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De La Torre looking for one more title
Cross-Country: La Salle senior enters season with legitimate chance to win state championship.
September 06, 2012|By Andrew J. Campa, andrew.campa@latimes.com
There isn’t much room for bashful sentiment from La Salle High senior Daniel De La Torre.
The incoming senior, a reigning All-Area Cross-Country selection and the All-Area Boys’ Track and Field Athlete of the Year, has a series of championships already on his growing resume, including having won both a CIF Southern Section Division IV cross-country title that came two weeks after the Alhambra native took home a Del Rey League crown.
Yet, for all his success, De La Torre only talks about one race in 2011 — the one he didn’t win.
“My goal is to win a state championship this year. That’s what’s missing. I had the worst race of my life at the worst time,” De La Torre said.
De La Torre’s “worst” race entailed him winning the bronze at the CIF State Meet in Fresno on Nov. 26, 2011.
“I tightened up and didn’t run my race,” De La Torre said. “I’ve had all summer to think about that and now have one last season to change that.”
As for De La Torre’s teammates, La Salle finished fourth in both the Del Rey League boys’ and girls’ standings.
Back this season on the boys’ side are the No. 2, 3 and 4 runners in juniors Peter J. Siberell and Derek Iwata and sophomore Cameron Greene, respectively.
As for the girls, a mostly young squad returns.
While top runner Mariana Henry graduated, sophomore Venetia Freihube looks like a prime candidate to replace her and should be joined by sophomore Makenzie Laporte and junior Oliva Kavanaugh.
In terms of winning a team championship, maybe no area squad has a better chance and enters this season more highly regarded than does Mayfield Senior School.
The Cubs were ranked No. 2 in Division IV of the CIF Southern Section preseason poll released Tuesday, which is a fair ranking, according to coach Eric Sun.
“On paper, we’re supposed to do well, but it’s always tough to predict what’s going to happen. After all, these are high school runners,” Sun said. “We have a solid core coming back and I think this group can do some special things.”
Mayfield clinched its second Prep League championship in four years last season, finished second at the CIF-SS Division IV finals and then raced to fifth at the CIF State Meet.
Leading the way this year, as she did at last year’s state final, is senior Lauren Joseph, who finished 29th at state.
Mayfield’s strength last season was its flexibility, as senior Christina Cordano, who paced the squad at the Mt. San Antonio College Relays, and junior Alyssa Rivas, Mayfield’s top finisher at the Prep League Finals, are also returning as is senior Karina Alvarez, junior Ann-Marie Peacock and senior Mary Najarian.
Hoping to finish tight on the Cubs’ heels is Pasadena Poly, which took third at the Prep League finals last season, fifth at the CIF-SS Division V finals and 11th in state.
Reigning Prep League individual champion Evan Gancedo headlines the group as perhaps no one in the Pasadena-area closed stronger than the junior. Gancedo finished 10th overall at state in Division V.
Gancedo will be joined by Brooke Edwards and Kelly Liu as the Panthers begin the season ranked third in Division V.
On the boys’ side, senior Michael Caughron will try to improve on his second-place finish in league and 22nd-place showing at state.
Two fellow Panthers to keep an eye out for are seniors Tim Goodwin and Joe Bohlinger as Poly is eighth-ranked.
“The rankings are nice, but our goal is to be competitive,” Poly Coach Rick Caragher said.
While Westridge had its struggles last season in finishing sixth in the Prep League, the Tigers do welcome back a solid leader in sophomore Dylan Jack.
Even though South Pasadena was snubbed in the preseason poll and is unranked, the Rio Hondo League runner-up girls showcase perhaps the area’s top runner in All-Area Girls’ Cross-Country Runner of the Year junior Helena Van Loan.
The Rio Hondo League champion posted the area’s best times at both the CIF Southern Section Divisional Finals (18:24) and CIF State Finals (23rd, 18:48).
Van Loan will be accompanied by senior Anika Renken, who took third at league finals, and senior Jessica Hitchcock, sophomores Katherine Uriarte and Abbey Shulman and newcomer Madeline Shin.
As for the boys, the league champion Tigers welcome back the lone top five returner not to graduate in senior Paul Messana, who finished runner-up to league champion Peaky Yuter of San Marino last season.
While Alex Tranquada and Max White are gone, seniors Tyler Armstrong and Josh Thomas will attempt to fill the void along with sophomore Cullen Irvine and junior varsity call-up Blake Benavides.
“The great thing for us is that we have great captains on both teams in Helena and Paul,” South Pasadena Coach Patrick McGrail said. “Sure, they want to win individually, but they’re all about team success.”
One of the more interesting finishes in 2011 came from San Marino, which took second at league finals in the boys’ competition and third on the girls’ side.
Even though Yuter graduated, the Titans have solid returners in junior Andrew Jack, who finished ninth at league finals and juniors Yuvan Wickramsinghe and Kenny Lee, who twisted his ankle at league finals last season.
The Titans also have two additions in South Hills’ transfer George Mundo and freshman Michael Mundo, both sons of head coach Eduardo Mundo.
“We might not have that type of runner like Peaky, but overall we’ll have a strong team,” Eduardo Mundo said. “As for the girls, we have some good runners too.”
San Marino returns an interesting cast, led by junior Alissa Barrraza, who surprised many by taking 12th at last year’s CIF Southern Section Division IV Final in advancing to the state meet.
Along with junior Veronica Mejia and sophomore Sarah Linton, Mundo raved about incoming freshman Olivia Harrigan, daughter of former Titans standout Mike Harrigan.
In terms of turnover, both Maranatha and Pasadena highs parted with two-long term coaches.
For the first time in quite a while, 22-year veteran coach Mark McCown will not lead the Minutemen.
McCown was replaced by Angelo Morton as girls’ coach, while the boys’ program will also be under the direction of first-year coach Dave Martinez.
Morton has a solid roster that includes talented runners in Hannah Finchamp and Amanda Shankwiler.
Senior Kyle Bueckert, who turned in a stunning second-place effort at the CIF State Division IV meet, headlines the Minutemen boys’ team.
At Pasadena High, stalwart Jim Langley was replaced by Leonard Buckner, who inherits a program attempting to field a team, but will likely just run individuals at Pacific League meets.
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