Ashli Shatters Record (again) in Double Win at League Finals
Ashli Baddorf has done it again. At Valle Vista League Finals at Nogales High School, the senior took home the title in the 1600, and also defended her title from last year in the 800. Ashli pulled away from San Dimas rival Alyssa Martinez in the last 200 meters, setting yet another school record of 5:20.63. Earlier in the season, Ashli had set the record at 5:27 then watched it be broken by teammate Alondra Elizalde, who also ran 5:27. In the highly anticipated 800, Ashli narrowly defeated Baldwin Park rival Alyssa Ortega, after losing to her the last two times the two raced. Running a p.r. of 2:24.01, she inched closer to the school record of 2:22.
Joining Ashli at CIF Prelims will be teammates Elizalde, Paul Gonzalez and Kevin Mejia. Elizalde placed 4th in the 1600, but will compete in the event at CIF with Ashli only running the 800. Elizalde also ran a personal best of 12:10 in the 3200 to place second and move on to CIF in that event. Paul Gonzalez was second in the 1600, and Kevin Mejia was third in the 3200. Congrats to the CIF-bound distance runners.
Ashli Commits to Cal State San Marcos
Covina cross country and track record holder Ashli Baddorf will attend Cal State San Marcos University and run under legendary American miler Steve Scott. San Marcos has won the last two NAIA national championships in cross country. Head coach Steve Scott has run more sub-four minute mile races than any runner from any country in track history. He held the American record for decades until it was recently broken by Alan Webb. Scott also ran at Upland High School and UC Irvine. Ashli earlier this season broke the Covina school record in the mile, and also became the all-time fastest cross country runner at Covina. She has also been a star basketball player, leading this year's team to the league title, but will focus on running in college.
Colts Defeat Baldwin Park to Sweep League Titles
On Thursday, Covina Track and Field finished the 2012 dual meet season by soundly defeating Baldwin Park at all three levels and winning the Valle Vista League title. For the boys varsity team it was their second straight championship and 10th in the last 11 seasons. The girls team completed their quest for redemption after relinquishing their 4-year reign in 2009 to San Dimas. Since that year, the girls have rebuilt quickly, thanks to a vastly improved distance crew, and were dominant in league all spring. And the expected frosh-soph showdown between Baldwin Park and Covina never materialized. The Colts stormed out of the gate in the 4x100 relay, and it was soon apparent that Covina had no plans to lose to anyone on this day.
As they have done all season, the distance runners made a huge contribution to all three victories. Richard Reyes left the field mid-race in the frosh-soph 1600 to easily win, and further diminish Baldwin Park's chances at victory on the frosh-soph level. Reyes later scored in the 800 and was victorious in the 3200. It was noteworthy that the varsity and frosh-soph races were run together, and Reyes finished first overall. The girls took the top 4 spots in the 1600, led by Alondra Elizalde and Ruby Medina, with Maria Castello and Kim Lamadrid breaking 6 minutes for the first time this season. And Kevin Mejia led a boys sweep in the varsity race, dominating that one wire to wire. Other contributions came from miler and half-miler Ashli Baddorf who won the 3200, and Paul Gonzalez who surprised everyone with a 2:04 in the 800 to finish second. Covina now prepares for Valle Vista League Prelims and Finals next week.
Girls 1600 Record Broken (Again)
Covina Cross Country observers may remember Ashli Baddorf setting a new all-time mark (18:52) in the first meet of the season, only to have Alondra Elizalde tie that mark a week later. At CIF Prelims, Baddorf re-set the record book with her 17:58, while Elizalde lowered her mark to 18:42. This pattern appears to be continuing in what has been a stellar track season for Covina's distance runners. Ashli set a new school record (5:27.64) at the Covina Invitational earlier this season, and now that mark has been eclipsed by Alondra, who ran 5:27.51 at the San Gabriel Valley Championships on Saturday. It was another great finish for Alondra, who sprinted past runner after runner in the last 200 to place 2nd in the girls frosh-soph race and run a 10 second personal best. With Valle Vista League Finals and CIF still to be run, we will see if this latest record holds up.
