By Justin Lafferty | SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE

SPRING VALLEY, CALIFORNIA – A lottery usually leads people to riches. For Monte Vista High cross country runner Misikir Mentose, a lottery led him to America.

In 2003, Mentose's father, Ermias Wontamo, entered the U.S. State Department's Diversity Visa Lottery and the family was approved for passage from Ethiopia to the United States.

“Really, I didn't want to leave,” Mentose said. “I had to. I knew people that won the lottery in America, though. A lot of people come here to better their lives.”

Mentose and his family lived in Awassa, one of the largest cities in Ethiopia. Wontamo and his wife, Aster Gabore, wanted Mentose to receive his education in the United States. Wontamo and Gabore graduated from Ethiopian colleges, but their degrees don't carry the same clout as those earned in America.

After 22 hours on a plane and a layover in New York City, Mentose and his family arrived in San Diego and met their sponsor.

“We expected it was going to be hard for a while, until we got settled,” Mentose said. “But we were prepared, so it wasn't that bad.”

Mentose, a lifelong soccer player, was not immediately attracted to running. A friend, Muluken Beressa, also from Ethiopia, was a standout cross country runner for Monte Vista. Joining the team was a way to spend time with a fellow countryman, who now runs for Mesa College.

At first, Mentose wasn't too serious about the sport, but his dedication grew. Mentose, a senior, is now a key runner for the Monarchs, who are ranked fifth heading into next week's San Diego Section championships.

“It didn't seem like he had much interest in his freshman year, but he matured in the spring and during track season, something just sparked,” Monarchs coach Bob Muschek said. “It was a nice turnaround.”

Muschek praised Mentose's devotion to the team, a quality he saw in Beressa. Mentose has been an inspirational leader for his teammates, who have soaked up his Ethiopian culture.

Before a race last season at Valhalla, the Monarchs made a mark on their foreheads, mimicking a scar that Mentose jokes he received during a fight with a cheetah as a child. Monte Vista won the race, and Mentose made a strong case for captaincy.

“He's not really a vocal leader, but when he says something, you pay attention,” senior teammate Mark Wassmer said. “He's a really humble kid. During workouts, when you see him going hard, you know that you have to go hard.

“He does everything for the team. Last year, when he went to state (to compete as an individual), he really wanted the team to go with him.”

Mentose has told teammates about an Ethiopian runner's secret – teff, a grain native to his country that he believes makes people run faster. Mentose said he will share some teff with the rest of the Monarchs later this season. First, they must reach a goal that Mentose would not reveal.

“I told them about it,” Mentose said. “But they have to earn something to get it.”

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