Fuller makes it five straight boys invitational winners for host Dana Hills; Canyon Crest Academy junior Carlie Dorostkar secures impressive victory in marquee girls race

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Simon Fuller kept the title on home turf Saturday at the 45th Dana Hills Nike Invitational.

With some timely advice and encouragement from former Dana Hills CA teammate and three-time event winner Jack Landgraf, Fuller prevailed in the Division 1 senior/invitational boys 3-mile race in 14 minutes, 27.9 seconds, relying on a sprint finish on the Dolphins’ track to hold off Mission Hills CA senior Jonathan Velasco in 14:29.9.

Fuller’s victory helped Dana Hills extend its individual winning streak in the meet’s marquee race to five consecutive years, with Mason Coppi prevailing in 2014, before Landgraf triumphed the past three seasons. The Dolphins have also dominated the team competition for the past decade.

INTERVIEWS | RESULTS

Dana Hills also supported Fuller with four additional scorers in the top 15 to earn the team win by a 43-85 margin over the ‘B’ team from Great Oak CA, with El Toro CA third at 142. The Wolfpack had its top seven competitors win the Bob Firman Invitational elite race Saturday in Idaho.

Canyon Crest Academy CA junior Carlie Dorostkar produced the biggest win of her career in the girls Division 1 senior/invitational race, clocking 16:49.3. Sage Creek CA junior Skyler Wallace was the only other female athlete under 17 minutes, taking second in 16:52.9.

Dorostkar took second Sept. 15 to senior Kristin Fahy of La Costa Canyon CA at the ASICS Mt. Carmel Invitational, but improved from last year’s 10th-place finish in 17:11.8 at Dana Hills to secure the title.

El Toro, led by Alexis Neuville finishing seventh in 17:33.5 and three athletes placing in the top 20, edged the ‘B’ team from Great Oak by a 49-51 margin to earn the girls team championship. Great Oak’s top seven competitors placed second in the girls elite race at Bob Firman.

Dana Hills, which had two individuals in the top 20, was third with 90 points.

Although Sage Creek had only three athletes in the race – Skyler Wallace, freshman Stormy Wallace placing fifth in 17:21.5 and junior Lavanya Pandey taking 12th in 17:54.3 – in the overall scoring merge of all girls races combined, the Bobcats placed fourth behind El Toro, Great Oak and Dana Hills.

San Clemente CA junior Hana Catsimanes, who opened the season Sept. 1 with a win at the Great Cow Run, placed third in 17:01.6. Santa Ana CA junior Maria Hernandez finished fourth in 17:16.9 after securing an individual victory in her varsity race Sept. 14 at the Woodbridge Classic in Norco, Calif.

Eleven male athletes eclipsed the 15-minute barrier, including Carrick Denker (14:52.5) and Hayden Stein (14:54.1) for Dana Hills, with teammate Garrett Hough just missing the cut at 15:00.2.

Ryan Shields (14:44.1) and Cole Sawires Yager (14:53.6) of Great Oak were also part of that impressive group. Bryson Crites of Tesoro CA was third overall in 14:40.2 and Alexis Garcia of Newport Harbor CA placed fourth in 14:41.7.

Less than 12 hours after playing football for Orange Glen CA in a 19-7 victory over Army-Navy, senior Rashad Prince won his Division 3 race in 15:54.7, his first victory in three meets this season. Prince, a defensive back, had six tackles and a pass deflection for the Patriots.