Distance Runners "Leave No Doubt" vs. Northview
Covina Track took a giant step toward clinching both the boys and girls varsity and the boys frosh-soph league titles after soundly defeating Northview at home on Thursday. The Colts, who were expecting big contributions from their strongest group of distance runners ever, were not disappointed as the final distance score was Covina 73-Northview 8. The boys frosh-soph team, led by Daniel Hernandez and Ricardo Vargas, began the meet by sweeping the 1600. In the girls race, Ashli Baddorf cruised to victory, and was followed by hard-charging Alondra Elizalde who outleaned Northview's Diana Favela at the finish line, holding the Vikings to one point. In the boys race, Northview's Roman Esparza stayed in it all the way, but Northview was held scoreless, as Covina's Chris Maldonado, Paul Gonzalez, and Kevin Mejia went 1-2-3.
The frosh-soph boys followed their 1600 sweep by doing the same in the 800. In the girls race, it was Ashli Baddorf again leading it all the way, followed by Melissa Covarrubias who surprised Northview's Devinie Elizondo by finishing second. Again, Northview was held to one point. The boys race was a heated battle all the way to the end. Chris Maldonado doubled back from the 1600 and was joined by Zaw Naing and Enrique Hernandez in another 1-2-3 sweep.
The boys frosh-soph team completed the 27-0 shutout by sweeping the 3200, and avenging the 2011 season in which Covina and Northview tied for the league title. The girls race appeared to be in doubt as Northview's Elizabeth Esparza took a commanding lead and held it for nearly 7 laps. But, Elizalde methodically closed the gap, overtaking Esparza before the final lap bell sounded, and going on to win it. The boys varsity race was almost identical to the 1600 with Esparza giving a valiant effort for his team, but falling behind Paul Gonzalez in the latter stages of the race, and being out-sprinted by Chris Maldonado, who was running his third race of the day. If the Colts can defeat Wilson, Pomona and Baldwin Park, the boys will claim their 10th league title in 11 years, and the girls will reclaim the title they relinquished in 2009 after a 4-year winning streak.
Distance Runners Lead Colts to Sweepstakes Title at Chino
Covina Track was victorious (again) at the 2012 Chino Relays on Saturday. The Colts have traditionally been dominant at Chino, using an all-around attack from sprints, field events, and distance runners. This year, the distance boys and girls were particularly dominant as the boys took the Division II title and the girls did the same. This ensured that Covina would earn another Sweepstakes plaque for best boys and girls combined performance. The boys 4x1600 relay team of Paul Gonzalez, Kevin Mejia, Enrique Hernandez, and Chris Maldonado started the day by not only winning the Division II title, but defeating all teams in both divisions, coming first across the line in 18:46. Later, the boys 4x800 team of Zaw Naing, Mejia, Richard Reyes, and Hernandez placed second. And at the end of the day, the distance medley team of Gonzalez (1200), Ryan Bedford (400), Naing (800), and Maldonado (1600) took first, and shattered the school record in this event by 25 seconds, running 11:06.
The girls had a strong performance, setting two school records, and staying a step ahead of league rivals Northview throughout the cold, cloudy day. The 4x1600 team of Ruby Medina, Alondra Elizalde, Melissa Covarrubias, and Ashli Baddorf took first place, and broke last year's school record by 27 seconds, going 22:52. Trailing Northview for most of the race, Ashli led the Colts past Northview's anchor Johnnie Zambrano in the last 200 meters, splitting 5:32. Later, the girls also narrowly defeated Northview in the 4x800. The team of Medina, Covarrubias, Baddorf, and Monica Gonzalez also set a new school record in this event, going 10:35.
Ashli Breaks 1600 School Record
Senior Ashli Baddorf, who emerged in the fall as the Colts all-time fastest cross country runner, has now etched her name in the track and field record books as well. In only her second season as a distance runner, Ashli broke Marleny Cifuentes' 2008 school record in the 1600, running 5:27 at the Covina Invitational on Saturday. Pictured with Ashli is league rival Alyssa Martinez of San Dimas, who Ashli narrowly defeated twice on Thursday, to help the Colts crush the Saints, who had stripped the Colts of their 4-year hold on the Valle Vista League title back in 2009. Martinez finished right behind Ashli on Saturday as well. Ashli came back later to place 2nd in the 800 to help the girls take home a second place trophy from the meet.
