By Leonard COUTIN

The greatest rivalries in sports have shaped the lives of athletes and teams as they pursue their quests for personal satisfaction and eternal glory. This year’s CIF Southern Section track and field competition exemplified that pursuit.

Crescenta Valley High School’s elite finalists, Artin Allahverdian (3200m) and Colin FitzGerald (1600m), earned the right to stand with very best when they qualified for the CIF Southern Section Masters Meet taking place on May 26 at El Camino College. Field events begin at 11 a.m. and running at 1 p.m.

“We are very excited to have two athletes competing in the masters track meet this Saturday,” said CVHS head coach Mark Evans. “Colin had his best 1600 race of the season. He made a great move at the 500 and again at the 150 to move into third [position] and hold that place. Artin continues to amaze. He does such a great job of staying in the pack and moving in the last 1600 with the front group. He is such a great competitor.”

FitzGerald shaved four seconds off his last running of the 1600m at the CIF prelims (4:18.75) finishing 4:14.46, just steps behind Vista Murrieta’s Edgard Villa who captured second in a time of 4:14.30.

“Colin’s last lap was about 59 or 60. He ran out of room in trying to catch the runner from Vista Murrieta,” Evans said.

Notably the Pacific League has qualified many of the best runners at CIF events. Burroughs’ outstanding senior Jagdeep Chahal, who won the cross-country League title against FitzGerald with his forward lean, ran an impressive last lap to win the Division 1 title of the 1600m in a time of 4:12.73.

“Jagdeep has developed into a very good runner,” said Evans. “We have known all along that he has great finishing kick. He has great instincts for racing. In League meets we always knew he would be a tough competitor. It is great to have the Pacific League well represented in CIF competition.”

Chahal finished third in the 3200m running 9:05.85 behind Ayala High’s Zach Aries, who captured second (9:05.22), and winner Xavier Arias of Mira Costa (9:04.49).

Running two distance races in such keen competition is quite an accomplishment.

“I ran as fast as I needed so I could qualify for the 3200m as well,” Chahal said.

CV’s senior Artin Allahverdian had the best race of his career, taking sixth with a time of (9:08.21).

“Artin was at about 4:37 for the first mile and 61 or 62 for the last lap. Last mile was about 4:30 and last 800 about 2:10,” Coach Evans said.

After the competition of the 3200m, Allahverdian’s wide smile was evidence how pleased the runner was with his performance. Conditioned properly, Allahverdian is now more aggressive and reactive in each race.

CV’s Dylan Wilbur unfortunately did not make the marks to move forward. He finished eighth running 4:26.73, but the experience will no doubt benefit his performances next season.

Arcadia qualified its girls’ 4x 100 relay team for the Masters Meet, which took second place running 47:46. Long jumper Stephanie Yen, who won with a jump of 18-04.50, will also be moving on to the Masters Meet. The girls’ 4×400 relay ran 3:56.43 to place ninth.

Burroughs’ Elizabeth Switzer vaulted to third place with a jump of 12-00 to qualify for the Masters Meet.

La Cañada girls in Division 3 had some outstanding performances and will move to the Masters Meet. Ninth grader Ellaney Matarese placed third in the 800m running 2:16.51 and took fifth in the 1600m with a time of 5:08.65. Sophomore Sarah Auther took third in the 3200m with a time of 10:59.52.

  Leonard Coutin