Girls’ Cross-Country Preview: Flintridge Prep aiming for more dominantion

Though seven local teams will begin the cross-country season, it seems that one clearly towers over the rest.

Small school Flintridge Prep is likely the only squad that will vie for a league title, a CIF Southern Section Championship or a state crown and likely all three. Crescenta Valley, Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy, Glendale, Hoover, St. Monica Academy and Holy Family do, however, have their own set of goals.

There was so much that Flintridge Prep accomplished in 2015. The squad destroyed Pacifica Christian, 24-123, at the CIF Southern Section Division V Championship before romping to a 67-143 victory over St. Joseph Notre Dame at the CIF State Division V Championships at Fresno’s Woodward Park.

While such success has been discussed during the summer in the lead-up to the season, the Rebels have also focused on the one missing trophy from last season.

“Yes, winning the Prep League has been a topic of conversation,” said Flintridge Prep co-Coach Mike Roffina, who will be splitting duties again this season with Jill Riehl. “That’s what this team is fixated on and it’s a major topic of conversation.”

Flintridge Prep’s lone defeat last year came at the Prep League finals at Los Angeles Pierce College when Southern Section Division IV champion Mayfield nipped the Rebels, 23-37.

Arguably the city’s top one-two punch is back in senior Natalie O’Brien and junior Sophie Gitlin. O’Brien was second (18 minutes 18 seconds) in league, fifth (19:07.1) at the Division V finals and eighth (18:54.6) at state, while Gitlin took fifth (18:35), third (18:49) and seventh (18:41.7), respectively.

“Natalie and Sophie are looking unbelievable this year,” Roffina said. “Plus, we have some solid sophomores that I would loved to have had 15 years ago. I really believe this team has more potential than last year.”

From the state title team, Roffina returns everyone, including sophomores Sasha Codiga, Jenna Mijares and Haley Allen, junior Gabriella Bennett and senior Maia Cohen.

“We have about 15 runners that are pretty darn good, but we can only take 10 to state, so it’s going to be a battle,” Roffina said.

Flintridge Prep will commence its season Saturday at the Cool Breeze Invitational at the Rose Bowl.

That slight grumbling emanating down the hill is likely coming from Flintridge Sacred Heart Coach Kirk Nishiyama.

The Tologs coach’s job became even more difficult in the offseason as the Mission League and Sunshine League swapped teams. The Mission League shipped down its two weakest squads in Bishop Alemany and Chaminade in favor of the Sunshine League’s two strongest teams of Marymount and Immaculate Heart.

“Our goal is to get to CIF and that just got a little tougher,” said Nishiyama, whose team finished third in league and earned the league’s final automatic postseason berth. “We have a challenge ahead of us and we have a good core running up. We are going to need those young runners to step up.”

The good news for Nishiyama is that he only lost one senior and returns his top runner, junior Bobbie Byrne, who finished sixth at league finals in 20:14.50.

“You’ll be able to tell how well we’ll do this year based on the gap between Bobbie and our No. 2 runner,” Nishiyama said. “If she’s out way ahead, then we’re going to have problems. But, if we can close the gap and get our sophomores to develop, we could have a good year.”

Sophomores Kylie Wilson, Samantha Covey and Megan Koehler will be key to the Tologs’ success as will the health of senior Monica Collins, who’s missed parts of different seasons with injuries.

Nishiyama’s big coup in the offseason came when track and field and soccer standout Sophie Saldivar decided to come out for her senior season.

Flintridge Sacred Heart’s first meet of the year takes place at the Cool Breeze Invitational.

Crescenta Valley took a tumble last year in the Pacific League standings and placed fourth after tying for the league crown in 2014.

The Falcons graduated their top runners and are perhaps their most inexperienced in years.

“We have a lot of young girls and we’re going to have to learn quickly,” said Crescenta Valley co-Coach Mark Evans, who will be sharing the head coaching duties with son Rob. “The good news is that (junior) Naila Ortiz is back. She was dinged at times last year, but is running stronger. She should be our top girl.”

After Ortiz, the Falcons are hoping a bunch of sophomores can be molded into competitive runners.

Sophomores Sojeong Kang, Persiyana Petrova, Gaby Borraez and Melissa Owens and junior Jacqueline Bau all figure to be in the mix.

“Throughout this summer, this group has gotten better every day,” Mark Evans said. “I’m hoping that that will continue during the summer.”

Crescenta Valley kicks off the year Thursday in a three-team meet against Newbury Park and Camarillo at Crescenta Valley Park.

Youth will also be served at Glendale High, which finished sixth in the Pacific League last season.

The positive for Nitros Coach Bob Bailey is that the team’s No. 1 runner from last year, senior captain Alie Pellegrini, is back and will be joined by sophomore Alisson Corvera. Sophomores Vanneza Venzor, Kimberly Vizcara and Mahsa Sohani are making the jump from junior varsity to varsity.

“With the vast number of athletes on the girls’ team being sophomores, it is quite possible that this will be the first time I have a varsity team that can grow together as a unit over the next three seasons,” Bailey stated. “Alie will lead this young group of runners, who have looked good in workouts.

“Alisson, Vanneza, Kim and Mahsa have been working well as a unit, so I am anxious to see them work together in a race situation.”

Glendale opens the season at the Cool Breeze Invitational.

Health will be paramount for Hoover this season just based on the numbers.

Coach Jack Sallakian will only have five runners competing this season, which is the bare minimum allowed for team competition. This comes a year after the Tornadoes finished fifth in the Pacific League.

“Staying healthy is the main thing for us,” Sallakian said. “It’s very tempting to push them hard and see what they can do, but I need them to both stay healthy for this year and to want to come back for next year, as well.”

Sallakian’s expected top two runners this season are sophomores Siona Gregorian and Ani Bagmanian. Both are varsity returners.

The Tornadoes get going this season at the two-day Rosemead Invitational, which begins Sept. 9.

At Holy Family, athletic director Greg Ziomek is taking a different approach and is calling on athletes from all sports to fill the ranks of his cross-country squad.

So far, the method has worked as the team has 13 runners, including Aaliyah Alaniz.

The 400- and 800-meter runner is one of the leaders this fall and has adapted well beyond the middle distances.

“You know, she’s trying her hand in long distances and is trying to keep in shape for track,” said Ziomek, who is splitting the co-coaching duties with Lanissa Nailor. “She’s doing fairly well in cross-county and we think she’ll have a strong impact.”

Ziomek is also pleased with the development of three freshman runners: Maya Devora, Majella Carrera and Ximena Camacho.

“The thing about the three of them is that whenever we practice, they lead the pack,” Ziomek said. “They jump out front and stay out front. They’re not yet at the level of more experienced runners like a sophomore or junior, but they will be next year.”

Holy Family opens its season in the Horizon League’s first meet Sept. 14 at Elysian Park.

Over the past few seasons, St. Monica Academy has competed at the individual level.

This year, new coach Jake Whalen is hoping to field a team.

“We just got underway, so it’s hard to identify which runners will be standouts at this point,” Whalen said. “We’ll have a better understanding later in the year.”

The squad opens its season at the Rosemead Invitational.