Girls Shatter Distance Medley Record
The "Big 3" of Ashli Baddorf, Alondra Elizalde and Ruby Medina led Covina Cross Country to a record-breaking season in the fall, but have now set their sights on helping the track team recapture the league title. Their performance at the Rosemead Distance Carnival showed that they will be a force this spring, as they left the school record in the distance medley relay in tatters. Ruby led off in the 1200, followed by a recently powerfully improved Belle Chiu in the 400. Ashli ran a seasonal best on the 800 leg, and Alondra anchored the team in the 1600. The girls ran away from the field in 13:13.
Distance Runners Win at Rosemead
Covina distance running isn't just a fall affair, as the boys showed Friday night at the Rosemead Distance Carnival. Extending their fall success into the spring, the boys 4x1600 team of Paul Gonzalez, Chris Maldonado, Kevin Rios, and Kevin Mejia took first place in 18:37, and dipped under the Arcadia qualifying standard as well. The waiting game now begins, as Arcadia entries are not announced until late March.
Maldonado Takes District Titles
Covina senior Chris Maldonado kicked off what promises to be a strong spring by winning the 1600 and the 3200 at the annual District Championship between Covina, Northview and South Hills. Maldonado broke away in the last 200 meters in the 1600, and (even with his early celebration) no runner from any of the three schools had a chance to run him down. Later, he separated from the field with a lap to go to also win the 3200. Maldonado's two victories were critical in helping the boys team to hold on to the District trophy for yet another year.
Colts' Season Ends With Epic Performance
Covina Cross Country ended its season at CIF Prelims at MSAC on Saturday. After years of disappointing post-season performances, the boys and girls were determined to prove they could compete on this stage. Running on the flat and very fast rain course at MSAC, the boys and girls both set school records for team time, but were not able to advance to Finals in a very competitive Division 3. The boys, who had prepared themselves for this moment since June, were brilliant, running a team time of 78:17, a faster time than any Covina team has run on any course. Kevin Mejia (15:17) and Paul Gonzalez (15:17) led the way, finishing 13th and 15th. Chris Maldonado (15:42), Richard Reyes (16:00), Enrique Hernandez (16:01), Manny Cruz (16:24), and Carlos Jimenez (16:34) all ran lifetime bests on the quick course. The boys placed 7th, one spot away from moving on to Finals.
The girls' streak of 3 straight league titles was ended this season, but it was definitively clear who the best team in the Valle Vista League really was on this day. The girls ran a team time of 97:23, three minutes faster than league rival Baldwin Park and five minutes faster than San Dimas and league champion Northview. This was only the second time in school history that a Covina team ran under 100 minutes, this same team having done it earlier this season at Woodbridge. Ashli Baddorf, who was the first Covina girl to break 19 minutes, became the first one to break 18, going 17:58, and narrowly missing qualifying for Finals as an individual. Alondra Elizalde improved her best time by 10 seconds, at 18:42, and Ruby Medina tied her personal best at 19:03. Melissa Covarrubias, who had never broken 22 minutes, finished at 20:41, Denise Arciniega had a seasonal best of 20:59, Maria Castello also broke 22 for the first time (21:23), and captain Monica Gonzalez finished her career at 22:26. The girls placed 8th in their heat. This was a truly memorable season. Coach Starkey and Coach Sandoval would like to thank their wives, Gretchen and Sylvia, Teresa Elizalde and all the parents who dedicated themselves to this team and finally got our Booster Club up and running, and, finally, every single student-athlete who put on a Covina uniform this season. Watch out in 2012. The awards banquet is tentatively scheduled for Friday, December 2nd. More info to come.
