Simi Valley's Sarah Baxter tops picks for L.A. Daily News 2012 Girls Cross Country Team

After missing the early part of the season rehabilitating a foot injury, Baxter won Southern Section and state titles in an extremely competitive Div. II and led Simi Valley to its first section crown. In her Nike Cross Nationals debut at Portland Meadows, Baxter overcame an early deficit on the 5-kilometer course to claim a national title in 17:37.62. (Staff file photo)

See our all-area team gallery: 2012 L.A. Daily News All-Area Athletes

Runner of the Year: SARAH BAXTER, Simi Valley, Jr.

From the hills of Mount San Antonio College to the muddy terrain at Portland Meadows, Baxter continued to remain several steps ahead of the competition on her way to a season that was "just for the ages" according to Steve Underwood, Dyestat.com editor for RunnerSpace.com.

Although Baxter became the first runner in Nike Cross Nationals history to win back-to-back titles -- and only the fourth girl to repeat, including the Kinney/Foot Locker national finals -- her victory Dec. 1 over New York's Mary Cain in 19:16.79 wasn't even the most memorable performance.

Baxter, the Gatorade state runner of the year, set the 2.94-mile course record Oct. 20 at the Mount SAC Invitational by clocking 16:00, shattering the 2001 mark of 16:16 set by Ukiah's Amber Trotter. In helping Simi Valley finish third at the Div. I state final, Baxter also set the 5-kilometer course record of 16:39.7 at Woodward Park to secure her third straight state championship Nov. 24 after winning a third section crown Nov. 17, along with repeating at the Ventura County and Marmonte League finals.

Coach of the Year: RENE PARAGAS, Saugus

Many believed Saugus' recovery from losing the Southern Section Div. II final last season to winning the state title the following week was Paragas' finest hour during his career. But his ability to mesh three returning varsity runners with a relatively untested group and survive multiple injuries that threatened to derail the Centurions' success on several occasions and win a California record seventh consecutive state championship was the most impressive achievement on a decorated coaching resume. Saugus won a sixth Southern Section title, became one of only three girls programs to win seven state crowns and finished 17th in its seventh consecutive appearance at Nike Cross Nationals.

Newcomer of the Year: SAMANTHA ORTEGA, Saugus, Soph.

From physical education classes and the Centurions freshman/sophomore team in 2011 to Saugus' top runner, a Foothill League champion and state runner-up this season, Ortega produced one of the most impressive improvements in area history. She clocked 17:26 at the Mount SAC Invitational, won the league crown in 17:25.6, then took second at the Southern Section Div. II final in 16:26 and was second at the state championship in 17:32.7.

FIRST TEAM

ABIGAIL FRANKIAN, Saugus, Jr.: One of the Centurions' few athletes with postseason experience, Frankian battled through a foot injury to finish 23rd at the Div. II state final, following a 16th-place finish (16:53) in the section championship at Mount SAC. Frankian, who finished at the Foothill League final in 17:42.8, also clocked 18:26 at the Mount SAC Invitational.

JENNY GIGUERE, Westlake, Soph.: Despite missing a berth to the Div. II state championship by six seconds, Giguere finished 13th at the section final on the Mount SAC rain course in 16:49. She also held her own against a deep Simi Valley lineup, placing fifth at the Ventura County championship (18:43.69) and again at the Marmonte League final (18:17.66). Her best time on the traditional 2.94-mile Mount SAC course was 18:09.

MONIKA GYALAY, Moorpark, Soph.: Delivered a huge breakthrough by winning her race at the Mount SAC Invitational in 17:27, which set the tone for her first state-meet appearance. Gyalay was second at the Ventura County final (18:07.29) and Marmonte League final (17:52.46), followed by taking 10th at the Div. II second championship at Mount SAC in 16:43 and 19th at the state meet at Woodward Park in 18:31.4.

HEIDI HOSLET, Saugus, Sr.: Although injuries and a lack of fitness resulted in Hoslet being forced to run in the Foothill League junior varsity final -- which she won -- when the varsity postseason arrived, her mental toughness was instrumental in the Centurions winning Div. II section and state titles. Hoslet placed 26th in 17:17 on the Mount SAC rain course, then finished 21st at the state final in 18:34.3.

OLIVIA PEAR, Valencia, Sr.: With veteran Maddie Dignadice sidelined most of the season with injuries, Pear became the Vikings' leader and nearly qualified for the state meet, missing the cut by four seconds following an 11th-place finish in 16:40 on the Mount SAC rain course at the Southern Section Div. I final. Pear was fourth at the Foothill League final (17:53.6) and clocked 18:25 at the Mount SAC Invitational.

CHELSEY TOTTEN, Golden Valley, Sr.: The runner-up to Simi Valley's Sarah Baxter during her record-setting effort at the Mount SAC Invitational, Totten not only clocked a program-record 17:18 on the 2.94-mile course, but moved into fourth all-time in Foothill League history. Totten was second in the league final in 17:36.3 and took 30th in the Div. II section meet (17:23). She also clocked 18:21 at Woodward Park at the Clovis Invitational.

BIANCA TINOCO, Golden Valley, Fr.: When Tinoco clocked 18:47 at the Clovis Invitational, it was an impressive sign of things to come. She returned to Woodward Park to clock 18:08.3 at the Div. II state final to place seventh, becoming the third-fastest ninth-grader in California this season. Tinoco was fifth at the Foothill League final (18:12.3) and placed eighth at the Southern Section Div. II championship (16:42) at Mount SAC.

SECOND TEAM

Olivia Altieri, Saugus, Sr.
Katie Huntington, Saugus, Sr.
Desirae Jones, Simi Valley, Soph.
Caroline Pietrzyk, Malibu, Soph.
Rachael Power, Desert Christian, Soph.
Olivia Rosellini, Simi Valley, Soph.
Charlotte Utash, Simi Valley, Jr.

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS

Alpha: Paraclete
Delphic: Crossroads Desert
Mountain: Desert Christian
Foothill: Saugus
Golden: Highland
Liberty: Pacifica Christian
Marmonte: Simi Valley
Mission: Harvard-Westlake
Pacific: Arcadia
Pacific View: Camarillo
Prep: Mayfield
Rio Hondo: La Canada
Tri-Valley: Oak Park

TOP 10

1. Saugus
2. Simi Valley
3. Crescenta Valley
4. Golden Valley
5. Canyon
6. Moorpark
7. West Ranch
8. La Canada
9. Newbury Park
10. La Reina/Oak Park

RACE OF THE YEAR: Mount San Antonio College Invitational Div. I-II team sweepstakes, Oct. 20

Perfect weather conditions at the 65th annual meet led to Simi Valley's Sarah Baxter delivering what many cross country officials and historians called "the greatest performance ever" by a prep female runner. Baxter clocked 16:00 on the traditional 2.94-mile Mount SAC layout, breaking the course record of 16:16 set by Ukiah's Amber Trotter in 2001 and improving on her 2010 mark by 41 seconds.

Baxter hit the mile mark in 5:06, the 2-mile mark in 10:45 and was at 15:00 with 300 meters remaining, before sprinting toward the finish in front of a captivated audience to produce a time that would have landed her fourth in Simi Valley's boys lineup later in the day.