Team and individual goals will look to be met this fall as a number of area scholastic cross country teams going running in search of victory. At La Jolla Country Day (LJCD) School, head coach Scott Sanders and the Torreys are coming off of much success on the boys side last fall. LJCD was Coastal South League, Coastal Conference and CIF Division IV champions. That makes three years in a row for the league and CIF titles. At the state meet, LJCD had the best team time in school history and a 15th-place finish, despite its top runner not finishing and its number two runner having an off day. The Torreys lost four-time state qualifier and team MVP Alex Poyhonen to graduation, along with Eric Blodgett (number five on the team). Despite what the finishing order from last year’s CIF and state meets might indicate, LJCD’s top runner is senior Dennis Roth. According to Sanders, Roth is “the undisputed leader of the team, and after a solid track season and summer of training, is poised to have a great fall.” Roth will be supported and followed closely by last year’s CIF runner-up, junior Lee Klitzner, who also ran 16:48 at state in 2008. Senior Alex Fleischhacker, like Roth, is going after a fourth team CIF championship and has the ability to finish in the top 10. Sophomores Noah Wolfenzon and Jake Mack should show significant improvement this fall and round out LJCD’s scoring five, according to Sanders. Sanders added that those runners should feel some pressure for those spots from juniors Phillip Poyhonen and Chase Mertz, and newcomer Oliver Hamilton. Sophomore Trevor Alexander is also looking good early on, and freshmen Josh Pooley and Jeff Clancy may emerge as they gain experience, according to Sanders. On the girls side, LJCD finished fourth a season ago in the Coastal League and fifth in both the conference and at CIFs. “We are still young, but I think we’ll be more competitive this year,” Sanders commented. “Sophomore Samantha Staszak is showing good early season form and is also assuming the leadership mantle for the squad. She should challenge for a top 10 spot at CIFs this year, and if the team improves enough to grab one of the three state-qualifying spots, Sam will be central to this.” Other returning sophomores Emily Domanico and Maggie Taylor are clearly stronger than last year, and they will also be joined by two newcomers, sophomore Alina Wong and freshman Lily Wolfenzon, according to Sanders. “Wolfenzon comes in with a soccer background and is our clear number two runner,” Sanders added. LJCD lost four-year varsity runner Sasha Binderow, as well as last year’s number two runner, Kaitlin McCallum, due to injury. “The girls, being so young, are still building toward future success, but the future may well arrive in November rather than 2010 if all goes well,” Sanders added. “We’d like to improve on last year’s efforts, and we might have an outside shot at that third qualifying spot at CIFs.” At The Bishop’s School, head coach Adam Weiner and the Knights are hoping to top last year’s results. The Lady Knights won the Coastal Conference and placed second in the CIF Division IV meet to qualify for state. Meantime, the boys finished third in the conference and fourth at CIFs. Although the girls team lost four varsity seniors to graduation, the Lady Knights still have a strong team led by juniors Lauren Collins and Serena Glynn, and sophomore Leyna Rowan. The boys team was very young last year, but looks to be developing into another powerful team. Bishop’s top two runners include sophomores Will Botta and “Hoagie” Hoagland, both having qualified for the state meet last year as individuals. Junior Chris Kuntz should be right up there close to them, according to Weiner. “If all goes well, the girls team has a very good shot at winning the conference again and qualifying for the state meet as a team,” Weiner remarked. “The boys will be facing some heavy competition from La Jolla Country Day and Christian High School, but they have the best chance for a top two CIF finish in several years.” At neighboring La Jolla High School, the girls are once again under the direction of head coach Roger Karnopp. The Lady Vikings finished tied for first in the Western League a season ago, third in CIFs and were 17th at state. La Jolla lost four seniors to graduation: Nihal Kahyali, Courtney Avvampato, Tess Plant-Thomas and Meagan Bautista. Five of the returnees that participated on the varsity at various times are seniors Tatevik Simavoryan and Jeanine Mejares; and juniors Illana Fricks, Zoe Wescoe and Catherine Russell. According to Karnopp, the next two slots at the current time will be filled by freshmen Megan Carroll and Mele Johnson. “The early season polls have placed us at about eighth in CIFs,” Karnopp commented. “We will be working hard to see if we can do better than that.” On the boys side, new head coach Robert McCarthy said he is very excited about the prospects for the Vikings this fall. Three runners who could compete on any team, according to McCarthy, are senior Michael Conroy, and juniors Alex Eve and Andrew Farkas, all-league finalists in track. Freshman Daniel Farkas is also looking strong, according to McCarthy. “Expectations are high for five returners from last year’s successful program,” McCarthy said. “There is, in addition, an encouraging freshmen class.”