The Saugus girls cross country team is headed to the Nike Cross Nationals meet in Oregon for the seventh year in a row.
Coming off their seventh straight CIF State championship, the Saugus girls earned an at-large invitation to Saturday’s national cross country meet.
Saugus senior AJ Yarnall also earned an invitation to the Nike Cross Nationals. He will be making his first appearance in the meet.
The Saugus girls team finished in 12th place in the meet last year. From 2007 to 2010, the girls were in the top four, but have never won the Nike Cross Nationals.
In high school football, Valencia quarterback Sean Murphy was selected as the Foothill League player of the year by the coaches in the league.
Murphy guided the Vikings to the semifinals of the CIF Southern Section Northern Division playoffs and the Foothill League championship. He also set a school record with 38 touchdown passes in his senior season.
Anthony Costleigh from Valencia was selected as the defensive player of the year. Canyon quarterback Cade Apsay was the offensive player of the year.
Canyon receiver Drew Wolitarsky, who set the state records in receptions and receiving yards, was a first-team all-league selection.
In college basketball, The Master’s College women improved to 5-0 with a 79-76 win over La Sierra College.
Jacquelyn Marshall scored 20 points and had 11 rebounds for the Lady Mustangs.
In high school basketball, the Canyon girls beat Palos Verdes,74-30, in the Palisades Beach Invitational at Palisades High School. Kali Vittalo scored 24 points and made six 3-pointers.
Canyon will play Santa Monica in the quarterfinals on Wednesday.
The Hart girls won their season opener, 49-43, over Antelope Valley in the Valencia High Five Classic. Breze Kimble scored 20 points for Hart.
In the NBA, the Clippers lost to the visiting New Orleans Hornets, 105-98. Blake Griffin was held to a career-low four points and the Clippers lost their fourth game in a row.
The Hornets meanwhile snapped a seven-game losing streak.
Follow Tim Haddock on Twitter @thaddock.