This blog is dedicated to the rich distance running history at Thomas Downey High School. From the school's founding in 1950-51, there have been many superior runners. Ray Hale, Ron Whitney, and Mike Olbranz were the heros of the first decade. The 1960s belonged to Jim Seghrue and Andy Vollmer. The 1970s saw the emergence of Tim Holmes and Laurie Crisp, and Charleen Chituras. The 1980s seemed to be the low point for Downey distance running, but the 1990s would make up for that with Eric Elwess, JoAnna Cerri, and Carrie Tacheria. Since 2000 the program's brightest star was Monica Frailing. This site and associated pages pays tribute to the "fore fathers" of Downey distance running. Perhaps the spirit and success of these stars of the past will guide the Downey distance running stars of the future.

1990-1999 (TACHERIA ,CERRI, ELWESS, HOGAN, DICHOSO)

The early 1990s was definitely the high point of Downey girls' distance running. The 1991 and 92 teams each placed second in the section meet and qualified for the state meet. Carrie Tacheria and Joanna Cerri were the stars but they had a strong supporting squad.

JoAnna Cerri

CARRIE TACHERIA

Carrie was the first distance star since Laurie Crisp. She led the crest of solid Downey girls distance running from the late 1980s into the early 1990s.

1989 10th grade TDHS member CCC 1st place, SJS 5th place team XC
1991 12th grade TDHS member CCC 1st place, SJS 2nd place, State 13th place team

1991 12th grade TDHS 1st place SJS; 21st place State, 19:10 5k XC
1992 12th grade TDHS 3rd place 3200m SJS track
1992 12th grade TDHS 11:11.0 3200m track (#3 on all-time TDHS list)
1992 12th grade TDHS 5:18.3 1600m track (#4 on all-time TDHS list)
1993 MJC #2 on all-time list 3000m 10:18.68 track
1993 MJC #2 on all-time list 5000m 17:36.24 track
1993 MJC #2 on all-time list 1500m 4:42.17 track

JoAnna Cerri
JOANNA CERRI
JoAnna Cerri co-led the Downey girls' distance charge of the early 1990s. She still holds school records for the 400, 800, and 1600m even after 15 years have passed.

1991 9th grade TDHS 58.6 400m (#1 all-time TDHS list) track
1991 10th grade TDHS member SJS 2nd place team; 13th place team, 20:40 5k @ State XC

1992 11th grade TDHS member SJS 2nd place team; 14th place team, 41st place 19:49 5k @ State; Honorable Mention All Nor-Cal XC

1993 11th grade TDHS 1st place 5:06.31 SJS 1600m track
1993 11th grade TDHS 1st place 2:15.65 SJS 800 m track
1993 11th grade TDHS 4th place 5:03.2 State 1600m track
1993 11th grade TDHS member SJS 1st place team track
1993 11th grade TDHS 2:14.2 800m track (#1 all-time TDHS list)
1993 12th grade TDHS Honorable Mention All Nor-Cal; 29th place 19:32 5k @ State XC

1994 12th grade TDHS member SJS 2nd place team track
1994 12th grade TDHS 2nd place 1600m SJS track
1994 12th grade TDHS 3rd place 5:01.48 State 1600m track
1994 12th grade TDHS 5:01.3 1600m (#1 all-time TDHS list); 12:00.5 3200m (#5 all-time TDHS list)

1994 12th grade TDHS member SJS 2nd place, State 6th place team track
1998 Butler University 1st place 2:16.28 800m, Horizon League Championships

Mulnix and Cannizaro
COURTNEY CANNIZZARO
Courtney was part of the Downey program at its height. In her Frosh year she produced a startling fast 800m time that still stands as #2 on the all-time TDHS list.

1989 9th grade TDHS member CCC 1st place; SJS 5th place team XC
1990 9th grade TDHS 2:22.6 800m (#2 on all-time TDHS list)
1990 9th grade TDHS 5:42.5 1600m (#11 on all-time TDHS list)
1991 10th grade TDHS member SJS 2nd place team; 13th place team @ State XC

1992 11th grade TDHS member SJS 2nd place team; 14th place team @ State

ROBIN HERSKOWITZ

Robyn was part of the distance wave of the early 1990s. She is still ranked #5 on the all-time 800m list and #10 on the all-time 3200m list.

1989 9th grade TDHS 12:33.6 3200m (#10 on all-time TDHS list)
1989 10th grade TDHS member CCC 1st place; SJS 5th place team XC
1990 10th grade TDHS 2:27.3 800m (#5 on all-time TDHS list)
1991 12th grade TDHS member SJS 2nd place team; 13th place team @State




I placed this team in the 1990s (instead of the 1980s) because many of the athletes were young and would go on to be stars in the 1990s.

The 1989 XC team may be the most successful combined male and female XC team in Downey's history. The boys finished second in league but went on to place 3rd in the section.
The girls won the CCC and went on to place 5th in the SJS section.


The 1991 Downey girls XC were the most successful Downey girls XC team ever. The convergence of Tacheria, Cerri, Cannizzarro and Herskowitz made for a formitable team. The supporting cast of Anne Carota (12:38.5 3200m #11 all-time), Dana Thiel (2:36.0 800m # 10 all-time), and a very solid Linda Street wasn't bad either. The 1991 girls won the CCC, finished 2nd in the SJS, and placed a Downey high 13th in the State D1 meet.
The 1992 girls XC almost equaled the success of their 1991 sisters. Cerri, Cannazzaro, Carota, and Street. Joining this group was Dawn Salmon (5:37.2 1600m #9 all-time), Amanda Wallace, and Lydia Payne. These girls won the CCC, finished second in the SJS, and 14th in the State.











 ERIC ELWESS
Eric was Downey's top male distance runner of the 1980s and early 1990s.


1989 10th grade TDHS 4th place SJS 800m 1:57.2 track
1989 11th grade TDHS member CCC 2nd place; SJS 3rd place team XC
1990 11th grade TDHS 3rd place SJS 800m
1991 12th grade TDHS 3rd place #JS 800m
1991 12th grade TDHS 1:55.6 800m #2 on all-time list, track


Patrick Hogan
 PATRICK HOGAN
Patrick Hogan and Clint DiChoso dominated the late 1990s as distance runners for Downey.

1995 11th grade TDHS member 6th plce team SJS XC
1996 12th grade TDHS 5th place SJS XC
1997 12th grade TDHS 5th place 1600m 4:20.65 (#5 all-time TDHS list) SJS track
1998 MJC 3:54.9 1500m (#5 all-time list) track




CLINT DI CHOSO

1996 11th grade TDHS 5th place SJS XC
1997 11th grade TDHS 3rd place 4:18.35 1600m SJS track (#2 TDHS all-time)
1998 12th grade TDHS 3rd place 1:57.52 800m SJS track (#7 TDHS all-time)
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