Track and Field Preview: Returning talent hopes to fuel postseason run

With the track and field season about to get underway, there are many differences between the size, expectations and goals set for the city’s four programs.

Burbank High, Burroughs, Bellarmine-Jefferson and Providence do have at least one thing in common as each school returns a few talented individuals.

BURROUGHS

The Indians welcome the only local CIF Southern Section finals returner in senior Sarah Prystupa.

The three-time Pacific League pole vault champion skied to a height of 10 feet, 6 inches at last year’s Division I finals at Cerritos College, which was seventh in the division and 22nd overall.

Burroughs Coach John Peebles is also excited about the development of two competitors in sophomore Emily Virtue and junior Nadime Younan.

Virtue, the reigning All-Area Girls’ Cross-Country Runner of the Year, had a breakthrough season in cross-country, winning the Pacific League title, finishing second in Division I and taking sixth in state.

Last season, Virtue barely took second in the 3,200-meter run in 11 minutes, 18.86 seconds to Arcadia junior Holly Lung (11:18.82), while Virtue was fourth in the 1,600 (5:12.93.).

As for Younan, the junior was third (100 feet 2 inches) at league finals in the discus and fourth (29-4.25 ) in the shot put.

“Our goals are for each kid, whether they be varsity or [not], is to improve throughout the season and be ready to compete at their best level at the end of the season,” Peebles said, “whether that is Pacific League finals or beyond.”

On the boys’ side, the Indians have some depth and versatility, highlighted by senior Niko Guerrero.

The do-everything athlete finished second (42-9 1/2) in the triple jump, third (11.34 and 22.77) in the 100-meter and 200-meter dash and was a leg of the third-place 1,600-meter relay squad (3:29.25) at last year’s league finals.

In the distances, senior Justin Villagran, a member of the 2014 Division I cross-country championship team, will compete in the two-mile. Villagran recently turned in a winter time of 9:07 in a 3K race.

Burroughs senior Kevin Alpizar, a member of the 1,600-meter relay team, is also back this season and is expected to be a big contributor.

BURBANK

For the past two seasons, the Burbank boys have finished runner-up in the Pacific League and this year coach Darin Wolf believes he has a chance to take the title.

Versatile senior Martin Swan is back after capturing a Pacific League title in the 110-meter hurdles in 14.79 and running a winning leg of the 1,600 relay (3:25.98). Swan also helped take third in the 400 relay (43.90).

Swan will be joined in the relays by senior Josh Cantong, who will also participate in the sprints, and with Noah Powell, a senior.

Powell was part of the Pacific League 1,600-meter relay squad, but is perhaps best known for his work in the triple jump (43-8), since he breezed to a league title.

Wolf is also expecting big contributions from distance runner Adam Navar, thrower Mitchell Aslo, jumper Davit Papoyan and pole vaulter Andrew Poladian.

“Most of these guys already have three years of varsity experience,” Wolf said, “so they know what it takes and they know what it feels like to come up just short.”

While the Burbank girls don’t boast the same depth as the boys, they certainly have the star power even after the graduation of Division I Championship meet pole vaulter Julia Newton.

Junior Kira Bochard is back after capturing the Pacific League 300-meter hurdles (46.76) title last season. Bochard will run the 400 and a leg of the 1,600 relay squad.

Fellow junior Haleigh Cusumano is also returning after taking third in the high jump (5-0) behind two graduated Crescenta Valley athletes.

In the distance, the Bulldogs have a reliable twosome in Chico State-bound senior Candela Fernandez, an All-Area Cross-Country selection, and UC Irvine-bound Caroline Adams.

Wolf also believes he’ll receive promising returns from junior Clara Bishop and senior Caroline Pinheiro in the throws and junior Michaela Teixeira in the pole vault and sprints.

BELLARMINE-JEFFERSON

Bell-Jeff Coach Jim Couch is also looking to strike gold and have his girls capture their first Santa Fe League title in quite some time.

“I don’t even know the last time we won league, but it hasn’t happened in at least 10 years,” Couch said. “I think this is the year we change that.”

Couch will have a few girls from the Santa Fe League cross-country champion team participating, including the dynamic one-two punch of sophomores Valeria Zavala and Caitlyn Couch.

Zavala was a wrecking ball at last year’s league finals and won titles in the 800 (2:28.25), 1,600 (5:48.) and 3,200 (12:57) runs.

Couch, the league’s cross-country champion, won the 300 hurdles in 53.42 and teamed up with Zavala to capture the 1,600-meter relay (4:37.50).

Junior Vanessa Smith, the league 400 champion (67.98), also returns as does another cross-country runner, Delilah Rincon, who will compete with Smith in the 400.

Both the girls and boys are made up of about 15 athletes each.

On the boys’ side, cross-country runner Nick Montijo will look to take over the top spot on the distance squad after the graduation of Nick Bacerra, the league 3,200-meter champ.

Expect Montijo to compete in the 1,600 and 3,200 runs.

Joining Montijo is sophomore Tim Carlson, who will participate in the 400 and 800.

Christian Posis finished second in league in the triple jump and will hope to capture the title, while he may participate in the 400 and the triple jump.

PROVIDENCE

If Pioneers Coach Ross Genovese appears worn out, perhaps it’s fair to give the 13-year veteran a break.

Genovese is his program’s lone coach for both boys and girls and is not only tasked with handling 25 athletes, but is also responsible for keeping Providence competitive.

The Pioneers finished second in the Liberty League in the boys’ standings and were third for the girls.

“It’s going to be difficult until I get an assistant to help out, but I think we can still be a pretty good program,” Genovese said.

On the boys’ side, the Pioneers lost a tight battle to Pacific Christian, 93-89, at the league finals and graduated several athletes.

Sophomore Kirk Helling is back, however, and the Liberty League 800-meter champion (2:12.11) is looking to defend his title and help by competing in the 1,600 relay and long jump.

Providence junior Giancarlo Deigio is also back after finishing second in the league high jump finals (5-0).

Sophomore shot putter Brian Markey is also looking to improve off his league fourth-place effort last year. Markey also ran the 100 and 200 last season.

The biggest problem for Providence this season, though, may not actually be an athlete of coach, but an actual track as the team has no solidified home field this year due to construction.

On the girls’ side, jack-of-all-trades senior Jasmine Ramirez is back and ready to do her part.

Last season, Ramirez won the league shot put title (28-4), was second in the discus (69-8), third in the high jump (3-10) and even ran the 1,600.

Speaking of versatility, junior Rose Escolano is slated to participate in the 100 and 200 sprints along with the 400 relay.

Fresh off a playoff run in soccer, sophomore Milena Mooradian will also participate in both relays along with the 100 and 200 sprints.

“I definitely think we can be competitive this year and the kids are working really hard,” Genovese said. “I like the effort they’ve put in.”

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Andrew J. Campa, andrew.campa@latimes.com

Twitter: @campadresports