By Leonard COUTIN

Crescenta Valley High School took part in the 9th Annual Santa Clarita Valley Track and Field Invitational held over the weekend at Canyon High School. The valley was plagued by heavy winds throughout the day, which slowed times for all the athletes.

“Not much we could do about the wind,” said track and field coach Mark Evans. “[We] just need to compete. It affects everyone the same.”

Taking the field were some of the Falcons’ most seasoned as well as younger athletes.

“Relays are fun. Sometimes athletes run a little better on a relay,” said Evans. “It helps them work on race strategy,” adding that the Santa Clarita event offers solid competition and is relatively close.

The CV boys distance medley relay team of Nick Beatty, Gabe Collison, Kyle Dickinson and Matt Manalo won the race with a time of 10:46.03, beating second place Saugus (10:52.76) and Valencia (10:56.29).

Junior Falcon Emmy Walker won the high jump at 5’4” equaling her best from last year. The Falcons boys team of Sam Kang, Christ Ordookhanian, Beatty and Manalo won the 4 x 400 (3:35.26) with Agoura taking second (3:37.24) and Glendale third (3:38.28). The CV boys 4 x 1600 relay team of Beatty, Collison, Dickinson and Manalo placed third with a time of 18:20.00 behind Hart’s win and Saugus in second. Senior Kayleigh Carrillo took second in the 100m against last week’s rival Azaria Hill of Golden Valley who won the event (11.40). Carrillo’s wind-aided time of 11.60 was her fastest to date.

The Falcons frosh/soph athletes also scored some outstanding times at the invitational as well. The team took the win in the 4 x 400 relay (3:47). Falcon high jumper Zechariah Gonzalez took second (5’4”) behind Cale Jarnagan of Centennial (5’7”). Triple jumper Kevin Jeong took fourth (32-08.50) and Tim Langley tied for third in the pole vault (9-00.00). Higher jumper John Lapides tied for second place (5’4”) with West Ranch jumper Andrew Mercado.

  Leonard Coutin