By Leonard COUTIN

On Saturday, Nov. 23, River-side City Cross-Country Course hosted the CIF championship finals for Divisions 1-5 for the boys and girls three-mile run. The distance didn’t deter team supporters who crowded the course, which encompassed two and a half loops around the park and through the center of the course with runners finishing near where they started. The terrain was mostly flat hard-packed dirt trails with a few minor exceptions of up-and-downs.
Coming onto the course, the Falcon boys knew the stakes were high but were ready to break out and score well. They relied on months of training under the direction of CV Coach Mark Evans, who has been leading the Falcons for more than 35 years. Evans is known for finding common ground among his athletes, drawing upon their strengths to perform at their peak when needed. On Saturday, Evans also had to work with runners who had to get up before sunrise to make it to the course – an exhausting experience.

As the Falcons came to together in a circle, a long-established routine before they approach the starting line, Evans offered a few words of encouragement. Then it was time to run.
Falcon senior Dylan Wilbur quickly claimed his place among the top runners. At the first loop he positioned himself in front with only two runners ahead of him. Though some athletes will run like a rabbit out of its hole to push the pace to exhaust the pack leaders, Wilbur instead maintained a steady speed with the goal of gaining a good time and place at the finish.
It was disappointing to see CV senior Eric Faeustle, usually a dependable point grabber, drop back on the second loop. Luckily Falcon junior Max Burton, who has been a keen point man, and sophomore Rowan FitzGerald moved up to pick up the slack.
The team ended up grabbing second place behind Great Oak.
“The boys ran well though it was not our best race,” said Evans. “We still had a 37-second gap between our first and fifth man and 64 seconds from first to seventh. Not bad. Eric felt he went out a little too hard and just fell off.”
Evans noted that one of the team’s strengths is the members’ ability of stepping up when one is having an off day.
“Max and Rowan did that,” Evans said. “[Dylan] Wilbur was on mark as he came off the last loop running strong to the finish line.”
Wilbur scored sixth running 15:03.4. Teammate Burton scored 25th running a time of 15:30 followed by teammate FitzGerald, who placed 27th running a PR time of 15:30.6.
The last two point men for CV were junior Jack Myers and Erik Faeustle. Myers scored 42nd running 15:38.7 and Faeustle, who was the fifth man, placed 45th running 15:40.9. The last two Falcons were junior Chris Cubias, who scored 72nd (16:00.5) and teammate Bryce Bitetti, who scored 84th (16:07.2).

“The team was excited to be second. We believed we could finish there. Great Oak is one of the best teams in the country. [The Falcons] did not feel bad about not winning. What is impressive is that we did not necessarily have our best race but we were still able to finish second,” said Evans. “We are looking forward to the state meet next week. It is the third consecutive year we have qualified for the state meet.”
Note that this contest was the best CIF finish for the boys since the 1981 team won the CIF championship (the 2007 team finished third in CIF finals).
Final Division 1 top ten scoring teams: Great Oak 96, Crescenta Valley 145, Roosevelt 149, Burbank 198, Poly (Long Beach) 234, La Serna 243, Vista Murrieta 257, King M.L. 263, Quartz Hill 271, Mira Costa 292
The Falcon girls floundered from the start. They did place 13th, a midpoint, which meant there was still a good chance they would move up through the ranks. Unfortunately senior Sophia Atin was off her mark; however, her Falcon teammates Samantha Moore and Natalie Bitetti pushed hard so the team could place well.
For Bitetti, who scored 33rd (18.26.4), this was her first time in a championship race of this size and her performance was smooth and flawless.
Moore came onto the course with four years of preparation under her, and is known for always putting her best effort forward. She crossed the finish line 48th (18:39), also putting in a solid performance. Atin scored 90th running 19:12.3.
Senior Ily Nelson scored 128th (19:51.7); teammates Juliana Cheney scored 135th (1959.2), Sarah Benitez placed 157th (20:34.4) and Kelly Helton scored 166th (21:02.7). The CV girls placed 17th in the overall standing.
“The girls did not have their best race but had a great season,” said Evans. “One off race does not define what they accomplished this year. This was their first league championship in quite a few years and the first time in three years they’ve competed at the CIF finals. They have set an example for the girls returning next season and also for a very good track season.”
He added that Natalie Bitetti and Samantha Moore ran their best times at Riverside.
“Natalie has developed into a very good runner,” he said. “She is a senior and had not run before. This was very impressive.”