Quartet has championship aspirations
Championships and advancement are at stake for the four local schools and a couple of individuals at Saturday morning’s CIF Southern Section Cross-Country Championships at the Riverside City Cross-Country Course.
Bellarmine-Jefferson High, Burroughs, Crescenta Valley and Flintridge Prep all have representatives competing in different divisions on the three-mile course with hopes centered on winning division crowns and advancing to the CIF State Meet the following weekend at Fresno’s Woodward Park.
To qualify to Woodward Park on Nov. 26, a team needs to place in the top seven of its division or an individual needs to finish as one of the top five runners not on a qualifying team, but within the top 20 individually.
Perhaps Flintridge Prep is best positioned to win a title as the second-ranked boys and top-ranked girls are hoping for a second consecutive championship sweep.
The Prep League champion Flintridge Prep girls commence their quest for another crown in the Division V finals at 8:45 a.m.
“They look great and the practices have been real sharp,” Flintridge Prep girls’ co-Coach Jill Riehl said. “It’s a fast course because it’s flat and I’m really looking forward to seeing what times they can pull off.”
Flintridge rolled to a victory in its heat at the preliminaries with 31 points as Sasha Codiga was her team’s top placer, taking fourth in 18 minutes, 54.3 seconds.
If it’s not Codiga, the Prep League champion, pacing the squad, the Rebels have a very deep team with leaders like Sophie Gitlin, Jenna Mijares, Natalie O’Brien and Maia Cohen ready to step up.
Flintridge Prep enters having won three straight Division V titles.
The Flintridge Prep boys were the only area team in 2015 to win a league, CIF Southern Section and CIF State title.
The Rebels wrapped up the first part of the triple crown earlier this year and look for another title Saturday in their Division V race at 8:05.
“It’s been an interesting year and I think it’s fair to say that we definitely thought this would be a lot more of a rebuilding year than it has been,” Flintridge Prep boys’ Coach Ingrid Herskind said. “The biggest thing that we’ve had to deal with this year is injuries, so it’s nice to be healthy.”
For the first time since September, Herskind will have her healthy starting seven ready for Saturday, with the biggest challenge in the finals likely coming from top-ranked Desert Christian.
At the prelims, the Rebels finished first in their heat with 52 points with Prep League champion Evan Pattinelli (third, 16:21.7) out in front.
A Bell-Jeff team or individual will take on Flintridge Prep in both races as the No. 7-ranked Camino Real League champion Guards will get going in the Division V girls’ championships at 8:45.
When asked whether it was an advantage to compete two straight weekends on the flat Riverside course rather than back-to-back runs at hilly Mt. San Antonio College, the usual site of prelims and finals, Bell-Jeff Coach Jim Couch didn’t see much of a break.
“I don’t know if I’d say that,” Couch said. “With the dust and the kind of course it is, you just have to be prepared for it. It is tough to go back-to-back at Mt. SAC, but at least that gets you ready for the state course because Mt. SAC tests you.
“Here, you have an easier course, something similar to what we’ve run quite a lot this year. I don’t know, though, if that’s necessarily better.”
The Guards finished third in their Division V heat with 114 points.
Individually, Bell-Jeff sophomore Nick Montijo will run in the Division V boys’ finals at 8:05. The Camino Real third-place finisher took 10th last week in 16:37.9.
Like Bell-Jeff and Flintridge Prep, Burroughs has both a boys’ and girls’ entrant.
Pacific League champion Emily Virtue will compete individually in the area’s final race, the Division I girls’ championship at 10:05 a.m.
Last week, Virtue finished second in her heat and third overall with a mark of 17:18.4.
“She’s been doing very well and I think she’s going to continue doing well in Riverside,” Burroughs Coach John Peebles said. “I know it’s different not being at Mt. SAC and disappointing to some, but she’s the kind of athlete who does well wherever.”
As for the boys, the No. 7-ranked Indians take on a difficult field that includes Pacific League rivals in No. 6 Arcadia and No. 9 Crescenta Valley at 9:05 in the Division I championships.
Last week, the Indians won their Division I heat with 81 points with senior Timothy Wells taking second in 15:07.7.
“It’s just a matter of going out and competing,” Peebles said. “The Southern Section is no joke and we’re going to have to show up and run.”
While Burroughs has had some bumps down the stretch, Crescenta Valley is surging.
The Falcons finished third at the Pacific League finals and were within five points of Pacific League co-champions Arcadia and Burroughs.
“To be honest, that did surprise me and I didn’t expect it,” Crescenta Valley Coach Mark Evans said. “It was real encouraging for us and maybe if one or two things are different, we actually win that race.
“Beside that, we’re happy with how we’ve progressed this season and we’re excited about Saturday.”
Last week, Crescenta Valley finished third in its heat with 125 points and was led by junior and Pacific League champion Colin FitzGerald, who was fourth in 15:12.0.
