Area Runners Hope to Peak in Nationals

Dusty Herman of Nordhoff High and Lauren Fleshman of Canyon, runners who peaked for the West regional cross-country championships last Saturday, will try for another top effort today in the national high school championships at Oaks Trail Golf Course at Shades of Green in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

Both runners turned in the best performances of their careers to place second in West regional races.

Herman, a senior who will be running in his 13th race of the season, and Fleshman, a junior who will be competing in her 14th, both think they are primed for top performances.

Herman will be shooting for a top-seven finish against competitors who were among the top eight finishers from the West, Midwest, Northeast and South regionals.

“If I have a great race, that shouldn’t be a problem,” Herman said.

Somalian native Abdirizak Mohamud of Boston (Mass.) English High is favored to win an unprecedented second consecutive boys’ title.

Fleshman, who has placed second to a different runner in each of her last four races, would be happy with another runner-up finish. But she doesn’t know what to expect.

“I think a top-10 finish would be a good race for me,” she said. “But we’ll just have to see what happens.”