Sutton Sets 8th Straight Record

Newbury Park High’s Melissa Sutton and Mike Esparza each turned in record-setting performances on their way to victories Saturday at the Coyote Cross-Country Invitational at Buena Park High.

Sutton covered the 5,000-meter course in 16:51. It was the eighth consecutive race in which she has set a course record. She set the previous record on Buena’s course in 1985 with a time of 17:45. Teammates Amy Nesbitt (18:41) and Samantha Hodgdon (19:06) finished second and fourth.

Newbury Park, the No. 3-ranked girls team in the Southern Section’s 4-A Division, won the team title with 35 points. La Habra, ranked third in the 3-A, finished second with 60.

Esparza, a sophomore, set a school record with his 15:13. He led Newbury Park, which had 42 points, to a second-place finish, 10 points behind La Habra, the No. 2-ranked team in the 3-A. Teammates Kelly Macone (15:49) and Matt Guetschoff (15:53) placed sixth and seventh.