Stein Has Raised Standard for City Section Girl Runners

When freshman Natalie Stein of North Hollywood High finished 13th in the Division I race of the state cross-country championships at Woodward Park in Fresno on Saturday, it was the highest finish by a girl from the City Section since the meet was first run in 1987.

The previous best was 19th by Birmingham sophomore Roseanna Heagerty in 1992.

FOOTBALL

Muscle and fitness: Paraclete High football Coach Steve Hagerty is wary of Yucca Valley, the Spirits’ opponent Friday night at Quartz Hill in the semifinals of the Southern Section Division XI playoffs.

Hagerty and his players pride themselves on a strict conditioning and weightlifting regimen during and after the season. But the Trojans are equally fit.

“They’ve made a big commitment to the weights,” Hagerty said. “They were featured in a [strength and conditioning] magazine this summer.

“We’ve always believed that our program has been the difference for us late in games but this week we’ll have to find something else, like the kicking game or something.”

Out of their league: The Spirits are the only team in the Division XI semifinals that is not a member of the Skyline League.

Hagerty, drawing from an enrollment of 730, is less than thrilled to be playing Yucca Valley, enrollment 1,350, and if his team advances, possibly Banning, enrollment 1,200.

“Someone at the [Southern Section] moved that league down a few years back because they weren’t winning playoff games,” Hagerty said.