By Leonard COUTIN

It is a landmark anniversary for the Staub/Barnes Invitational, which, on Saturday, will celebrate its 50th year. Crescenta Valley will be hosting the annual invitational at CV Park starting at 8 a.m. and continuing until 1 p.m.

CV’s cross-country head coach Mark Evans has been organizing the Staub/Barnes Invitational for over two decades and officiates at the event. It honors Kenny Staub, who served as GUSD athletic director, and John Barnes, former Glendale High School cross-country and track coach. Former Falcon coach Keith Gilliland, who served as both cross-country and track coaches for more than 40 years, ran the invitational after the death of his friend John Barnes. He then added Barnes’ name to the local invitational. Gilliland and Barnes ran for Occidental College and served CV High School until Barnes moved to Glendale in 1968 to run its program.

Although the meet is much smaller this year, the competition will still host many fine runners on the three-mile course that offers a variety of terrain for the runners. A total of 14 races will be ran: four varsity races, four JV races, three sophomore and three frosh races. Spectators will be able to line the course and support all the runners and teams as they battle for key positions. Many of the state’s finest teams have competed in this meet over the last 49 years; individuals like Burbank star Jeff Nelson, who set the course record in 1978 running 14:49; Anita Siraki of Hoover ran 17:18 in 2000; and Loyola set the all-time record in 2007. The course and Staub meet record for girls is 92:12 that was set in 2008 by Saugus.

This year’s schools taking the course for Division 1 will include 11 teams: Bravo, Burbank, Canyon, Crescenta Valley, Golden Valley, Hart, Highland, La Cañada (girls), Palmdale, Reseda and South Pasadena.

Division 2 will also have 11 teams: Burroughs (R), Cesar Chavez, Glendale, Immaculate Heart, La Cañada (boys), La Reina, Muir, San Dimas, St. Francis, St. Monica Academy and Temple City.

The race schedule:

8:10 a.m. #1 Boys 3 Mile Run CC Soph 2

8:25 a.m. #2 Boys 3 Mile Run CC Sophomore 1

8:40 a.m. #3 Girls 3 Mile Run CC Varsity 2

8:55 a.m. #4 Girls 3 Mile Run CC Varsity 1

9:10 a.m. #5 Boys 3 Mile Run CC Varsity 1

9:25 a.m. #6 Boys 3 Mile Run CC Varsity 2

9:50 a.m. #7 Boys 3 Mile Run CC Junior Varsity 1

10:10 a.m. #8 Boys 3 Mile Run CC Junior Varsity 2

10:25 a.m. #9 Girls 3 Mile Run CC Junior Varsity 1

10:40 a.m. #14 Girls 3 Mile Run CC Junior Varsity 2

10:55 a.m. #10 Girls 3 Mile Run CC Sophomore 1

11:10 a.m. #11 Girls 3 Mile Run CC Frosh 1

11:25 a.m. #12 Boys 3 Mile Run CC Frosh 1

11:40 a.m. #13 Boys 3 Mile Run CC Frosh

  Leonard Coutin