Warrior boys win Dana Hills Invitational - Hasvold wins overall title

Three days after the death of their coach, Fallbrook High School’s boys cross-country team not only won the senior race at the Dana Hills Invitational but also placed first among the 80 schools competing at the September 22 race and had the meet’s fastest individual time.

The Warriors had a team time of 1:29.27, based on the times of the school’s top six runners. Dana Hills, which was the fifth-ranked team in the state as well as the host school, finished second with a team time of 1:29.29. Fallbrook High School senior Bret Hasvold had a time of 14:52 on the 3.0-mile course to lead the 1,434 runners and win the overall title for the second consecutive year.

“I knew we’d run really well, and the kids ran with such a passion,” said Marco Arias, who took over as the interim boys head coach after the death of Marty Hauck September 19. “The kids wanted to run it and do well in it.”

Hauck suffered a fatal heart attack during practice that afternoon. “When it all happened we were all pretty devastated,” Arias said.

The coaching staff questioned whether to attend the meet so soon after Hauck’s death. “We came back the next day and the coaches were still up in the air,” Arias said.

The coaches felt that running the race might serve as an outlet for the team members and put the matter to a team vote. “We would have gone with whichever way they wanted to go,” Arias said.

The student-athletes took the position that they wanted to run and do well. “They were just adamant,” Arias said.

“Both boys and girls, they all ran with a passion,” Arias said. “I was extremely proud of all of them.”

The Dana Hills Invitational has eight divisions based on gender and class. Five of Fallbrook’s six top boy runners at the meet are seniors. In addition to Hasvold, Josh Smith had a time of 15:50, Todd Van Duzer completed the course in 16:14, Sam Liner crossed the finish line at 16:26, and Sean Wood finished at 16:36. Fallbrook’s senior runners also include Kevin Strickfaden, who missed the Dana Hills Invitational due to injury.

Junior Uriel Aguirre had a time of 16:04.

Rain during the Dana Hills Invitational created times slower than the ones run at the Woodbridge Invitational a week earlier. “It was extremely muddy,” Arias said.

Arias noted that the rain intensified during the sophomore race. “There were a couple of sports on the course that just got really muddy,” he said.

That forced runners to go wide, and Van Duzer slipped during the race.

The Dana Hills Invitational will be followed by the Warriors’ first league meet tomorrow against Vista. “Hopefully we’re planning to end this season the way it was meant to be run,” Arias said.