Track and Field Season Preview: Distance runners look to pave way for Crescenta Valley
No matter what event Dylan Wilbur competes in, the Crescenta Valley High boys’ track and field standout continues to excel.
Wilbur provided the Falcons with plenty of versatility last season, leading to him advancing to the 101st CIF State Track and Field Championships in Clovis last spring. Wilbur was named the 2018-19 Glendale News-Press Boys’ Athlete of the Year.
There’s expected to be plenty of other key story lines for the 2020 track and field campaign, as teams and individuals hunt for league championships and look to qualify for the CIF finals and beyond.
Crescenta Valley picked up top-notch girls’ distance runner Mia Barnett, who transferred from Village Christian in the winter. Flintridge Prep and Holy Family will have new coaches, while Flintridge Sacred Heart has enjoyed an influx of athletes.
Hoover and Glendale will look to be competitive in the Pacific League and hopefully qualify athletes for CIF competition, while St. Francis moves on after departure of it most successful athlete.
Here is a closer look at the teams.
CRESCENTA VALLEY
Backed by a pair of top-flight distance runners and depth, Crescenta Valley’s teamscould be poised to make plenty of noise.
The boys’ squad will be anchored by Wilbur, a senior distance runner who will look to equal, if not surpass, last season’s impressive campaign. Wilbur won Pacific League titles in the 800-meters in 1 minute 54.73 seconds before capturing the 1,600 (4:21.94). Wilbur followed up by winning a CIF Southern Section Division I title in the 3,200 (4:12.31). At the CIF Southern Section Masters Meet, Wilbur turned in a mark of 4:12.78 to finish fourth in the 3,200 and earn a trip to the state meet, where he took eighth in 4:14.56.
“We’d like to see Dylan get back to state,” Crescenta Valley coach Mark Evans said. “He’s fit and in shape and he’s been working on his speed and strength.”
Wilbur will be joined by senior Erik Faeustle (middle distance), senior Ivan Rodriguez (sprints), senior Niko Pravikov (middle distance), junior Justin Bolstad (pole vault), junior Leighton Ong Wiu (throws), junior Chris Cubias (distance), junior Max Burton (distance) and junior Talon Carvalho (sprints).
“We do have a lot of experience, and we’ll be deep in the distance events,” Evans said.
On the girls’ side, the Falcons will be led by Barnett, a junior, who will be eligible to join the squad March 28. She will work with senior Samantha Moore (distance), senior Sophia Atin (distance), senior Natalie Bitetti (distance), senior McKenna Raymond (jumps), senior Pryia Riley (hurdles/relays), junior Julianna Cheney (middle distance), junior Elizabeth Yim (jumps), junior Angie Kim (jumps) and sophomore Rachel Arias (hurdles).
“We will be pretty well balanced,” Evans said. “We’ll have an excellent group of distance runners and we should be good with the sprints.”
Barnett, who will be required to sit out the first 30 days of this season because of the CIF Southern Section transfer rule, won CIF Division IV championships last season in the 1,600 (4:47.30) and the 3,200 (10:33.95).
At the Masters Meet, she finished fourth in the 1,600 (4:50.61) and sixth in the 3,200 (10:38.06). At the state meet, Barnett was fourth in the 1,600 (4:46.12) and ninth in the 3,200 (10:35.21).
“Mia knows how to compete at the highest level,” Evans said. “She’s got goals and aspirations to make another deep run and she’ll fit in with the rest of the team.”
ST. FRANCIS
Over the past several seasons, Matthew Molina led the charge for the Golden Knights. Last season, Molina won Mission League titles in the 110 hurdles (14.87) and the high jump at 6 feet, 5 inches before winning the CIF Division III championship in the high jump (6-6).
With Molina now at UC Santa Barbara, the Golden Knights turn to their next crop of talent to keep the program heading in the right direction.
“It will be a bit of a younger team, which is good,” St. Francis coach Mike Russell said. “It’s huge because we can develop the younger guys and the older guys can provide leadership.
“It will be strange not having Matthew here and he really meant a lot to the team. It’s now going to be a chance for others to step up and see what they can do.”
Looking to lead the way for the Golden Knights will be senior Stuart Serventi (distance), senior Matthew Beeve (relays), senior Bryson Reeves (sprints/jumps), sophomore Dario Rock (hurdles/jumps) and sophomore Andrew Howard (sprints/relays).
GLENDALE
There might be another successful season in store for Glendale, especially for the boys’ team.
