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Running Shots |  |
Ralph Serna - Loara High School, Anaheim, CA class of "75" |
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Ralph Serna (Trident Jr. High) The precocious 7th grader runs a 4:03.4 1320y! By the end of the season Ralph posts 68 (440y), 3:53.4 (1320y) and a 5:25 mile!!! |
9th grade: Ralph is invited to the High School Mile at the Vons Classic (6/9/72). Serna roars a 4:19.7 mile, a CIF frosh record. Serna is 7th place behind the 4:04.2 of Curtis Beck (Santa Monica). | That Fall, Serna enters Loara high school and leads the "Saxons" varsity XC team. |
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| The heralded soph lives up to the advance billing and promtly wins his first Varsity Cross country race. | Ralph races soph rival Robert Angel (Huntington Beach). |
Serna wins the Westminster Postal meet 2M- 9:23.6 and sets a few XC course records along the way!! | Serna wins the Sunset League Finals Varsity race. |
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CIF XC FinalsVarsity AAAA (Large Schools) Super soph Serna moves into third as he chases Seniors Williams & Beck @ Mt Sac. |
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Terry Williams wins in 9:48.0! (Williams won as a sophomore & dropped to 12th as a junior). |
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| Ralph Serna exceeds all expectations by taking 3rd place (10:16), right behind Curtis Beck (10:14)!! (Beck was 2nd last year too!!). |
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Curtis Beck congratulates Serna. |
CIF Finals Varsity X-Country AAAA Results: 1-Terry Williams; 2-Curtis Beck; 3-Serna; 4-Barrie Williams (North); 5-Jim Schankel (Lompoc). |
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Serna leads future World Junior XC Champ Bobby Thomas (Glendale, HS) enroute to his Nat'l soph record for 3-Miles. Serna's 14:10.6 breaks Mitch Kingery's 14:12.2 set in December. Serna's splits: 4:42.0. 4:46.4 & 4:42.2, with a 64.7 last lap. |
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Serna runs in the L.A. Times indoor High School 2M, won by Terry Williams. Robert Angel races past Serna in the last 50 yards & sets an indoor soph national record-9:14.8 in 6th place. Serna is 7th-9:16.0. |
Soph Serna will go on to place 7th in the Mile (4:16.3) @ CA State meet run in 90-degree temperatures. PR's: 440-53.6; 880-1:56.7 (School record); Mile-4:13.2 (CIF Soph record) 2M-9:15.8 (School record) 3M- 14:10.6 (Nat'l Soph record); 10m-51:31. |
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Junior year- Serna wins the Villa Park Classic with Andy Clifford (Sunny Hills), Serna, Steve Scott (Upland). Serna rips a 10:02, a new course record by 12 seconds. |
Gary Blume (Marina) gives Serna his first loss & only loss of the "73" XC season @ CIF Semi-Finals. | CIF Finals: Serna comes back & wins the CIF Crown @ Mt Sac - rain course. |
Track: Serna wins the Jr Nats Track 5,000m over CA Distance double state champ & World XC Champ Rich Kimball. Serna runs 14:16.2 (5k) and sets Nat'l Jr class record for 3M enroute (13:45.4). |
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Senior-Serna concludes an undefeated senior XC season by winning his second consecutive CIF crown (includes 3 wins over Hulst). |
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Ralph Serna |
The victorious Jr. Men's World XC Team (1975) (L-R) Individual Champion: Bobby Thomas (1st), Roy Kissin (8th), Serna (15th), Don Clary (5th). |
National AAU Junior Men Championships - Knoxville, Tenn. June 9, 1976 |
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5,000 Meter Run 1) Ralph Serna (U of Cal Irvine) 14:15.2 2) Alberto Salazar (Wayland, HS) 14:15.2 |
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Salazar & Serna @ the U.S. vs USSR Junior Duel. |
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Hulst leads Serna and Don Moses. |
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The gang from UC Irvine (Anteaters). |
Collection of Photos - Courtesy of Ralph Serna. |
