Cormier and Lawrence Capture First Place Titles in 26 th Annual
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 Torrance, Calif., took the lead at the two-mile mark. On the downhill with a half-mile left, Cormier pulled away from the tight 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.
2004 Foot Locker Cross Country Championships –West Regional Finalists
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 H. S. |
15:44 |
3) |
Diego Mercado |
West Covina, Calif. |
W. 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 |
NTN |
Brandon Bethke | Lake Forest, Calif. | El Toro High School | |
NTN |
Robbie Branyi | Yakima, Wash. | Eisenhower High School |
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 |
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 |
NTN |
Brianna Felnagle | Tacoma, Wash. | Bellarmine Prep. | |
NTN |
Crystal Reed | Fountain Valley, Calif. | Fountain Valley H.S. |