Burroughs can’t keep pace with Falcons
LA CRESCENTA — With the Pacific League finals scheduled for later in the month, many track and field athletes are heading down the home stretch in search of refining their strategies to possibly get there.
That proved to be the case during Wednesday afternoon’s league tri-meet between Glendale, Burroughs and host Crescenta Valley.
Among those who stood out were Bob Anderson of Crescenta Valley, Glendale’s Mike Davis and Danitza Eyo of Burroughs. Each won two events for their respective squads in a meet that concluded just before sundown, but it was the Falcons who swept through the opposition as a team.
Crescenta Valley’s boys’ team posted an 88 1/2-47 1/2 win against Burroughs and an 89-45 victory against Glendale. Burroughs earned an 82-53 win against Glendale. In the girls’ portion of the meet, Crescenta Valley came through with a 72-64 win against Burroughs and a 99-37 victory against Glendale. Burroughs topped Glendale, 94-40.
In the boys’ part of the meet, Crescenta Valley netted nine first-place efforts. Anderson, a senior, won the 1,600-meter and 3,200 events to spark the Falcons.
Anderson won the 1,600 in 4 minutes 31.15 seconds before coming back to take the 3,200 (9:48.24). Burroughs standout distance runner Anthony Monroy didn’t compete in the meet because of an injury.
“It’s nice to go out there and get it done in both races,” Anderson said. “With the 1,600, it’s my race and it felt good to go under 10 [minutes].
“The first guy went out hard to start the race and I passed him in the last 600 meters. In the 3,200, I felt good and also took it in the last 600.”
The Falcons also received a pair of first-place performances from Josh Straschewski, who took the 100 hurdles (15.2) and the 300 hurdles (40.91). Also earning first-place efforts for the Falcons were Brennen Hicklin, who tied for first with Burroughs’ Andrew Carrillo in the pole vault with a mark of 10 feet 6 inches, Andrew Roide in the high jump (6-2), Ben Miller in the triple jump (39-10 ½) and Levi Walker in the long jump (19-7). Crescenta Valley’s 4x100 relay team of Parker Averill, Justin Springfield, Walker and James Maturan won in 44.0.
Glendale received a pair of first-place efforts from Davis and Alex Sanchez. Davis took the 100 in 10.54 and the 200 with a season-best time of 21.78. Sanchez won the shot put (34-3) and the discus (98-2).
Davis showed he might be set to repeat as league champion in the 200, while also looking to win the league crown in the 100 after taking second last season.
“I wanted it a lot more in the 100 [Wednesday],”said Davis, who later grouped with Jeff Massin, Chris Canlas and Paul Archer to take the 4x400 relay in 3:28.41. “In the 200, I improved my kick coming around the curb.
“It’s my goal to win both events in the league final. In the relay, it was pretty intense, but I kicked it in the last 200 and I felt like I had a chance to win it.”
Burroughs, which also competed without pole vaulter Austin Allen because of an injury, also got first-place efforts from Devin Rojas in the 400 (51.31) and Brandon Andrade in the 800 (1:59.91).
On the girls’ side, Crescenta Valley captured nine events and Burroughs won seven.
Leading the way for Crescenta Valley was Jessica Beerman, who won the 100 and 200. Beerman, who won league titles in both events last season, took the 100 (12.09) and the 200 (26.10). She began the meet by teaming with Maple Jones, Noel Wong and Kayleigh Carrillo to take the 4x100 relay (50.55).
Other first-place efforts from the Falcons were turned in by Tiernan Hebron in the 400 (1:02.66), Cali King in the 800 (2:22.01), Anneke Kakebeen in the 300 hurdles (50.34), Claudia Pham in the 3,200 (11:41) and Selena Magid in the pole vault (7-6). Crescenta Valley’s 4x400 relay team of Carrillo, King, Hannah Ruby and Hebron won in 4:17.82.
Eyo paced the Indians, winning the shot put (27-3 1/2) and the discus in a personal-best mark of 86-7 1/4.
Eyo said she’s looking at improving her marks in both events leading up to the league prelims and finals, which will be held at Arcadia High.
“I feel good about myself right now in the discus, but I just had an off day in the shot put for some reason,” Eyo said. “I feel excited going into both at the league prelims and hopefully the finals.
“With the discus, I felt good when I got here and I felt like I could have a good day. In the shotput, I just didn’t have any rhythm and things just felt different. I felt like I couldn’t extend with my throws.”
The Indians received first-place finishes from Gracia Innocentia in the 1,600 (5:24.09), Amoni Alexander in the 100 hurdles (16.25), Shannon Kermah in the triple jump (33-11), Justice Shank in the high jump (5-0) and Paris Vaughn in the long jump (15-2).