Favored Siraki Manages to Hold On to State Title

FRESNO — Despite being the favorite for the Division I girls’ race in the state cross-country championships, Anita Siraki was anything but confident.

Siraki, a Hoover High junior, led second-place Julie Allen of Fountain Valley by a second at the two-mile mark of the 5,000-meter course at Woodward Park on Saturday. Still, her face she bore a look of concern and fear as she approached the end of the race.

Fighting fatigue, nerves and Allen, Siraki held on to become the first Hoover girl to win a state cross-country title. Margarito Casillas of Hoover won the Division I boys’ title in 1992.

“I was nervous,” Siraki said of the role as favorite. “I was scared. . . . At the beginning [of the race], I felt bouncy. But right before two miles, I felt really tired.”

Despite her fatigue, Siraki opened up a 20-yard lead on Allen in the next three-quarters of a mile. But it wasn’t until she launched into a long drawn-out kick with about 400 meters left that she put Allen away.

Siraki finished 43 seconds ahead of third-place Allen in winning the Southern Section title at Mt. San Antonio College on Nov. 20 but Allen nipped at Siraki’s heels Saturday.

“Before three miles I was trying to think of a way to beat [Allen],” Siraki said. “I thought about falling behind her and then trying to out-kick her, but then I just told myself that if I wanted to win, I had to start pushing.”

Siraki’s time of 17:35 cut 42 seconds off her previous best on the Woodward Park course. It was the second fastest time of the meet behind the 17:25 junior Sara Bei of Santa Rosa Montgomery ran in the Division II race.

Senior Rae Stumbough of Nordhoff won the Division IV title in 18:25 to lead Nordhoff to second place behind Corona del Mar.

Stumbough was a well-beaten third in the Southern Section final, but she overtook leader Bridget Duffy of Berkeley St. Mary’s with about 400 meters left.

“I sensed after the second mile that [Duffy] was hurting,” Stumbough said. “A little while after that, I said, ‘I’m going to get her.’ ”

Stumbough’s time cut 35 seconds off her previous best at Woodward Park, but it wasn’t enough to help Nordhoff win its second consecutive title.

Corona del Mar, the No. 10-ranked team in nation by Harrier magazine, totaled 42 points to defeat the Rangers by 13.

Nordhoff, shooting for its sixth state title of the decade, got career-best times from several runners, but Corona del Mar had five runners among the top 20.

Junior Laura Jakosky of Agoura finished sixth in the Division II final in a career-best 18:31, two-time defending champion La Canada placed fourth in the Division III race and Lancaster Desert Christian was fourth in the Division V race.

Junior Nicole Bonino led La Canada with a ninth-place time of 18:58, but the Spartans were no match for Felton San Lorenzo Valley, which was ranked seventh in the nation and had five of the top 19 finishers.