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Wildcats win Half Moon Bay title
Martin leads LG effort
By Dick Sparrer
West Hills High School boasts the top-ranked boys Division 2 cross country team in the San Diego Section. But the Wolfpack strayed just a little too far from home last weekend. Because they ran into a pack of Wildcats at the Half Moon Bay Invitational.
Los Gatos outran West Hills 44-47 to win the Half Moon Bay title, with three Cats running in the top 10 to lead the locals to the first-place finish.
"West Hills is the top Division 2 team in San Diego," said Los Gatos cross country coach Willie Harmatz. "Both teams dominated."
But it was Gatos coming out on top. Russ Martin, Tomas Viramontes and Matt Bates finished fourth, fifth and sixth overall to lead the Wildcats to the team title.
Gatos ran up a low 44 points to take the crown with West Hills second at 47 and Serra a very distant third at 184 in the 33-team field.
"This race was a good, solid effort, especially since some [of the Wildcats] were still recovering from Stanford," added the coach. "We're just running great."
Martin, back in form after nursing an injury early in the season, led the Gatos effort, finishing fourth overall in 11:53 on the 2.3-mile course that featured some rolling hills and one verg big hill.
"He made a great long surge build-up in the middle of the race and on the big hill to catch the leaders," said Harmatz of Martin.
Miramontes was fifth overall in 12:02 with Bates hot on his heels in sixth in 12:03.
"It was another solid performance [for Viramontes]," said Harmatz. "He is Mr. Consistent."
Darren Key finished 13th in 12:29 and Greg Tolan was 22nd in 12:40 to round out the top five. Jeff Hoeft ended up 29th in 12:49 with Clay McKell 58th in 13:17.
Los Gatos didn't field a complete team in the girls race, but sent four girls to compete in the junior varsity division.
Kristi Yackle led the Gatos effort with a solid sixth in 16:15. Ashley Harris was 20th in 17:16 and Laura Rossmassler was 29th in 17:53.
The Wildcats will be on the road this week to compete in the Fresno Invitational on Oct. 13.
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Los Gatos, California Since 1881
Los Gatos runner Tomas Viramontes helped the Wildcats to a team title at the Half Moon Bay Invitational last week.
