La Cañada girls’ cross-country wins second league meet

LA CRESCENTA — Despite missing each of their top runners, the La Cañada High girls’ and boys’ cross-country teams were hardly slowed down.

At the second Rio Hondo League meet of the season, the Spartans arrived at Crescenta Valley Park determined not to be fazed with Katie Scoville out of action for the girls’ team and Ethan Crain and Seve Rodriguez absent for the boys.

La Cañada received positive results as the girls took first and the boys were third after losing a tiebreaker on the three-mile course.

With Scoville, the reigning La Cañada Valley Sun Girls’ Athlete of the Year, out because of illness, the Spartans turned to sophomore Adena DiPaolo to take charge.

DiPaolo finished second with a mark of 19 minutes 48.5 seconds and helped the Spartans, who won the league championship last season, finish first. La Cañada, ranked sixth in CIF Southern Section Division IV, finished with 33 points and South Pasadena was second with 56 points.

DiPaolo nearly won her second straight league race after winning in 18:57.3 at Lacy Park in San Marino on Sept. 29. On Thursday, DiPaolo passed San Marino’s Olivia Ruiz with about half mile remaining. DiPaolo continued to lead before Ruiz overtook DiPaolo in the final 25 meters to win in 19:47.8.

“I just came in focusing on running the best race I could and I thought I did well,” DiPaolo said. “I think I came out a little faster than normal at the beginning of the race and then I had a lead going over the bridge toward the end.

“[Ruiz] paced off of me and got past me at the very end. It was a good race and you can always learn from different things.”

The Spartans had four top-10 finishers. Sarah Arthur placed third (20:03.1) for the Spartans, who saw Madison Pirkey take seventh (20:41) and Morgan Bowman place ninth (20:44.5). Kallie Rushing of La Cañada was 12th in 21:03.3.

“I’m very pleased with this effort,” said La Cañada Coach Nick LaCapria, whose team will return to Lacy Park on Nov. 3 for the league finals. “I can’t be disappointed with four girls in the top 10 and Adena ran a great race that will help build her confidence even more.

“We didn’t have Katie and we still haven’t even peaked yet. I liked their efforts today and it’s just about getting ready for the league final and CIF and getting through injuries and illness.”

San Marino finished third with 70 points, followed by Monrovia (87) and Temple City (102).

In the boys’ competition, La Cañada tied for second with San Marino with 71 points. However, San Marino had a better mark between the teams’ sixth runners. South Pasadena finished first with 25 points.

The Spartans got another impressive effort from junior Nick Van Slooten, who set a personal-best course mark by finishing fifth in 17:08.6.

Van Slooten, who turned in a time of 16:25.8 for fifth in the first league meet, held his own. He stayed near the top five for most of the race before crossing the finish line.

“I’m really happy,” Van Slooten said. “I think it’s a very tough course with a lot of steep inclines and there aren’t too many flat areas.

“I stayed behind some of the runners at the halfway mark and then I passed about three or four South Pasadena runners. I felt a little more responsible and determined to run a good race with Ethan and Seve not being here.”

Patrick Salter took 10th (17:51.2) for La Cañada, which saw Shaan Sandhu take 16th (18:12.3). Sheldon Watanabe finished 18th (1 8:24.6) for the Spartans, followed by Lucas Echternach (22nd, 18:29.2).

Adam Goodman had the Spartans’ sixth-place finish at 19:18.4. Josh Rose of San Marino took sixth in 18:33.5.

“I’ll take tying for second while being without two top runners,” LaCapria said. “I’ll sign up for that in a minute.

“Our guys went out there and did what they had to do. I pulled Sheldon up from the junior varsity team a couple of days ago and he responded big time. Ryan ran a great race and that’s because he’s always determined and does what he’s asked without complaining.”

South Pasadena’s Kieran Press-Reynolds, who won the league championship last season, finished first in 16:14.6. Roberto Soto of Monrovia was second (16:29.4).

Temple City placed fourth with 84 points, followed by Monrovia (121) and Blair (177).