Bowler runs to title

Brendan Bowler’s goal was to win the Pacific Coast League boys’

individual cross-country title, and he did just that, running away

from the field of competitors at Irvine Park to make his aspiration a

reality.

The Laguna Beach senior had two more goals -- he achieved one,

while coming up just shy of the other.

Bowler won the race with a personal record time of 15:34 over the

three-mile course. His main goal, however, was to help lead his

school to its first boys’ varsity league title since 1989. The

Breakers came close to attaining that goal, but finished second to

rival Corona del Mar in the final standings.

Breaker runners ended up capturing the top three spots in the

boys’ race, with senior Nathan Greene placing second with a time of

15:58, and sophomore Sean Fuszard running a 16:00 to take third

place.

“Taking second and third in the race was a big surprise for me and

Sean’s third-place finish stunned everyone,” Laguna Beach coach Dave

Brobeck said. “Unfortunately, the team still took second to Corona

del Mar.”

The Sea Kings won the boys’ division by having a group of six

runners take the next eight positions behind the Laguna Beach trio,

allowing them to win a close race by a 37-33 score.

Each Laguna Beach boys’ varsity runner recorded a personal record,

including Henry Morgan, who shaved 27 seconds off his previous best

run of 17:07.

Laguna Beach kept hold of the PCL freshman boys’ division title

for the third consecutive year. In the girls’ varsity division,

Laguna Beach sophomore Katherine Gordon turned in a “wonderful

performance,” Brobeck said, as she broke the 20-minute mark by

running a 19:49, good for 18th place.

Laguna Beach will run this Saturday in the CIF prelims at Mt. San

Antonio College in Walnut.