Girls Would-Be Miracle Falls Short, Boys "Smash"
League Finals for the Valle Vista League are concluded, and it was quite an afternoon at Bonelli Park. The girls varsity team, despite losing the first two meets, were poised to win the finale and tie for the league title, but they would need help from another team to do it. The miracle was nearly pulled off. Meanwhile, the boys team was looking not just to win, but to make a definitive statement about what kind of team they are heading into CIF. Led by All-League performances by Alondra Elizalde (19:28), Ashli Baddorf (19:51), and Ruby Medina (20:02), the girls scored 59 points. Baldwin Park stepped forward to score 58, and Northview was able to hold on to their undefeated season, scoring 55. It was a heartbreaker for the Colts, but an effort that showed the conduct of a defending champion, even in defeat. The boys team had no problem dispatching Baldwin Park and Nogales, scoring 29 points to BP's 65 and Nogales' 69. The Colts had all 5 scorers in the top 9, and welcomed back team captain Paul Gonzalez who had a triumphant return, placing 4th (16:22). Kevin Mejia led the Colts with his second place finish (16:13), and was named League MVP. Manny Cruz was 6th at 16:34, Chris Maldonado was 8th at 16:40, and Richard Reyes was 9th at 16:41. All 7 boys were under 17 minutes.
The girls JV team also lost a nail-biter to Baldwin Park by 4 points, despite brilliant performances from Monica Gonzalez (first overall 22:22), Maria Castello (also returning from injury to place second in 22:24), and freshman Susana Hernandez (4th overall 22:47). The boys JV team completed an undefeated season, led by Adrian Munoz (first overall in 17:24). Cristian Guzman was the first finisher for the frosh-soph boys team at 18:27. The boys and girls varsity teams will compete at CIF Prelims on November 12th at MSAC. The girls will race at 8:39 and the boys at 11:38.
Car Wash Huge Success
On behalf of the entire cross country team, Coaches Starkey and Sandoval would like to thank all the parents and volunteers who helped make the car wash a huge success. We also thank all those who bought tickets, made donations, and gave of their time to help us with this important fundraiser. Finally, we thank Carl's Jr. for the use of their facility. We will be back next year, same place, same time!
Covina Tunes Up at Azusa Pacific
On Friday night, Covina Cross Country traveled to Azusa Pacific for the annual Cougar 2-Miler, their last competition before League Finals on Tuesday. The Colts were visited by 4-time state champion sprinter Remontay McClain, who now runs for APU, before hitting the track for the 8-lap race. The boys were led by Chris Maldonado, who came in at 9:56, and was followed by Kevin Mejia (10:02), Richard Reyes (10:12), Enrique Hernandez (10:22), Manny Cruz (10:33), Carlos Jimenez (10:40), and Adrian Munoz (10:49). Ashli Baddorf (12:10) led the girls, and was followed by Alondra Elizalde (12:15), Ruby Medina (12:19), Kim Lamadrid (13:38), Denise Arciniega (13:41, Nathalie Aldaz (13:51), and Melissa Covarrubias (14:00). League Finals is at Bonelli Park on Tuesday, November 1st. Race times are as follows: Boys JV/FS 2:15 Girls JV 2:45 Girls Varsity 3:15 Boys Varsity 3:45.
Boys, Girls Runners-Up at SGV Challenge
On Saturday, the Colts had their first opportunity on the famous MSAC course at the rescheduled SGV Invitational. In this unique format, each team's individual top 5 runners race against each other in 5 separate races. Both teams went in expecting to come away with hardware, and both the boys and girls placed second in Division 2. The girls were led by the "Big 3" of Ashli Baddorf (19:31), Alondra Elizalde (20:04), and Ruby Medina (20:29).
Boys Keep Marching Ahead
The boys team continued their forward march without the soul of their team, Paul Gonzalez, and also placed second in their division. Kevin Mejia (16:26) and Chris Maldonado (16:30) led the way, and Enrique Hernandez returned to form, running away from the field in his race in 17:05. This was Enrique's first varsity win. Another first-time winner for the Colts was freshman Kevin Herrera in the 9th grade race, and it wasn't close. Covina now trains for two weeks in preparation for the Cougar 2-miler, and League Finals. Don't forget the car wash this Saturday.
