San Lorenzo Valley Coach Rob Collins had considered this to be a rebuilding season for the Cougars, who had three freshmen, three juniors and one senior on the course Saturday.
``Division III is the toughest division,'' Collins said. ``We had a shot at winning so we went for it. They are very team-oriented and still learning.''
In recent years, San Lorenzo Valley was led by Alejandra Barrientos, state champion in 1999. But Barrientos graduated last year and is now running for UCLA.
Raquel Barrientos, Alejandra's younger sister, said this season has been different for the Cougars.
``Everyone's more competitive and has put in a bigger effort,'' Raquel Barrientos said.
The top two boys and girls teams in each division advanced to the state meet Nov. 24 at Woodward Park in Fresno. (The Castilleja girls and York boys teams were the only Division V squads to qualify.) Five runners not on those top teams, provided they finished in the top 12, also qualified.
Aptos senior Brett Gotcher had at least a 50-yard lead throughout much of the Division I boys race and repeated as champion with a time of 14:56 -- 28 seconds off the fastest boys time on the course and 31 seconds ahead of second-place runner Patrick Hernandez of Hollister.
``My goal was to run away and hammer the course,'' Gotcher said.
Other winners Saturday included:
San Lorenzo Valley delivers team effort
Results in Scoreboard, Page 18C.