Falcons Soar in Softball

The lone senior on the Crescenta Valley High softball team, Jamie White considers herself a guardian of a valued tradition.

Whenever her younger teammates get too cocky or relax against an opponent aiming to challenge the Falcons’ mini-dynasty, White stresses the importance of disciplined preparation.

“I want them to understand that we don’t just put on the blue jerseys and go out there and win,” White says.

Try telling that to the opponents Crescenta Valley has run over the past seven years.

Since Coach Dan Berry began the program in 1983, Crescenta Valley has known nothing but success.

The Falcons have won or shared seven consecutive Pacific League championships and they won the Southern Section 4-A Division title in 1986. The program’s record to date is 153-29.

Last season, the Falcons finished 22-2, losing to Garden Grove in the second round of the playoffs.

“There’s going to be a year or two when things won’t go as well,” Berry says. “Every program that has been successful goes through years like that when the team doesn’t do as well as it’s done in the past.”

Crescenta Valley, however, figures to maintain its winning ways for at least the next few years.

This season, Crescenta Valley is 18-1 overall and 2-1 in league play. The Falcons’ only loss was administered by 1989 Pacific League co-champion Glendale, which they will meet again next week.

“This is the best start we’ve ever had,” Berry says. “The year we went 24-4 and won (the Southern Section title), we started the season 4-4.

“This is the fastest and best-hitting team we’ve had.”

It’s also one of the youngest.

Six sophomores are on the Falcon roster, including pitcher Becki Mixon.

Mixon, 15, is the latest in a long line of dominating Crescenta Valley pitchers that has included Lori Bruschett, Heather Lindstrom and Jennifer Berry.

“She is the youngest, age-wise, that we’ve ever had on the mound,” Berry says.

Last season, Mixon was 19-1 for the junior varsity. This season, she has pitched every game and compiled an 0.29 earned-run average.

Mixon began the week with 134 strikeouts in 121 innings and just 12 walks.

“Becki was a pretty good pitcher during the summer,” White says, “but since the season began, she’s really buckled down and done it.”

Amy Colburn leads the Falcons on offense with a team-high .426 batting average and 19 runs batted in. Shortstop Carrie Shirley, a two-time all-league player, is batting .369 and also has 19 RBIs. Jennifer Cannon is batting .357 with a team-high 12 stolen bases.

“This team doesn’t scare easily,” Berry says.

Indeed, two weeks ago the Falcons traveled to Las Vegas to compete in a tournament with several more experienced and powerful teams.

“We wanted to go in and win it,” Shirley says, “but we still weren’t sure of ourselves.”

The Falcons left the desert with confidence after rolling through the tournament and beating Hilltop High of San Diego, 9-6, in the championship game.

Now Crescenta Valley has set its sights on Glendale, which defeated the Falcons, 1-0, in an eight-inning game.

Glendale has eight players back from last season’s team, which advanced to the second round of the playoffs.

Sophomore shortstop Jennifer Dalton is batting .470 and freshman Cyndee Bennett has pitched every game for the Dynamiters.

“We definitely have the ability to go undefeated,” Glendale Coach Fawn Spradlin says. “The only reason we wouldn’t take the championship would be some temporary mental lapse or injury.”