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Girls’ Cross-Country: Season ends on a high note for Laguna Beach

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The Laguna Beach High girls’ cross-country team completed another successful campaign on Saturday at Woodward Park in Fresno. The Breakers finished in fourth place among 23 teams competing for the Division 4 team title at the 2014 CIF State Cross-Country Championships.

“I’m incredibly proud of the girls’ performance,” Laguna Coach Steve Lalim said “To run at the state meet is an honor in itself, then to place fourth in our division in the entire state of California...it was a great ride.”

The Laguna runners competing at State were Janie Crawford, Brenna Merchant, Kirsten Landsiedel, Grace LaMontagne, Natalie Kimball, Taylor Alvarez, Pearl Shoemaker. Alternates were Allison Konno and Lauryn Alvarez.

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Individual placements and times for the Breakers at the state meet: 34. Janie Crawford, Sr., 19:38; 43. Brenna Merchant, Sr., 19:48; 47. Kirsten Landsiedel, Soph., 19:52; 49. Grace LaMontagne, Fr., 19:53; 52. Natalie Kimball, Sr., 19:56; 64. Taylor Alvarez, Jr., 20:16; 73. Pearl Shoemaker, Jr., 20:25.

Malibu senior Caroline Pietrzky won the Division 4 individual title with a run of 17:35.

Lalim has taken the Breakers to Woodward Park in four of his seven years as head coach. Those Laguna squads have finished fourth, was runner-up last year to the division title, sixth (2011), and fifth (2009).

Lalim served as interim head coach for the CIF season in 2007 when the Breakers, coached during the regular season by Earl Towner, placed fourth at state.

The Breakers reached the podium at state last year with their second-place finish.

Lalim figured La Puente Bishop Amat, which won the CIF-Southern Section Division 4 title a week ago, to be a favorite for the state Division 4 crown heading into Saturday’s meet. The Lancers ended up with a second-place finish behind Visalia Central Valley Christian, which won its first state championship. The third team to reach the podium was third-place JSerra.

Division 4 team top 10 standings: 1. Central Valley Christian; 2. Bishop Amat; 3. JSerra; 4. Laguna Beach; 5. Piedmont; 6. Covina; 7. Coronado; 8. Arcata; 9. Atascadero; 10. Harvard-Westlake.

Prior to reaching the state meet, Laguna won the 2014 Orange Coast League championship, and placed fourth at the CIF-SS Cross-Country Championships on Nov. 22 at Mount San Antonio College in Walnut.

“I thought the girls had a great season,” Lalim said. “Our win-loss record was 96-10, a 92% winning percentage. The girls are very dedicated, hardworking, committed, and will do whatever it takes to be successful. I was fortunate to coach such an amazing group of girls. I’m so proud of every one of them.”

michael.sciacca@latimes.com

Twitter: @MikeSciacca

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