Torres carries CV to fourth

GLENDALE — It was a year of firsts for the Crescenta Valley High and Flintridge Prep boys’ cross-country teams.

A year to remember for the Falcons, and a year the Rebels would rather soon forget.

Making its first appearance at the CIF State Meet on Saturday, Crescenta Valley ran to a fourth place finish in Division I. Flintridge Prep took a fourth place finish in Division V, but missed out on a top-three spot for the first time in 11 years.

“They came together as a group,” said Falcons Coach Mark Evans, whose team finished with 160 points. “They are a really close knit team and that’s what it took.”

Zack Torres mounted the charge, coming across in sixth place overall, and third in the team scoring, with a time of 15 minutes, 25 seconds.

“We felt we needed to get a top-10 (individual finish) and I thought it was really reasonable to get a top-10 finisher,” Evans said.

Eric Kleinsasser (15:42, 11th), Brett Metejka (15:47, 13th), Mike Sheridan (16:16, 52nd) and Scott Morrison (16:34, 81st) rounded out the rest of the Falcons’ finishers.

“That’s a heck of a finish there — three guys in the top 10,” Evans said.

The Rebels, meanwhile, had 130 points, while Woodcrest Christian finished in first with 52 points.

“We didn’t put it together as well as we would have liked,” Flintridge Prep Coach Ingrid Herskind said.

The Rebels got two top-10 finishers in Paul Weitekamp (16:34, 8th) and Connor Verreaux (16:36, 9th).

Kevin Heintz (17:12, 25th), James Lyon (17:35, 43rd) and Ismael Martin (17:36, 45th) rounded out a substandard day, which proved to be a valuable learning experience.

“When you are up on the podium all the time, its become sorta complacency,” Herskind said.

Prep finished third last season.

Glendale resident James Kostelnik was a part of the Division II champion Loyola squad, as he finished in a time a 16:00 for 13th place in the race.