Most of the 75 schools of the San Gabriel Valley will swing into action this week as the 2011 XC season starts with two major meets hosted in the SGV. At the Don Bosco Tech Invite and the Fastback Shootout at Mt.SAC – sponsored by Arroyo – the host schools are the top local contenders. SGV schools will make up a big portion of the small Bronco Invite in Chino where Glendora is the defending boys and girls champs. A handful of locals will travel south to run at the Laguna Hills Invite, where the Arcadia guys will look to continue their of the XC world and the Claremont‘s girls hope to take another step forward, and at The Great Cow Run in Cerritos, where California will look to continue its rise in Div. I.
Short Previews for each meet after the jump.Â
Seventy schools, with a heavy SGV presence, will get going at Don Bosco Tech Invitational, conducted over a fast, flat 3 mile course at the Santa Fe Dam Recreation Center in Irwindale. Last year’s meet marked the emergence of SGV 800m champ Nick Rivera and the Rowland team, and Nick and the Raiders continued last week by taking top honors at the Colton Swarm meet.
This year’s meet should be very strong, led by the host team, #1 ranked in Div. IV and led by J.J. Dominguez. Here is an excellent meet preview for the entire meet at DyestatCal. Among the SGV schools, the Techmen will see stiff competition from D5 ranked Flintridge Prep and Pasadena Poly, and Poly will also contend on the girls side. Damien, led by senior Tom Ebiner will be one of the top teams in the Medium schools division, while junior Taylor Jones and La Mirada should contend on the girls side. Covina and Bishop Amat will also compete in this division.  The CIF ranked Arcadia girls are the top locals in the Large schools division, along with the always strong El Rancho team.
Arroyo High hosts the Fastback Shootout, a traditional season opener over a shortened, 1.91 mile course at Mt.SAC in Walnut. The hosts’ then soph dominant team were the top locals in last year’s event, and they’ll be looking to take another big step forward this year. This is a strong meet, featuring state XC powerhouses such as Rancho Cucamonga and Great Oak.
The Knights, led by their junior trio of Diego Lopez, Sam Garcia , and Andres Aparicio, are one of eight SGV teams in the 50-team field that includes CIF ranked Flintridge Sacred Heart. They’ll be joined in the Small Schools division by locals Bell Gardens, La Canada, La Puente, La Salle, St. Francis, and St. Lucy’s. Full Meet info is here
Seventeen teams, including six from the SGV – Diamond Bar, Flintridge Prep (girls), Glendora, Northview, San Dimas, and South Hills – will travel to Prado Park in Chino for the revived Bronco Invitational. The race is on a somewhat rolling 5K course over pretty heavy grass. In last year’s event, led by Tribune XC Athletes of the Year Anthony Castro and Lauren Justus, Glendora won both sides of the meet. The boys should continue to be strong, and the girls should be better as their predominantly frosh team is a year older, making up for the graduated Justus. Flintridge Prep will be looking to confirm its CIF Div. V ranking.
The Defending CIF, State, and National Champions Arcadia Boys will travel to the OC for the Laguna Hills Invite, run over a somewhat hilly 3-mile course. They’ll be joined by Santa Fe, Webb, and Claremont, whose young girls team will be looking to begin to fulfill last year’s promise and whose guys will be looking to stay at the top level after graduating four extraordinary seniors from last year’s CIF and State podium team.
A little closer to home, California will be the top local team at the Great Cow Run, a flat, fast 3-mile race in Cerritos. This is a big meet with many of the top Southern Section teams taking part. Read more at the Preview at DyestatCal. The Condors will be joined by rising Rosemead and Ramona Convent, which both will be racing in the Small Schools Division. Maranatha will make the trip north to Ventura today to run in the aptly named Seaside Invitational.
Coaches and Parents: Please help me make coverage of these meets better. Send short reports and photos or links to galleries to me at info@sgvtrackandfield.net. Thanks – Bob Ramsey
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