Falcons split league opener
LA CRESCENTA — With the Crescenta Valley High and Burroughs track and field teams each missing at least one key athlete during Thursday’s opening Pacific League dual meet, depth became an issue.
That meant Crescenta Valley Coach Mark Evans and Burroughs Coach John Peebles needed to shuffle their respective lineups to help put their teams in position to pick up points.
It worked for the most part, as Crescenta Valley and Burroughs split the meet at Crescenta Valley.
Crescenta Valley won the girls’ portion of the meet, 82 1/2 -44 1/2 . In the boys’ competition, Burroughs posted a 73-54 victory.
The Falcons (1-2) won 13 of the meet’s 16 events in the girls’ competition.
“I feel like we have a pretty decent girls’ team that came through pretty well,” Evans said. “I like how we are running and we scored where we needed to in the distance events.
“We are also a little more mature this year in the field events.”
Senior Holly Wilson won three events for the second consecutive time this season to spur the Falcons, including the 300-meter low hurdles in 1 minute 49 seconds, the long jump in 16 feet 9 1/4 inches and the triple jump (33- 1/2 ).
Melanie Samvalian, Tiernan Hebron and Michelle Callister each won a pair of events for the Falcons. Samvalian won the discus (74-7) and shot put (33-6 1/2 ). Hebron captured the 400 (1:01.85) and the 200 (26.7). Callister took the 1,600 (5:30.18) and the 800 (2:29.70)
Burroughs (0-3) competed without star sprinter Taryn Campos, who will attend Boise State in the fall. Campos missed the meet with an injury, Peebles said.
The Indians got victories in the 100 high hurdles from Aspen Morrison (17.84) and Kelly Bonner in the pole vault (7-6). Shannon Kermah, Paris Vaughn, Kiara Booker and Daniela Salinas won the 4x100 relay (51.95).
Peebles said the Indians showed signs of encouragement.
“We want to make sure we are doing our best in all of the races,” Peebles said. “CV’s got a good team, and they hurt us in certain ways.”
The Falcons also got victories from Jessica Beerman in the 100 (12.97), Kristina Gustovich in the high jump (4-10) and Carlotta Pham in the 3,200 (11:53.95). Hebron, Callister, Marissa Tessman and Claudia Delgado worked together to take the 4x400 relay (4:17.7).
Crescenta Valley and Burroughs competed without Jake Walker and Chris Morris, respectively, in the boys’ half of the meet. Walker, a jumper, and Morris, a sprinter, are both injured.
That meant others had to step it up for the Falcons (1-2) and the Indians (2-1). There were plenty on hand to rise to the occasion.
Burroughs’ Danny Cruz paced the Indians with three individual victories in the 100 (11:24), 200 (22.1) and the long jump (21-1). Cruz also teamed with Dominique Barnes, Josh Velandria and John Louie to take the 4x100 relay (44.87).
“[Cruz] is a three-year varsity guy who has been scoring all three years,” Peebles said. “He battled some injuries last year, and it’s nice to see him be able to come back.
“Velandria stepped it up in the 400. He said he’d do it, and he’s that type of kid.”
Velandria won the 400 (42.44) and placed second in the 300 intermediate hurdles (41.4). Dustin Blankenship won the pole vault (13-0) for Burroughs, which also got a victory from Jeff Dumas in the triple jump (40-11).
Crescenta Valley senior standout Zack Torres won three events and helped the Falcons win the 4x400 relay. Torres, the reigning All-Area Boys’ Track and Field Athlete of the Year, won the 1,600 (4:22.58) before taking the 800 (2:00.64) and the 3,200 (9:27.63). He then grouped with Jimmy Jones, Neil Jones and DeDe McFadden to close out the meet with a win in the 4x400 relay (3:33.4).
McFadden won the 110 high hurdles (16.12) for the Falcons, who also got wins from Andrew Roide in the high jump (6-3), Robin Dumlao in the shot put (44-10), Jimmy Jones in the 300 intermediate hurdles (41.3) and Ryan Ro in the discus (94-3).
“We’ve been much more balanced scoring in the field events,” Evans said.