The Nitros, who are in the Pacific League, bring back star Dylan Andrade, who won league titles in the 200- and 400-meter events last season. Andrade captured the 200 in 22.31 and the 400 in 49.14. He also helped the Nitros win the 4x100 relay in 43.55.
Also expected to make an impact for Glendale are senior Thomas Khan (sprints), senior David Fuentes (hurdles), senior Michael Dadayan (jumps) and junior Lucas Johnson (jumps).
Khan won the league title in the 100 in 11.10 and worked with Fuentes and Andrade to capture the 4x100 relay.
“Our sprinters had very few losses due to graduation, so I look for them to build on what they did last year, with Dylan and Thomas leading the group,” Glendale coach Bob Bailey said. “Both are looking to return to CIF and make it past the prelims.
“Michael and Lucas will be part of a jumping crew that is much deeper than in years past. We have several first-time throwers, but they are showing good progress and should give us some solid efforts. David is looking to put behind him an injury riddled junior season and post better times in both hurdle events.”
Glendale’s top returning girls’ athletes are seniors Luz Perez and Shina Kim (throws) and senior Barbra Bajar (jumps).
“We finally got a good influx of new athletes, with over 50% new to track,” Bailey said. “However, with very few returning juniors and seniors on the team, some will need to step up to shore up the varsity squad.
“Luz and Shina will look to continue our solid showing in the throws while Barbra will look to improve in the horizontal jumps and the vault. Which other athletes will step into the spotlight this year remains to be seen.”
FLINTRIDGE SACRED HEART ACADEMY
Flintridge Sacred Heart will field a squad of about 25 athletes, including a core of key returners under coach Johnathan Keys.
Keys said the Tologs have some goals they would like to achieve in 2020.
“We think we have some people who can win or at least contend for league championships and then go on and do well at CIF,” Keys said. “I like the commitment and work ethic and they are finding their space.”
Flintridge Sacred Heart brings back senior Lauren Nettels (distance), senior Campbell Sullivan (middle distance), junior Alexandra Christodoulou (distance), junior Abby Martinez (jumps) and sophomore Ella Venne (jumps).
Nettels won a Sunshine League title in the 3,200 (11:44.40) and took second in the 1,600 (5:32.03) last season. Martinez took second in league in the high jump at 4-6 and Venne finished third in the triple jump in 33-75.
FLINTRIDGE PREP
The Rebels will have a new coach as Russell White replaces Scott Jung, who will now serve as an assistant. White is also the school’s football coach.
“It’s something new for me since I’ve never coached track and field,” said White, whose teams compete in the Prep League. “I think it will be enjoyable to coach the kids and we are getting used to each other.”
“We’ve got a lot of numbers for the girls’ team and we have a lot of young talent. We’ll see who will emerge. With the boys’ team, we’ll have a lot of distance runners who should do well.”
The girls’ team will rely on senior Liana Morrissey (middle distance) and junior Chase Sullivan (jumps). Sullivan finished fifth in the triple jump at the CIF Southern Section Division IV finals last season with a mark of 34-9.
For the boys’ squad, it will be anchored by junior Bennett Oakes (distance) and junior Andrew Odom (middle distance).
HOOVER
Under coach Jack Sallakian, Hoover will field small boys’ and girls’ squads in the Pacific League. There will be around 12 athletes for each team.
Still, the Tornadoes’ strength will be their core of distance runners.
The boys’ team will be led by senior Dakari Malone (sprints), junior Luke Baneham (distance), sophomore Mehemiah Sutton (sprints) and freshmen distance runners Parker Simmons and Godfrey Intriago.
On the girls’ side, Hoover will count on senior Amanda Hersh (jumps) and senior Elizabeth Ghazanchian (shot put/discus).
“I think our boys’ team will do well in the distance events and we’ll have a mostly younger team,” Sallakian said. “It’s sort of the same for the girls’ team. We lost a lot of sprinters from last season and it’s disappointing that they didn’t want to come back.”
HOLY FAMILY
The Gaels begin a new era in the program’s history, as Rafael Valenzuela takes over as coach. He replaces Greg Ziomek.
Valenzuela said the prospects appear bright for the Gaels, who will have multiple-sport athletes ready to pave the way in the Horizon League.
“Things look promising right now and they are having fun,” Valenzuela said. “I think we have a lot of athletes who are putting in the work to be competitive and we’ll see what we can do.
“I think we’ll be better than last year. I’m definitely excited.”
Leading the way for Holy Family will be senior Maya Devora (hurdles/relays), senior Daniella Portillo (shot put), junior Ashely Fregoso (distance), junior Isabella Ruiz (distance) and sophomore Citlali Navarro (middle distance).
