Pitcher of the Year

She continues to steadily improve, but Meredith Cervenka of Crescenta Valley High is convinced her best high school season is behind her.

And she still has a year to go.

“I think my junior year is going to be my best year because we had an awesome defense this year,” Cervenka said. “Our team did really good, way better than I expected.”

Although the Falcons made only 21 errors in 31 games, Cervenka was the star of a team that went undefeated in Pacific League play for the third consecutive year and reached the Southern Section Division II semifinals.

“She was the catalyst,” Coach Dan Berry said. “She was the one all the pressure was put on to perform.”

Cervenka, a three-year varsity starter who didn’t expect to play as a freshman, was nothing short of spectacular this season.

The hard-throwing right-hander had a region-high 370 strikeouts in 208 innings, allowed only one earned run, won 28 of 30 decisions and is The Times’ Valley pitcher of the year.

Considering the Falcons lose seven seniors, Cervenka isn’t the only one who believes the best is behind her.

“It’s going to be hard to duplicate,” Berry said. “Those are unbelievable numbers that she had.”

Cervenka, who allowed 49 hits and only 16 walks, has come a long way in a short time.

She was thrust into the spotlight -- and into controversy -- at midseason while extending her streak of innings pitched without allowing an earned run.

In a streak that dated to early in the 1999 season, Cervenka went 292 1/3 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run, shattering the previous state record of 268.

But the trek was an emotional roller-coaster ride for Cervenka. Only after a rival coach reversed a scoring decision was Cervenka allowed to continue her pursuit of the record.

In the end, Cervenka was happy to break the record, but even happier to put it behind her.

“It was so much a relief,” she said. “It just turned into a soap opera.”

A bit soured by the controversy, Cervenka is no longer on a record-setting binge.

“I don’t want to try to get records, I just go out there and get my job done,” she said.

Much of the job is already done. Cervenka, who will be the region’s top pitching recruit next year, owns every pitching record at Crescenta Valley.