By Leonard COUTIN

Celebrating its 49th year, runners in the Kenny Staub/John Barnes Cross-Country Invitational took to the three-mile course at CV Park on Saturday, Sept. 29. Volunteer parents are the secret to the success of this invitational who each year come to honor not only the men for which the invitational is named but also to support the community running program.

Within the schedule, which included two strong varsity races for both the boys and girls in Divisions 1 and 2, the invitational also secured a place for several JV, sophomore and freshmen races as well. CV’s head coach Mark Evans held back his two strongest runners, Dylan Wilbur and Manan Vats, as they prepared for the Clovis Invitational taking place this week. Due to a CIF ruling on the number of races that athletes can run, several prime schools were absent from the invitational this year.

Senior Jeremiah Rasmussen of Hart High School won the Division 1 boys’ varsity race in a time of 15:29.47 beating his time from last year of 16:39.84. Canyon High School senior Ethan Danforth placed second, as he did last year, running 15:39.81, outperforming his 2017 time of 16:05.53. Highland High sophomore Daniel Rodriquez was the first on his team to take a key position by capturing third with a time of 15:42.09. Highland in previous years had a strong showing at this invitational. Alfredo De Anda, a junior of Canyon, took fourth (16:18.81) followed by Juan Nunez of Valley View (16:20.81), David Reyes of Garfield (16:22.15), and Anthony Alvarez (16:23.50).

From Crescenta Valley, senior Evan Doloszyci captured eighth in a time of 16:28.81, followed by teammate Jack Myers, sophomore, who placed ninth running 16:29.34. Garfield sophomore Daniel Casas placed 10th running 16:31.21. Highland junior Trevor Vahan, took 11th (16:36.03), CV sophomore Chris Cubias placed 12th (16:38.00). Teammates Ethan Sharp placed 15th (16:47.88), Max Burton 16th (16:49.84), Jace Milford 23rd (17:06.12) and Nolan Brown 30th (17:36.94).

Final team score: Highland 55, CV 60, Canyon 68, Hart 90, Valley View 100

As the girls’ varsity runners lined up on the starting line many schools were missing that once supported this invitational: Arcadia, Burbank, Burroughs, Flintridge and Saugus had added great depth in previous years. However, La Cañada made a strong showing in the girls’ varsity Division 1.

Sophomore Eilaney Matarese of La Cañada easily bested her competitors by finishing in a time 18:56.12, followed by two of her teammates, junior Sarah Auther in second (19:18.47) and freshman Jenna Milbrodt (19:28.34). Auther’s time was noteworthy when compared to last year (19:51.66) when she placed sixth.

The Falcon lead runner was junior Sophia Atin who placed fourth running a time of 19:33.34 to beat last year’s mark of 20:29.81 when she placed 12th. She was followed by Canyon junior Angelee Berganic (19:44,88) then CV junior Samantha Moore (19: 48.59), who improved on last year’s mark of 20:48.91 when she placed 17th. Sophomore Linya Perry of Highland placed seventh running 19:54.18, followed by CV senior Gaby Borraez (20:00.50), who improved over her last year’s mark of 20:39.44 when she placed 15th. Sophomore Chandler Bietach of Canyon took ninth in a time of 20:04.09 with teammate Chloe Davidson, senior, placing 10th (20:17.38).

Final team score: La Cañada 47, CV 54, Canyon 58, Highland 59, Garfield 148, and Bravo Medical Magnet 150

  Leonard Coutin