By Leonard COUTIN

The CV Falcon boys’ and girls’ cross-country teams conquered the Southern Section cross-country prelims held on the Riverside City course on Friday, Nov. 2 and look prepared to return on Saturday for the CIF 2017 championship finals. Although the course initially presented problems with high winds and dust, this season the course was watered down. The CV boys scored first place as a team in Division 1, Heat 2 and the girls placed seventh in Division 1, Heat 2 for the three-mile course.

“With a large field of 24 teams, we need to get out early and establish ourselves toward the front of the pack. We need to stay grouped and work on keeping our gap from one to five as small as possible,” said head coach Mark Evans.

The starting line was filled with seven teammates from 24 schools – more than 150 runners in one heat. Once the gun sounded, they sprinted down a long runway, an open 1000m chute, coming to the end of the park perimeter where the course follows a sharp left. Immediately they are jammed together onto a narrow path that follows the outskirts of the park for the first loop of the three-mile course. Last year several runners suffered injuries due to the sharp turn and crowded conditions. One of these was Falcon Geck Spencer.

But perhaps what is most remarkable this year was how the Falcon boys cruised through the course. CV lead Colin FitzGerald placed seventh running 15:06.9 behind Burroughs’ Alexander Hirsch (15:06.8) and teammate Jagdeep Chahal took ninth (15:06.9) and Falcon Zach Johnson scored 14th (15:16.4) followed by Artin Allahverdian (15:16.4). Teammate Manan Vats, who continued to stay close throughout the race, secured 16th running 15:16.7.

Dylan Wilbur was the fifth man who contributed to the final score for the Falcon team followed by Carter Walch taking 46th running 15:53.7 and Grant Lauterback 58th (15:58.4).

Finals team score for the heat: CV 92, El Toro 95, Roosevelt 119, Chaparral 134, Burroughs 145, Valencia 179, Ayala 204

The Falcon girls are still in the game after they faced a tough competition in their heat. Although the following is the chronological order of the runners, the scoring for the team points will differ due to the number of individuals who participated are eliminated for team points. Thus runners will move forward in the team scoring.

Caitlyn Couch, who scored 10th last year running 18:25.2 from Bell-Jeff in Division 5 in the CIF finals, placed eighth running 18:07. Naila Ortiz placed 17th (18:16.1) with teammates Sophia Atin taking 51st (19.06.4) followed by Samantha Moore, 67th (19:26.7), McKenna Heeg, 73rd (19:37.8) and Melissa Owens, 88th (19:52.2).

Final team score for heat: Vista Murrieta 69, Redondo Union 96, Yucaipa 115, Mira Costa 122, San Clemente 136, Calfiornia 186, CV 199

  Leonard Coutin