FitzGerald leads Crescenta Valley to boys seeded win; Leonard secures girls seeded victory, but host Wolfpack has too much depth

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Colin FitzGerald and the Claremont girls cross country team repeated as seeded race champions Friday night at the Cool Breeze Invitational at Brookside Golf Course in Pasadena, Calif.

Only this time, FitzGerald also joined Claremont in the winner’s circle with the rest of his Crescenta Valley teammates.

Despite graduating three athletes from last year’s CIF Division 2 state championship team, Claremont was up to the challenge again competing against divisional rivals Saugus, Serrano, Anaheim Canyon, West Ranch and Simi Valley, along with Arizona Division 1 power Chandler.

INTERVIEWS

Led by junior Sydney Hwang placing third overall on the 3-mile course in 17 minutes, 22.6 seconds, Claremont had all five scorers in the top 50 to edge Saugus 111-118 in a rematch of last year’s state final. Saugus had Jacqueline Cascione (17:25.2) and Mariah Castillo (17:33.9) place fourth and fifth.

Anaheim Canyon senior Sara Leonard, third last year, was the individual winner in 17:10.3, with Chandler junior Morgan Foster relying on a late surge to place second in 17:21.2.

The Wolves, who were leading after the first of two 1.5-mile loops, placed fourth with 132 points after their usual No. 3 runner dropped more than 40 spots in the second half of the race and finished 65th overall. Serrano, with all five scorers in the top 40, was third with 124 points.

Although FitzGerald lowered last year’s winning time by three seconds to prevail in 14:52.8, it was the rest of the Crescenta Valley lineup that made the biggest strides after placing fifth last season.

The Falcons had four athletes in the top 16 and all five scorers among the first 31 finishers to secure a 75-131 victory over Division 1 rival El Toro, led by Adrian Vargas finishing sixth in 15:11.8.

Redlands East Valley senior Elias Opsahl was second in 15:02.4, with Flintridge Prep senior Evan Pattinelli placing third in 15:06.7.

Saugus was the only program to place in the top three in both seeded races, with Boon Andrews’ seventh-place effort in 15:11.9 helped the Centurions take third with 165 points. Claremont, the defending CIF Division 2 state champions and last year’s seeded race winner, was sixth with 190 points.

Redondo Union won both of the highlighted varsity races, with the boys earning a 74-98 victory over West Torrance and the girls placing five athletes in the top seven to produce a 17-point effort.

Peyton Heiden (18:33.3), Lila Copeland (18:35.7) and Molly Ann Hastings (18:43.3) swept the top three girls spots for Redondo Union.

Canyon junior Ethan Danforth won the top varsity race in 15:30.4, helping the Cowboys finish third with 120 points.