Duo takes over MP boys cross country helm

A new duo will be taking over Mountain Pointe's boys cross country team.

Heather Kiser, a geography and history teacher at the school, and Omar Ortega, a member of Moorpark (Calif.) College's hall of fame for cross country, will head up the program, MP athletic director Ian Moses said Wednesday.

"I'm really excited for it," Kiser said. "I grew up running cross country, I love it, it's my favorite sport."

Kiser has background coaching swimming, and said that while she would draw somewhat from that, "mostly my experience running" would serve as her basis.

Ortega, meanwhile, trained with the cross country team at ASU after his eligibility at Moorpark was used up, and also served as an assistant cross country coach at Phoenix College last season.

"It's been really interesting, it's been a really good experience," said Ortega, who has run in every L.A. marathon since 1995.

The duo replaces Kris Alexander, who left earlier this summer to take a similar position at Mesa Mountain View.

Officially, Kiser will be the squad's head coach and Ortega will be her assistant, but duties will be split between the two, Moses said.

The Pride are coming off a ninth-place finish at last year's state meet.

MP loses five of its top seven from that meet, including its top individual finisher, Brady Alling, who placed tenth, but returns seniors Dan Wilson (28th) and Brian Bauer (85th), as well as junior Brian Baker, who Ortega said would move up from the jayvee squad into the Pride's top three.