ten runners led the boys’ race from the start, with the front position
exchanging hands many times, until Mark Matusak of
‘pack with
a big kick that sealed his first place position. Cormier, a senior from Douglas
High School, won the race in 15:39.
Yosef Ghebray, a senior from
Union City, Calif., placed second in 15:44, and Diego Mercado, a junior from
West Covina, Calif., placed third in 15:46.
Matusak, the only boys’ returning national
finalist, came in fourth in 15:49; he placed sixth in the 2003 West Regional.
A
tight pack of runners dominated the first half of the girls’ race. On the switchback, as the runners passed the
1.5-mile mark, Lawrence made her move.
She surged ahead to claim the first place position, winning the race in
17:56. Lawrence, a sophomore at Reno
High School, placed fourth in last year’s West Regional race and second at
National Finals.
The
2003 West Regional champion, Zoe Nelson, a senior
from Kalispell, Mont., placed second in 18:14, and Alma Escobar, a junior from
Corona, Calif., placed third in 18:16.
The runners enjoyed good
running conditions with light winds and temperatures in the 50s.
The
top eight boys and the top eight girls of the seeded races qualified to compete
against runners from three other regional meets in the Foot Locker Cross
Country Championships National Finals which takes place Saturday, Dec. 11 in
Balboa Park in San Diego, Calif.
*Photos
available upon request or at www.footlockercc.com*
-more-
-2-
2004 Foot Locker Cross
Country Championships –West Regional Results
Mt.
Sac – Walnut,
Calif.
Boys
Place |
Name |
Hometown |
High School |
Time |
|
1) |
Kenneth
Cormier |
Douglas,
Ariz. |
Douglas
High School |
15:39 |
|
2) |
Yosef Ghebray |
Union
City, Calif. |
James
Logan High School |
15:44 |
|
3) |
Diego
Mercado |
West
Covina, Calif. |
West
Covina High School |
15:46 |
|
4) |
Mark
Matusak |
Torrance,
Calif. |
Loyola
High School |
15:49 |
|
5) |
A.J.
Acosta |
Oceanside, Calif.
|
El
Camino High School |
15:50 |
|
6) |
Kenny
Klotz |
Beaverton,
Ore. |
Central
Catholic H.S. |
15:52 |
|
7) |
Riley
Booker |
San
Diego, Calif. |
University
City, H.S. |
15:53 |
|
8) |
Jake Schmitt |
Kentfield,
Calif. |
Redwood
High School |
15:56 |
Girls
Place |
Name |
Hometown |
High School |
Time |
|
1) |
Marie
Lawrence |
Reno,
Nev. |
Reno
High School |
17:56 |
|
2) |
Zoe Nelson |
Kalispell,
Mont. |
Flathead
High School |
18:14 |
|
3) |
Alma
Escobar |
Corona,
Calif. |
Corona
High School |
18:16 |
|
4) |
Brooke
Lademan |
Rolling
Hills, Calif. |
Palos Verdes Peninsula H.S. |
18:20 |
|
5) |
Lauren
Saylor |
Clovis,
Calif. |
Buchanan
High School |
18:21 |
|
6) |
Kauren Tarver |
Wrightwood, Calif.
|
Serrano
High School |
18:27 |
|
7) |
Natasha
LaBeaud |
Folsom,
Calif. |
Folsom
High School |
18:32 |
|
8) |
Tori Tyler |
Los
Altos, Calif. |
Henry
M. Gunn H.S. |
18:42 |
###