Some of the SGV’s big guns roll into action, as seven ranked teams will compete in four league meets. Arcadia will try to hold the top spot in the Pacific League at their home Arcadia Park, while the Bonita girls will try to continue their rule of the Hacienda League, competing at Mt.SAC – the girls individual race ought to be excellent in this league. The Rio Hondo League, racing at Lacy Park in San Marino, features four ranked teams – the South Pasadena and San Marino boys and the South Pas and La Cañada girls, which should make for some great battles. The Almont League will wrap things up at Legg Lake
Previews of each league after the jump
Almont League Legg Lake/South El Monte (3 mile, flat, dirt paths) Schurr and Montebello have been a clear one/two through the first two boys meets, with Alhambra third, and they should hold that order at finals. Senior Justin Raya (Montebello) has been the class of the league and should go unchallenged for the individual title.
Montebello and Schurr were tops in the first girls meet with Mark Keppel third and that’s the likely finish. The individual title will be a battle between Elizabeth Castillo (Montebello) and Patsy Hurley (Mark Keppel).
Hacienda League at Mt.SAC/Walnut (2.93 miles, severe hills) The Bonita girls have earned an at-large spot and are the favorites in the girls race, but Walnut will make a strong challenge. Los Altos looks solid for third with Diamond Bar and Rowland battling for the final CIF spot. Two-time CIF qualifier Marissa Scott (Bonita) is the individual favorite, but she could be challenged by Walnut frosh Anahi Betart and Rachel Shapiro.
The Los Altos boys stumbled in the last cluster meet, but if they run the way they did at the Mt.SAC Invite, they will likely take the boys title, with Walnut, Bonita and Rowland tipped for the three other CIF spots. Jair Juarez (Los Altos), Rowland’s Nick Rivera and David Galvez and James McCreary (Diamond Bar) will battle for the individual crown.
Pacific League – Arcadia Park (3 miles, firm grass, flat). The Arcadia boys, defending National, State, and CIF champs recently suffered their first defeats since ’09 – at Mt.SAC and at their own Apache Invite, but they’re still very strong. Behind senior and league favorite Sergio Gonzalez, there has been a lot of shifting in their team line up, and they’ll need to be on their game to hold off Burbank, whom they narrowly beat in the first two cluster meets.
The Arcadia girls started strongly but then ran short handed for several races, losing the second cluster meet to Crescenta Valley. The Apaches were back on top at Mt.SAC and were at full strength at the Apache meet, but they’ll still need to be at their best to win the Finals meet. Soph Veronica Yamane has led the team all year and is the clear individual favorite.
Rio Hondo League – Lacy Park/San Marino (3 miles, lots of turns and deep grass) The La Cañada and South Pasadena girls have already earned at-large CIF spots, as have the South Pas and San Marino. These three schools are very likely to take the three CIF spots for both the boys and the girls, with Monrovia a possible challenge to the Titans on the girls side.
La Cañada and South Pasadena split the first two girls meets and the final is a toss up between the two. The individual battle will be between Helena Van Loan (South Pasadena) and Sonya Cwik (La Cañada) for the girls title. The boys race will be between South Pasadena’s Paul Messana and Josh Wilson, along with Brendan Greene (La Cañada) and Peaky Yuter (San Marino)
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