Boys #CountdownToXC Day 8: Crescenta Valley



Strong front-runner who can start the team off with a low score? Check - Colin Fitzgerald is the top Division 1 returner in the Southern Section. Tightly-grouped pack behind him? Check - Crescenta Valley's 2-5 runners are separated by only 25 seconds. Leadership? Check - the Falcons graduated only one runner from their 2016 top 7 but could have 5 or more seniors in the squad this fall. Clear evidence of team progress since the end of the 2016 season? Well, that's the one thing that's missing from this team's statistical profile. There are some solid track times that reinforce the close nature of Crescenta's main pack, and they did put three returners under 10 minutes (including a 9:43 by #4 guy Zack Johnson), but other than Fitzgerald's 4:17 nothing really stands out from their 1600 times. My Improvement Ratings also don't show much for the Falcons, mostly because they haven't made the state meet since 2013. Despite that question mark, and another for the team's depth beyond the top 5 or 6, I still have a good feeling about this team. There's just too much potential motivation here: a large group of seniors who want to go out strong, a team that fell just a little short with a younger group in 2016 and might have a chip on its collective shoulder as a result.


2017 Returning Stats:


  • 5K Ranking: 14th
  • 3 Mile Ranking: 6th
  • Team 1600 Ranking: 22nd
  • Team 3200 Ranking: 18th