El Camino Real senior Hazell looking to leave a legacy as one of L.A. City Section’s all-time greats

By Alex Valladares for DyeStat

It’s not very often an athlete from the Los Angeles City Section is mentioned among the elite cross country runners in California.

But it’s a group that El Camino Real senior Justin Hazell finds himself mentioned in, just like Marshall’s Hector Garcia and Venice’s Paul Luevano in 2014 and 2015.

The 5-foot-10 senior has quietly built an impressive resume, becoming a legitimate contender this season for the CIF Division 1 individual state title.

“I try not to think about it too much but when I hear it, it’s pretty cool,” Hazell said. “Saying I’m an elite runner is good to hear, but I know I have to keep working at it.”

Hazell’s work ethic will be on display again Saturday at Woodward Park in Fresno in the boys championship race at the 39th ASICS Clovis Invitational.

“I’m really excited to be running in the race at Clovis,” said Hazell, who returns to Woodward Park after finishing fourth in the Division 1 state final last year.

“Not just me, but our team is fired up more than ever this year. We boosted up our training and our mileage. We want to put ourselves out there and let people know who ECR is.”

It’s that fearless mentality that has made Hazell is one of the most successful City distance runners in recent years, winning the section’s Division 1 individual cross country championship last season in addition to capturing 1,600- and 3,200-meter track titles in the spring.  He has also led the Conquistadores to City Division 1 team titles in two of the past three years.

“I think what really was kind of the source of the breakthrough was really him not being afraid to visualize and see himself succeed at a high level or run a fast time or perform well and then actually executing,” said fourth-year coach Jun Reichl, who guided ECR to a 12th-place finish in last year’s Division 1 state final after the Conquistadores were 16th in 2014.

“Last year, he was running really well but our goals weren’t to win state. It was to try to run with the top dogs who were at a high level. Now that visualization with the hard work and taking care of the little things have all kind of allowed him to rise up to be one of the best.”

Reichl is no stranger to success in California as he ran for Royal High in Simi Valley and was part of the Highlanders’ 2005 Division 1 state championship team that also finished sixth at Nike Team Nationals (now NXN).

“I was lucky to have a really positive and successful experience in high school,” said Reichl, who was also a member of Royal’s 2006 lineup that placed second at NTN after taking runner-up to Trabuco Hills in the Division 1 state final.

“Knowing what it’s like to compete at that level, it helped me prepare him a little more because I knew what to expect. It’s just the mentality. I told him he has to see himself be there.”

A new mindset and continuing to expand on his work ethic led Hazell to one of his most impressive career performances Sept. 16 when he won the boys sweepstakes race at the 37th Woodbridge Cross Country Classic at SilverLakes Sports Complex in Norco, Calif.

He became just the fifth boys runner in meet history to clock under 14 minutes, finishing at 13:59.5.

After coming across the finish line, Hazell was congratulated by more than 30 members of the ECR boys and girls programs, chanting his name in jubilation.

“After that race, I was still trying to comprehend what was going on,” Hazell said. “I just wanted to figure out if I broke 14 minutes and then hearing the crowd chant my name, it was really nice. My teammates supported me so much during that race.”

It was his Woodbridge performance that elevated Hazell from one of the top runners in the state to national prominence.

“He’s definitely in the elite class,” said Loyola coach Lalo Diaz, who has guided the Cubs to six state titles in his career, including the 2002 Division 1 championship.

“Within that elite class, he’s one of the better runners. He’s representing not the just L.A. City Section, he’s a representative of the state of California. He is that good.”

Ironically, it wasn’t on a cross country course where Hazell realized he had the potential to be one of the best in the state. It was on the track in April during the invitational boys 3,200 race at the 50th annual Arcadia Invitational, where he placed 19th in a personal-best 8:54.78, part of a group of 25 runners breaking nine minutes.

“It wasn’t just the time, during the race, I was thinking to myself, ‘Wow I’m actually keeping up with some of the best guys in the state,’” Hazell said. “After the race, when I saw my time, I was surprised of my ability.”

That competitive nature has Hazell determined to become the first athlete in City history to win an individual state cross country title and just the second male runner to earn all-state honors twice in a career, joining Banning High’s Roman Renden in 1989-90. Marissa Williams achieved the feat for Palisades in the Division 1 girls state final in 2013-14.

When it comes to the state meet, history has not been on the section’s side. In the 30-year history of the championship meet, only 14 City boys runners – including Hazell’s performance last season – have earned all-state honors.

San Pedro’s Pablo Rosales came the closest to winning a Division 1 boys state crown, finishing second in 2009.

“I know the City Section doesn’t get a lot attention or respect, said Hazell, who clocked the third-fastest time for a City runner at 15:10.7 at last year’s state meet. “I think the City should get respect. We work just as hard as the Southern Section does. It pumps me up to go up against the best in big races.”

It’s still more than a month away before teams descend upon Woodward Park for the Nov. 25 state meet, but Hazell is looking forward to getting back to Fresno with his teammates Saturday for a dress rehearsal with an opportunity to test himself against a talented field that includes Crescenta Valley’s Colin FitzGerald, Great Oak’s Carlos Carvajal, Dana Hills’ Jack Landgraf and Redwood Larkspur’s Liam Anderson.

“It’s really important to leave a good legacy at ECR,” Hazell said. “What’s more important is being able to do it with my teammates.”