Runners move on to finals

As expected, the Crescenta Valley cross country teams ran with the front of the pack at last Saturday’s CIF Southern Section preliminaries meet at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut.

The boys team, under the leadership of Head Coach Mark Evans, placed second in their heat of Division I, crossing the finish line just 20 seconds behind winning team Dana Hills.

Junior Zack Torres led the pack, with a 15:08 second place finish, followed by Eric Kleinsasser in seventh in 15:28. Brett Matejka (10th, 15:40), Mike Sheridan (26th, 16:10) and Scott Morrison (29th, 16:16) rounded out the Falcon effort.

The girls’ team powered through the three-mile course, with seniors Claire Collison and Rachel Lange taking the first and second places in their heat of Division I girls.

Collison ran a 17:45 while Lange finished in 17:51, contributing to the team’s overall third place finish in their heat, with Fountain Valley and Esperanza taking first and second, respectively.

Juniors Carlotta Pham (19:18) and Michelle Callister (19:19) placed 24th and 25th while Megan Doeding finished things off in 40th in 19:50.

Both teams head back out to the course tomorrow to race in the CIF-SS finals meet; winners from that competition will advance to the CIF State Meet on Nov. 24.