Boys Do It Again, Girls Likely End Title Run
Bolstered by their first league title in school history in 2008, Covina's girls cross country team then went on to win two more and establish a new winning tradition. The streak will likely end in 2011 as the girls, despite a heroic effort, finished second to Northview in League Meet #2 at Schabarum Park. The title won't be officially decided until League Finals, but the point system puts Northview squarely in the driver's seat. On the other hand, the boys team (who also began a new tradition in 2009 by winning their first league title in 16 years)look likely to clinch their 3rd straight championship after winning this one without top dog Paul Gonzalez.
Ashli Baddorf was the overall winner in the girls race at 21:10. She is in position to win Valle Vista League MVP. Alondra Elizalde followed in 2nd (21:28), and Ruby Medina finished 5th (22:07). The score was Northview 44, Covina 53 San Dimas 71. In the boys race, the Colts went 1-2-3 again, despite Paul Gonzalez(who will return soon)being on the sideline taking pictures.This time it was Chris Maldonado taking the top spot at 16:33, with Kevin Mejia one second behind him. Manny Cruz came up big for his team, finishing 3rd in 17:05. The score was Covina 33 Baldwin Park 44 Nogales 80. The boys will try to make it a second straight undefeated season at the upcoming League Finals. Cristian Guzman had a big performance in leading the frosh-soph boys to a second place finish. Nathalie Aldaz was the Colts' top finisher for the shorthanded girls JV team, and Carlos Jimenez, in a gutsy, gritty effort, led the boys JV team to another win. This Saturday, Covina will compete at the rescheduled SGV Invitational at MSAC.
SGV Meet, Car Wash Postponed
Parents and athletes, the San Gabriel Valley Invitational at MSAC, scheduled for Saturday, October 8th, has been moved to Saturday, October 15th. Due to the rains earlier this week, MSAC has decided that the course is unsafe for the athletes to run on this weekend. This inconvenience is out of everyone's control, including the meet director, who made every effort to run the meet as scheduled. We have decided to participate in the meet next weekend, but this means we will have to move our car wash from the 15th to the 22nd. If anyone has bought or sold tickets, please be aware of the change and inform anyone you can. It is important for our seasonal goals that we get a chance to run on the MSAC course so, again, we will participate in this meet one week later than originally scheduled. The car wash will take place on the 22nd. E-mail Coach Starkey if you have any questions.
Shorthanded Boys Still Solid at Top Speed
On Saturday, Covina competed at the 2nd annual Top Speed XC Classic at Bonelli Park. The boys and girls teams both had key runners out of the lineup as seniors were taking the SAT test, but the girls were able to put some space between themselves and league rival San Dimas, and the boys put themselves within striking distance of CIF Division III and cross-town rival South Hills, who hosted the meet. South Hills won it, while the Covina boys took 4th, taking more than two minutes off their team time from one year ago. Last year the Colts ran 86:29 (with no boys under 17 minutes), and Saturday their team time was 84:13. Leading the effort was Kevin Mejia, finishing 7th in 16:20. Chris Maldonado was 13th (16:43), Manny Cruz took a leap forward, placing 21st (16:53), and Richard Reyes was 23rd in 16:56.
The girls, who ran without 4 seniors, were led by sophomore Alondra Elizalde. She finished in 20:18, improving 2 minutes on her 22:18 from last year. Ruby Medina went from 21:46 last year to 20:58 on Saturday. Covina will compete again on Saturday at the San Gabriel Valley 1 on 1 Challenge at MSAC. Covina's coaches also competed this weekend. 61-year old Bert Sandoval ran 43:40 for 10K in winning his age group, and Erik Starkey (39 years old) finished 2nd overall at the Azusa Golden Days 5k and won his age group in 18:06.
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League Meet #1- Covina Boys Dominate, Northview Girls Take Round One
Valle Vista League action kicked off Wednesday afternoon at Bonelli Park, and Covina Cross Country set out to defend its league titles. Carlos Jimenez (17:35) and Adrian Munoz (17:38) led the JV boys to another win, while the trio of Heather Jimenez (22:45), Nathalie Aldaz (22:50), and Melissa Covarrubias (22:52) did the same for the JV girls.
