Gregory-Grimes, Ruiz lead Quartz Hill sweep at High Desert Invitational

By Erik Boal, DyestatCAL Editor

Quartz Hill had the strength up front and depth to back it up Thursday at the 19th annual High Desert Invitational at Pelona Vista Soccer Center in Palmdale.

Senior Jarred Gregory-Grimes helped the Rebels secure a fourth consecutive individual championship -- following Malik Hayes in 2011 and Brad Wiggs the past two years -- with Kelsey Ruiz becoming the second straight freshman to win the girls title after Knight's Tayler Miranda took top honors last season.

Quartz Hill's boys had the top six individual finishers to post a 15-56 victory over Highland, with the Rebel girls securing five of the top six spots to secure a 19-55 triumph over Paraclete.

Quartz Hill's 'B' teams would have finished second in both races, but didn't factor into the overall scoring.

Grimes covered the 3-mile course in 15 minutes, 59.35 seconds, benefiting from the race being moved back an hour after five runners in earlier races were transported to local hospitals after suffering heat exhaustion.

Knight coach Michael Fluharty decided not to have his varsity teams compete as a precautionary measure, instead leaving the venue to visit one of his athletes being treated in the hospital.

Grimes finished fifth in the senior race Sept. 5 at the Seaside Invitational in Ventura, helping Quartz Hill place third overall behind Great Oak and Agoura.

Travis Cetti was second in 16:05.11, Jacob Branch placed third in 16:28.40, David Moreno finished fourth (16:39.18), freshman Cade Ruble took fifth (16:57.57) and Alex Wada was the sixth-place finisher (17:06.22) for Quartz Hill.

Carlos Mendoza (17:20.17) was seventh for runner-up Highland.

Ruiz overcame taking a wrong turn during the race to prevail in 19:26.58, just ahead of Paraclete's Mariah Theologidy (19:29.61).

Ruiz was second to Greak Oak's Sandra Pflughoft in the freshman race at Seaside. Theologidy was sixth in the junior race, behind four Great Oak runners and Moorpark's Michelle Magnani.

Carolina Gonzales (19:33), Chelsea Wells (19:40), Krista Beck (19:43) and Brenda Amis (20:34) finished third through sixth for Quartz Hill, with Gabby Velazquez (21:03) taking seventh for Paraclete.

Meg Carter (21:05) was eighth for third-place Highland (63 points).