Folders |
Ventura County Cross Country Hall of FamePublished by
Intro by Ken Reeves In December, 2013, the Ventura County Cross Country Coaches Association voted on the first ever Ventura County High School Cross Country Hall of Fame. Runners who graduated prior to 2000 were eligible for the inaugural class. Five females and five males were selected for the first class and will be honored prior to the start of the 3200 meters at this year’s Ventura County Track and Field Championships. A permanent display will eventually be placed at the County Cross Country course at Lake Casitas and at Inside Track in Ventura. In addition, information about the inductees can be found on the Ventura County Cross Country and Track and Field Coaches’ Association website. The link to the main page is http://venturacounty.runnerspace.com The direct link to the Hall of Fame is http://venturacounty.runnerspace.com/gprofile.php?do=title&title_id=818&mgroup_id=44760
This year’s induction class is indeed a stellar class. On the female side, the inductees have won a combined total of 12 Ventura County titles, 12 CIF SS titles and 9 California State titles. The inductees qualified for the Kinney/Footlocker National meet a total of 10 times and Kim Mortensen of Thousand Oaks won the national title in 1995. In addition, three different inductees qualified for the Olympic Trials and Deena Drossin won a bronze medal in the 2004 Olympic Games.
On the male side, the inductees won six Ventura County titles, five CIF SS titles and five California State titles even though two of the inductees competed before the establishment of the California State meet. The group qualified for the Kinney/Footlocker National Championships a total of seven times and turned in a very impressive five top five finishes at that meet including national championships by Eric Reynolds and Bryan Dameworth. Reynolds and Dameworth are still the co-recorder holders for Southern Section runners on the famed Woodward Park course, both running 14:39.
Class of 2013 Five girls and five boys were elected by the Ventura County Coaches Association. Only athletes gratuating prior to 2000 were eligible for consideration. Denise Ball (1982) - Newbury Park
Elaine Canchola (1998) - Nordhoff
Deena Drossin (1991) - Agoura
Kim Mortensen (1996) - Thousand Oaks
Amy Skieresz (1995) - Agoura
Bryan Dameworth (1990) - Agoura
Eleazar Hernandez (1995) - Camarillo
Eric Reynolds (1983) - Camarillo
Gary Tuttle (1965) - Buena
Ryan Wilson (1993) - Agoura
More news |
Elaine was the 1997 Ventura County Cross Country Champion and the first four-time CIF SS Cross Country champion in history. Sarah Baxter recently became only the third four-time champion. Solid in big meets, Elaine finished second in the state meet twice and was California State Champion twice. She was also a two-time Footlocker National qualifier. She ran 17:35 at Mt. Sac and 17:33 at Woodward Park and broke Deena Drossin’s freshman course record at Mt. Sac. Elaine went on to run in four NCAA Cross Country finals for UCLA and Wisconsin. 
First four time Ventura County Champion in cross-country, Deena was also a 3-time CIF SS and 3-time California State Champion. She was also a four-time Kinney National qualifier, finishing 6th as a senior. She ran a best of 17:07 at Woodward Park and 17:16 at Mt. Sac and was the former freshman course record holder at Mt. Sac. Deena went on to earn All American honors at University of Arkansas. After college, Deena has gone on to hold American records in the 10000 meters, 5K, 8K and 15K on the road, ½ marathon and the marathon and took home the bronze medal in the marathon from the 2004 Olympic Games. She twice finished second in the World cross-country championships. Was selected for CIF SS 100th anniversary as one of the 100 best athletes in Southern Section history.
Kim was the 1995 Ventura County champion and the 1994 and 1995 CIF SS 1A Champion. She finished second in the state meet and then won the Kinney National Championship, becoming the only girl in Ventura County history to do so in 1995. Kim ran 17:14 at Mt. Sac and 17:25 at Woodward Park. Kim concluded her running career as a UCLA Bruin.
Amy was three-time Ventura County, CIF SS and California State champion in cross-country. She had a best of 17:24 at Mt. Sac and 17:27 at Woodward Park. Amy was also a two- time Footlocker National qualifier, finishing third in 1992. Improving as a collegiate, Amy won seven individual NCAA championships as a runner at University of Arizona and earned 10 All American awards during her career. 
Bryan was 1989 CIF SS 2A Champion and 1987, 1988 and 1989 California State Champion. Bryan still holds the Southern Section mark at Woodward Park at 14:39 and he blazed to a 14:36 at Mt. Sac. A three time Kinney National qualifier, Bryan is the only male ever to qualify for Kinney as a freshman. He finished 19th as a freshman, 4th as a junior and won the National Championship as a senior. Bryan went on to run for the Badgers of Wisconsin.
Eleazar was the CIF SS 1A Champion in 1994. He still holds the fastest 2nd place time ever at the Lake Casitas County meet, running 15:06 to finish behind Keith O’Doherty’s 15:04. That is still the #3 time all time on the Lake Casitas course. Eleazar finished fifth in the Footlocker National Meet in 1994. He ran 14:54 at Mt. Sac and 15:08 at Woodward Park. He went on to run at Moorpark College and University of Hawaii, Hilo and was long time Moorpark College cross-country coach. Eleazar has also coached cross-country at Cal State University, Northridge.
Eric had the perfect senior cross-country season in 1982. He was undefeated and won the Mt Sac Invitational, the Marmonte League, the Ventura County Championships, the CIF SS 4A title, the Western Regionals of Kinney and finished off the season as the first ever Kinney National Champion from Ventura County. He ran 14:39 at Mt. Sac that year and at the time of his graduation, had the 2nd, 3rd and 4th fastest marks ever for the course. Eric is still tied with Bryan Dameworth for all time Southern Section time at Woodward Park, running 14:39. Eric was the first three-time Ventura County Champion in Cross Country. He was also was 3rd in the Kinney National Championship Meet as a junior. He concluded his senior year by being named the first Ventura County Ventura Sports Hall of Fame Boys’ athlete of the year in 1983. Eric went on to UCLA to run for the Bruins.
As a Bulldog, Gary helped lead Buena to a second place finish in CIF in 1964 with his 6th place finish. After high school, Gary helped put Ventura on the running map. He was a two-time NCAA D2 champ in steeplechase at Humboldt State, setting the D2 record both times. Gary was a three-time All American in track and a two-time All American in cross-country. From college, he went on to international success. Gary was 7th overall in the 1976 World Cross Country Championships. He won the USA Marathon title twice, the 15K National title once and the 25K National title once. He was 7th in the 1976 Olympic Trials 10,000. That year he was a scant .002 seconds behind the qualifiers. He also qualified for the Olympic Trials in 1972, 1980 and 1984 and was second in the Boston Marathon in 1985. One of the biggest promoters of the running boom in Ventura County, Gary is still active as a track and field starter.
Ryan was the CIF SS 2AA Champion in both 1991 and 1992, the Ventura County Champion in 1992 and the California Division 2 state champion in 1992. He qualified for Kinney Nationals in 1991. His bests were 14:54 at Mt. Sac and 15:07 at Woodward Park. Ryan went to Arkansas where he was a three-time top 10 finisher in the NCAA Cross Country meet. He also was a three time All-American in the 10K on the track and SEC conference champion in cross country back when Arkansas was THE power in NCAA cross country. He ended up being a 10 time All American in track and cross-country and qualified for the 5000 meters at the Olympic Trials.