Across from Biddle Park in Arroyo Grande, the Brown Beast rose malevolently to greet runners about a mile into their cross country races Saturday.

Colin Hacker and Alexa Heater of Cabrillo (Small Schools boys and girls divisions, respectively), Josh Byrne of Atascadero (Large Schools boys) and Jenna Ridgway of San Marcos (Large Schools girls) held their own well enough against the Beast to win their races at the Arroyo Grande Optimist Club Big Ditch Invitational.

The course was three miles. Arroyo Grande track and field coach James Brown helped administer the meet. He said the Beast is "460 yards uphill. And it/s a pretty steep 460.

"Downhill it/s a little longer because it/s more gradual."

Hacker helped Cabrillo/s unbeaten boys roll to victory by running the fastest overall time, 16:51. On a difficulty scale of one to 10, 10 being most difficult, Hacker said the Beast was "maybe an eight. It/s pretty hard.

"I ran this race last year. I just kind of maintained pace up the hill and worked the downhill. I didn/t want to run too hard on the uphill."

Byrne/s winning time was 17:11. Ridgway ran a 19:01. Heater ran 21:34.

Ridgway has run five races this season, and she has won in her division every time.

"I/d give the hill like a seven," in terms of difficulty, she said. "The hill at Ojai was hard, but I think that one was harder.

"Running the downhill made me tired, and the last mile was tough."

Byrne acknowledged that the uphill took a lot out of him. However, he was able to recover and win the race.

"I dropped a little bit back from the front pack on that uphill," the senior said. "Then I caught (and passed) them after the downhill." Byrne took the lead just after the two-mile mark and then won handily.

Speaking of runaway winners, Alex Mayorga of Cabrillo (18:51) and Oyuki Reyes of Santa Maria (22:17) won the boys and girls junior varsity races by wide margins. Reyes/ teammate Elida Gonzalez ran second in 22:44.

The Conquistadores successfully defended their 2004 Big Ditch title even without Michael Coe. Coe was on a recruiting visit to UC Berkeley Saturday. DyeStatCal rated Coe second and Hacker fourth in the state among Division III boys in its pre-season poll.

Cabrillo, which finished second in the state in Division III last year, is ranked second in the division in the CIF Southern Section behind Barstow.

Cabrillo/s boys and girls varsity squads had quite a day Saturday. Cabrillo/s boys scored 18 points and Cabrillo/s girls won the Small Schools Division title with 21. Nipomo/s boys and girls finished second, with 79 and 80 points respectively.

Archbishop Mitty of San Francisco won the Large Schools boys and girls division titles. Mitty/s boys scored 106 points to runner-up Atascadero/s 114. The Mitty and San Marcos girls scored 72 points each, but the nod went to Mitty because its sixth runner finished higher than San Marcos/.

Cabrillo/s boys went 1-2-4-5. Teammate Miguel Ortiz was runner-up behind Hacker in 17:19. St. Joseph junior Julio Ortega placed third in 17:40. Cabrillo/s Oscar Torres (17:45) and Massimo Beeson (17:46) finished fourth and fifth respectively.

"We/re really running well," Cabrillo coach Peter Anderson said. "Jeff Monteleone (sixth-place finisher) has a leg injury or he/d be closer to those other (front) guys. But the bottom half of our varsity is pulling closer to the first half."

Cabrillo/s girls scored a big win.

"That/s two weeks in a row now that we/ve run real well," said Cabrillo coach Katy Wallace. "They/re improving every week."

Heater won the Small Schools race in 21:34. Daina Tubbs of St. Joseph finished second in 21:53. After that Cabrillo went 3-4-6, with Tarah Balden (22:03), Laura Monteleone (22:29); and Charlie Rich (22:40).

Heater was wobbly after winning a cross country race for the first time, and she needed assistance. Shortly thereafter, the junior said, "I/m fine."

Her victory came "only because my teammates pushed me all the way," she said. "That was the hardest hill I/ve run all year."

Tubbs and Ortega both had breakout days. Tubbs is working her way back into shape after working a summer job. Ortega ran for the first time Saturday.

"That was easily my best race this year," Tubbs said. As for the Beast, "That hill is really hard because it/s so hot up there. You feel like you/re cooked."

Ortega said, "I feel really happy. I would have been satisfied just keeping up." He did more than that.

Senior Oscar Sanchez was the top Santa Maria runner Saturday. He was sixth in 17:37 in the Large Schools boys race.

"I ran this race last year so I was like, /Okay. About a mile in, there/s this big hill coming up so just keep your pace./ I was able to keep my pace so I had energy in the end."

Rocky and Rebecca Herrera of Pioneer Valley finished eighth in the Small Schools boys and girls races. Rocky ran 18:19 in the boys race. Rebecca ran 23:11 in the girls/. Righetti/s Abel Perez finished 10th in 17:51 in the Large Schools boys race.

October 2, 2005