WALNUT -- During a season that saw illness, injuries and several lineup changes keep the Harvard-Westlake boys' cross country team under the radar, it was only fitting the Wolverines' run to their first Southern Section Div. IV championship went largely unnoticed Saturday.

As for Simi Valley's Sarah Baxter, Harvard-Westlake's Cami Chapus and Notre Dame's Will Conway, they continued to thrive in the spotlight, all securing their first individual titles at Mount San Antonio College.

Despite being overshadowed by Bosco Tech during race updates over the public-address system, Harvard-Westlake relied on an impressive surge in the final 800 meters of the rain-altered 3.1-mile course to prevail with 80 points.

Bosco Tech was second with 117 and Notre Dame -- led by Conway's victory in 16 minutes, 22 seconds and a third-place effort from Richard Lucas (16:25) -- finishing third (146), with Crespi (174) taking fourth.

"We won the most anonymous race in CIF history," said Wolverines program head Jonas Koolsbergen. "I don't think our name was even mentioned until they announced the scores."

With Kevin On (16:34) following Crespi's Shane MacMiller (16:32) to place fifth, Aaron de Toledo (16:53) taking 10th and David Abergel (16:57) continuing his resurgence after battling mononucleosis to finish 12th, Harvard-Westlake's approach was anything but understated.

"At (Mission League) finals, we finally got it going and prelims was just to qualify, but this is the race we wanted," de Toledo said. "We were so mentally focused on one course, but we had to switch courses and still run the race. I knew Kevin was going to be there, but once I saw David, I had faith that our Nos. 4 and 5 would come through. We went for it and we got it."

Freshman David Manahan (29th, 17:19) and senior Charlie Stigler (35th, 17:24) provided the necessary support for the Wolverines by making a late surge, helping Harvard-Westlake overcome a season filled with adversity to follow the girls' championship last year with a boys' title.

Conway also relied on an impressive kick on the track to get past Laguna Beach's Matt Neev (16:24) in the final 200 meters.

"I told Will that Neev hadn't been challenged all year," Notre Dame coach Jon Sutherland said. "I told him to stay with him as long as he could because Will has another gear and Neev doesn't have his (closing) speed."

Chapus led from the outset to prevail in 18:41, posting an 18-second victory over Whittier Christian's Kelliann Hunt to secure her first Southern Section Div. IV title after capturing the state crown last year.

"It was definitely a big change from a dry, dirt, hill course to a flooded, concrete and flat course. It was cool finishing on the track, sort of like Woodbridge," Chapus said. "Also, it was special to be able to run the rain course at Mt.SAC. It is something to remember for the meets to come when it's 100 degrees at Mt. SAC."

Despite racing without injured junior Amy Weissenbach, last year's champion Harvard-Westlake still managed to take second with 138 points -- trailing JSerra (48) -- with Mission League counterpart Flintridge Sacred Heart finishing third (165). Paraclete (168) and La Reina (176) also qualified for the state meet.

Led by Baxter posting the meet's top time of 17:40, Simi Valley finished third in the Div. I girls' final with 112 points, trailing Great Oak (73) and Dana Hills (101).

Madelyn Vorgitch (20th, 18:58), Erika Barr (29th, 19:07), Chelsea Feller (34th, 19:10), Rachel Vinas (56th, 19:30) and Amanda Miller (57th, 19:32) provided crucial support for Baxter, who became the first local female to win a Div. I girls' title since Hart's Brooke Russell in 2003.

"I'm really excited about how our team did," Baxter said. "The course made me a little nervous because it was wet and I didn't want to slip and fall, but I just ran the best race that I could."

Led by Kristian Martinez (third, 16:03) and Juan David Garcia (11th, 16:17), Golden Valley placed fifth in the Div. III boys' final.

Burroughs' Anthony Monroy placed sixth (15:46) and Knight's Bryan Guijarro was 10th (15:53) in the Div. I boys' final. L.A. Baptist's John Hudson (11th, 16:56) advanced in Div. IV and Sierra Canyon's Brandon Baxter (seventh, 16:54) qualified in Div. V, along with runner-up Desert Christian (102) and Flintridge Prep (133).

Royal's Sophie Mateu (15th, 18:56) and Thousand Oaks' Melanie Joerger (20th, 19:05) advanced in Div. II, along with Oak Park's Kaycee Holcomb (sixth, 18:46) in Div. III and the Flintridge Prep girls in Div. V with a sixth-place finish.