The Cupertino Courier Photograph by Skye Dunlap Saratoga's Anne Ricketts and Cupertino's Celeste Dunlap run side-by-side down the straightaway in last week's Firebird Invitational at Fremont. Ricketts was first overall in 12:14 with Dunlap second in 12:32. Monta Vista's Yvonne Bailey (second from right) ended up seventh in 13:20. Dunlap runs strong at Firebird Cupertino star 2nd to Ricketts By Dick Sparrer It was the first meet of the season for most of the teams in the field. But when the runners funneled through the finish gates at the Firebird Invitational at Fremont last Thursday afternoon, it looked very much like the last meet of the year. Los Gatos and Saratoga were battling it out for the boys team championship. Saratoga's Anne Ricketts and Cupertino's Celeste Dunlap were racing for the girls individual crown. Why, it looked more like the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League finals than the first meet of the season. Of course, the SCVAL finals come at the season's end. But the Firebird Invitational provided a pretty good preview of things to come in the league cross country season. Returning stars Ricketts and Dunlap will no doubt regain the status they earned a year ago as two of the league's best female runners. Laura Phan of Homestead, Amy LaPine of Los Gatos, Yvonne Bailey of Monta Vista and Sueh Han Liew of Fremont showed that they will also be forces in the girls division in 1998. Ricketts was the Firebird winner, covering the 2.1-mile course in 12:14. Dunlap was second in 12:32 for the Pioneers. Phan ran a solid third in 13:01 for the Mustangs with LaPine fifth in 13:13, Bailey seventh in 13:20 and Liew eighth in 13:23. Bailey was 10th in the Firebird a year ago and Liew ran 15th. Los Gatos freshman Lynsey Harris came through with a surprise ninth in 13:24. Leland won the team title with 82 points. Monta Vista (116) ran second with Los Altos (123) third, Saratoga (140) fourth, Prospect (149) fifth, Lynbrook (224) sixth, Wilcox (239) seventh and Fremont (245) eighth. In the boys competition, Los Gatos rambled to a team title with Saratoga second. And that, too, could be an indication of things to come in the league season. Gatos ran up a low 46 points to win the Firebird crown. Saratoga was second at 83 with Los Altos (88) third, Leland (180) fourth, Monta Vista (184) fifth, Wilcox (188) sixth and Homestead (230) seventh. Zach Regner was fourth in 10:23 with Russ Martin fifth in 10:25 and Matt Bates eighth in 10:36 to lead the Wildcats to the championship. Alex Daniels of Saratoga was ninth in 10:39 to help the Falcons clinch second in the team standings. Daniels finished seventh in the Firebird last year. Homestead finished seventh overall, but the Mustangs placed two runners in the Firebird top 10. Darius Seddiqui was second in 10:22 with Matt Hovik 10th in 10:35. Hovik had finished third with Seddiqui fourth at the Firebird in 1997. Andrew Hill of Los Altos won the boys division for the second straight year. Lynbrook Invitational Frances Shin led the Lynbrook effort in the meet the Vikings hosted on Sept. 10. Shin was 12th overall in 15:07.2 in the varsity girls division of the Lynbrook Invitational. Monta Vista's Sarah Blanke-Burke was 13th in 15:11.8. Jarrod Rathman of Monta Vista romped to an 11th-place finish in the boys varsity division, stopping the watch at 12:00.9. Teammate Kelan Champagne was 18th in 12:14.1. Lynbrook's Aman Sirohi was 25th on his home course in 12:39.4 with Beau Carrigan 28th for the Vikings. Michael McSorley of Monta Vista was 10th in the boys frosh-soph division, and Paul Rodriguez Jr. of Lynbrook was 11th in the boys junior varsity class. [ Back to Contents Page | Cupertino Courier Home Page | Archives ] This article appeared in the Cupertino Courier, September 23, 1998. ©1998 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.