ALL-COUNTY BOYS CROSS COUNTRY TEAM

RUNNER OF THE YEAR

Jai Dawson, Dana Hills

Jai Dawson won just about everything he could win in cross country.

The Dana Hills senior finished first in the Mt. Carmel Invitational in September, the Orange County Championships Sweepstakes Race and the Mt. SAC Invitational in October, and the South Coast League Finals in November.

He kept the winning streak going in CIF postseason competition. Dawson finished first in the CIF Southern Section Division 3 championships and in the CIF State Division II championships.

For such a dominating season, Dawson is the Register’s Orange County boys cross country athlete of the year.

Dana Hills’ Jai Dawson won the Division 2 boys race at the CIF-SS Cross Country Championships on Saturday. (Photo by Lou Ponsi, Contributor)

Dawson’s only slip was at the Clovis Invitational in early October. His time in the 5,000-meter race was fine, at 15:17.90. But Dana Hills coach Sandra Mesa said finishing 13th was not to Dawson’s liking.

“That was probably hard for him,” Mesa said. “His time was good, but that place was not what he wanted.”

After that, Dawson won race after race.

“He just wants to perform well,” Mesa said. “That’s his driving force. His determination is what keeps driving him.”

Dawson’s mental toughness and stamina were accompanied by plenty of speed in reserve for the final meters of a race. That was in evidence all season, including in CIF competition.

He was the only Orange County competitor to win an individual title at the CIF-SS championships with a 14:55.20 in the Division 2 race on the Mt. San Antonio College course.

“Throughout the race, I understood that in that last 800 was where I need to focus and finish strong there,” Dawson said after his CIF-SS Division 2 win. “So for me, it was getting to the top of that reservoir and crushing that downhill, using my speed to my advantage in the last 400.”

Dawson’s winning time at the state meet was 15:19.10, three seconds better than the second-place finisher. Again, he was the only county runner to take an individual championship. That helped the Dolphins finish seventh in the state Division II race.

Dawson is not done competing this high school sports year. He will be among the elite distance runners in California track and field this spring.

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COACH OF THE YEAR

Christopher Lynch, Laguna HIlls

Christopher Lynch was on the Laguna Hills boys cross country team that won a CIF Southern Section championship in 1991.

The Hawks did not win another CIF-SS championship in the sport until this season.

Their coach: Christopher Lynch.

For leading Laguna Hills to the CIF-SS Division 4 championship, Lynch is the Register’s Orange County boys cross country of the year.

The Hawks also finished sixth in the CIF State Championships in Division IV.

Laguna Hills, with the fourth-smallest enrollment among Orange County public schools, finished second to Santa Margarita in the Laguna Hills Invitational, won the championship of its division in the Woodbridge Invitational and won the Pacific Coast League championship.

Lynch, 47, has coached Laguna Hills for 13 years. This season’s Hawks ran their races as a pack, which produced excellent results.

At the CIF State meet in Fresno, Laguna Hills senior Lucas Rael’s 34th-place finish was the Hawks’ highest. Jaeden Cornejo was their second-best finisher, at 42nd.

The pack-style approach reflected the team’s personality.

“It was a real blue-collar group,” Lynch said. “The guys were true brothers.”

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ALL-COUNTY TEAM

FIRST TEAM

Jai Dawson, Dana Hills, Sr. (Runner of the Year)

Hayden Beuachemin, San Clemente, Sr.

Manny Debarros, Brea Olinda, Sr.

Everett Capelle, St. Margaret’s, So.

Juan Chantaca, San Clemente, Jr.

Jimmy Dominguez, Santa Ana, Jr.

Brett Ephraim, San Clemente, So.

Brennan Foody, Aliso Niguel, Sr.

Jordan Galindo, Savanna, Sr.

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Garrett Hartline, El Toro, Jr.

Zachary Gibson, Santa Margarita, So.

Justin Singer, Cypress, Sr.

Jared Steins, Servite, Sr.

Grant Sweningson, Foothill, Sr.