Cross Country: Rosales breaks City finals record

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San Pedro senior Pablo Rosales ran 14:31 to win the City Section boys’ cross country championship Saturday morning at Pierce College, breaking the finals record of 14:42 set by Belmont’s Roman Gomez in 1983.

Rosales’ previous best time was 15:08 in last year’s City finals, when he finished second to El Camino Real’s Brett Schmitt. This time, he was happy to win but happier that younger brother David, a sophomore, finished ninth and earned the last qualifying spot for next week’s state meet in Fresno.

‘I felt comfortable, I was pushing it, but I didn’t think I was on a fast enough pace to get the record,’ Rosales said. ‘When I reached the two-mile mark I was like ‘It’s now or never.’ I had a big lead so I just went for it.’

Also qualifying for the state meet as individuals were runner-up Javert Solarzano of Granada Hills (15:04), junior Macario Sanchez of Santee (15:35) and senior Sumit Misra of Granada Hills (15:38).

Monroe won the team title with 55 points, led by fifth- and sixth-place finishers Jorge Mendez (15:23) and Fabian Parra (15:34). Birmingham and Granada Hills tied for second at 72 points but Birmingham had the faster sixth runner and will join Monroe at the state meet.

Rosales’ time was eight seconds off the all-time course record at Pierce, set by Granada Hills’ Ian Alsen in a dual meet in 1987.

-- Steve Galluzzo