Arreola Paces Win for CSUN

Fans of competitive distance running would not have enjoyed Saturday’s Northridge Cross-Country Invitational at Cal State Northridge.

That’s because Richie Brownsberger of the Jamul Toads and Cal State Los Angeles easily won the men’s titles while Darcy Arreola and her CSUN teammates ran away with the women’s titles.

Brownsberger, formerly of UCLA, took control of the men’s race at the 2 1/2-mile mark and won going away.

His time of 24 minutes, 57 seconds over the five-mile course bettered the time of runner-up Benny Cruz (25:04) of Cal State Los Angeles by seven seconds. Will James of Northridge placed a distant third in 25:48.

Led by Cruz, Cal State Los Angeles placed four runners in the top six to win the team title.

The Golden Eagles, ranked No. 2 in the NCAA Division II poll, easily defeated 18th-ranked CSUN, 33-54. UC Riverside, ranked 20th, placed third with 64 points.

The outcome of the women’s race was even less suspenseful.

Arreola, runner-up in the 800 and 1,500 meters at the Division II track championships in May, took the lead after a pedestrian first mile (5:40) and was never challenged.

She had a 20-second lead at two miles (11:13) and won by 46 seconds, clocking 17:42 over the 5,000-meter course. Tricia Molina of the Pacific Coast Track Club placed second in 18:28.

Teresa Poy (18:51) and Tammy McCarty (18:52) placed fourth and fifth as Northridge won the team title with 28 points. The UCLA B team placed second (88) and Cal State Los Angeles placed third (97).