Wins for Couch, Crescenta Valley girls, Glendale boys highlight Staub-Barnes Invitational
LA CRESCENTA – Whether a tune-up for an upcoming league meet or an opportunity just to run, Saturday morning’s 50th annual Staub-Barnes Cross-Country Invitational at Crescenta Valley Park served many purposes.
Crescenta Valley High’s Caitlyn Couch turned in the only area individual victory, while her Falcons ran to a triumph along with the Glendale boys in a meet that included positive efforts from Burbank, La Cañada, St. Francis and St. Monica Academy.
Couch transferred from Division V Bellarmine-Jefferson before the season’s start partly to challenge herself against some of the area’s best.
She continued to impress by winning the Division I race in a mark of 18 minutes, 53.44 seconds.
“It feels really amazing to come out and win,” said Couch, who blasted her previous course-best time of 19:15. “All the work I’ve put in throughout the years and the work I’ve done since joining CV; it’s just nice.”
Couch led the Division I Falcons to victory with 45 points in an area showdown over Division IV No. 4-ranked Rio Hondo League champion La Cañada (53) and Pacific League rival Burbank (75).
Couch has been part of a dynamic one-two punch with senior Naila Ortiz, who took third in 19:25.97.
The Falcons’ next three scorers were Sophia Atin (12th, 20:29.81), McKenna Heeg (14th, 20:37.81) and Gaby Borraez (15th, 20:39.44).
La Cañada turned in three top-six efforts led by super freshman Kayley Bond, who took second in 18:55.88.
“I ran on this course with my coach on Saturday, so this is really only the second time I’ve been here,” said Bond, who captured the first Rio Hondo League meet on Sept. 21. “What makes this meet important is that it’s great training for our next league meet. It’s good to know what it’s going to be like.”
Reigning Rio Hondo League champion Adena Dipaolo earned fifth (19:47.22), while sophomore Sarah Author (19:51.66) earned sixth for La Cañada. Freshman Ellaney Matarese finished 13th (20:30.50) for the Spartans.
La Cañada returns to Crescenta Valley Park for the second league meet on Wednesday, Oct. 11.
As for Burbank, sophomore Sol Fernandez was satisfied with her fourth-place effort (19:35.09).
“My goal today was to stay with that front pack and at the end I was in no-man’s land,” said Fernandez, who bested her PR of 19:49. “I really did push myself today and I ran with the La Cañada girls. I guess I’m happy.”
Burbank boasted two additional top-20 placers in senior Noemi Apreza (seventh, 19:52.91) and sophomore Jordan Delgado (18th, 20:52.13).
Saturday provided Crescenta Valley and Burbank a good preview as both return Tuesday, Oct. 10 for the Pacific League’s second meet.
The boys’ Division I Invitational lost a bit of luster as Mark Evans, Crescenta Valley coach and meet organizer, held out his top runners from the Division I fifthranked Falcons.
That move opened the door for Burbank, which finished second with 83 points behind Golden Valley (75).
Freshman Andres Leon led the way for Burbank in sixth in 16:34.12.
“All I was trying to do was have a good run today and not break a PR,” said Leon, who still ended up topping his best course mark of 16:50. “I’m happy with my result because I was dead before we started. I was throwing up, so to finish like this is great.”
Sophomores Victory Goli (seventh, 16:35.62) and Dayne Ellis (17th, 17:06.03) also finished in the top-20 for Burbank.
Crescenta Valley finished fifth with 108 points and posted three top-20 efforts from Charles Pingry (12th, 16:49.40), Logan Neil (18th, 17:10.12) and Grant Lauterback (20th, 17:18.25).
The Glendale High boys enjoyed a special day in the winner’s circle in the Division II competition with 45 points, as they held off Ridgecrest Burroughs (58) along with fourth-place La Cañada (88) and fifth-place St. Francis (109).
Junior Arvin Sales led the Nitros to victory in a third-place time of 17:14 and soaked in the moment.
“I was injured last year with a stress fracture, so I didn’t run at all – cross-country or track,” said Sales, who topped his PR of 18:08. “Coming back, I upped the mileage a lot and I trained smarter.”
Sales’ scoring teammates consisted of Ameer Mohammed (fifth, 17:26.38), Chadi Saklaway (seventh, 17:34.59), Kirollos Jacob (18th, 18:27.12) and Jose Romero (19th, 18:29).
La Cañada enjoyed a pair of strong efforts from junior Owen Serricchio (fourth, 17:17.56) and Ryan Van Slooten (sixth, 17:34.18), while St. Francis’ Stuart Serventi placed 14th (18:15.34) and Brady McNulty took 17th (18:25.31).
Glendale’s Vanneza Venzor wanted redemption from a sub-par first league meet and nearly took home a victory in the girls’ Division II race before settling for second in 20:30.91 behind Ridgecrest Burroughs’ Kylie Griffith (20:24.91).
“For the whole race, I was leading and I didn’t think anyone was behind me until near the end,” said Venzor, who crushed her previous best mark of 21:30. “When I saw her coming up to me, I froze.”
As a team, Glendale took second with 65 points as the victory went to Immaculate Heart (25).
Behind Venzor, the Nitros’ Kaley Tien (13th, 21:52.41), Chloe Hansen (15th, 21:56) and Alisson Corvera (18th, 22:06.81) finished in the top 20.
Saturday also provided an opportunity for freelance squad St. Monica Academy to race on the course closest to its campus.
Junior Mark Golbranson earned 26th (18:45.81) in the Division II boys’ race, while senior Margaret Short took 39th (25:21.56) in the girls’ Division II race.