In the highly anticipated girls varsity race, the Colts fell behind early, and were not able to overcome Northview's pack. In a close race, the score was Northview 44, Covina 56 San Dimas 59. Ashli Baddorf finished second overall in 19:21, and Alondra Elizalde and Ruby Medina placed 5th and 7th. The boys varsity race was never in doubt, as Covina's "big 3" took control of the race in the first mile and never looked back. Kevin Mejia claimed his first varsity win (16:02), and was followed by Chris Maldonado (16:04) and Paul Gonzalez (16:12). Richard "The Killer" Reyes placed 5th. The score was Covina 22, Baldwin Park 47 Nogales 87. Covina will be right back at Bonelli Park on Saturday for the Top Speed XC Classic. Several runners will not be competing due to SAT testing.
Booster Club Meeting, Team Pictures
Parents, our next Booster Club meeting is on Thursday afternoon at 4:45 in H-1. We have decided to move the meetings to afternoons instead of evenings. 4:45 is right around the time we usually finish practice, so those of you picking up runners from school can stay for the meeting and not worry about coming back later once you have settled in at home. We must have more participation in order for our Booster Club to be successful. We will be discussing the upcoming car wash and other important issues. Please look for a flyer which should be coming home Thursday the 22nd. Also, team pictures are scheduled for Friday, September 30th. We will have a regular practice right after the conclusion of pictures.
Girls Break More Records Under "Friday Night Lights" at Woodbridge
Covina Cross Country was in top form for the second week in a row as they competed on Friday night at the Woodbridge Invitational. The grassy new course at Estancia High School was not quite as fast as the Santa Fe Dam course of last weekend, yet several Colts had big personal bests. The varsity girls set a new school record for team time, going under 100 minutes (20 minute average per girl) for the first time. Their team time of 99:49 was 4 minutes better than their 1:43:46 of a year ago. Leading the charge was sophomore Alondra Elizalde who tied teammate Ashli Baddorf's record time of 18:52, which was only set 6 days ago. Ashli and Ruby Medina were close behind in 19:01 and 19:03. The top 7 girls times are listed below. Top 5 runner Belle Chiu (wisdom teeth) did not race.
On the boys' side, all the races were run at grade level, and Covina was strong in every single race. The freshman boys were led by Kevin Herrera, who took 3rd in 16:34. Jhonatan Reyes had a p.r. of 18:08, and Ricardo Vargas and Daniel Hernandez both came in under 18:30. Overall, the varsity boys ran a team time of 80:32, which was nearly 3 minutes faster than their 83:18 of one year ago. Team captain Paul Gonzalez was the top dog at 15:45 in the senior race, and Kevin Mejia ran 15:48 in the junior race. Covina now has 9 boys who have run under 17 minutes this season. The top 8 times from Woodbridge are listed below. Pictured above is school record-holder Ashli Baddorf and Harvard-Westlake mega-star Cami Chapus. The defending state champion ran 16:20 to win the girls sweepstakes race. (Watch out, Richard Reyes-she's on your tail)
Alondra Elizalde 18:52 ('10 22:15) Ashli Baddorf 19:01 ('10 20:56) Ruby Medina 19:03 ('10 20:36)
Denise Arciniega 21:21 ('10 dnr) Monica Gonzalez 21:32 ('10 22:23) Kim Lamadrid 21:51 ('10 22:15)
Heather Jimenez 22:07 ('10 23:59)
Paul Gonzalez 15:45 ('10 16:33) Kevin Mejia 15:48 ('10 16:38) Chris Maldonado 16:07 ('10 17:18)
Richard Reyes 16:19 ('10 dnr) Enrique Hernandez 16:33 ('10 16:46) Kevin Herrera 16:34 (frosh)
Manny Cruz 16:57 ('10 18:03) Carlos Jimenez 16:59 ('10 17:46)
Covina's next competition is League Meet #1 at Bonelli Park on Wednesday 9-28. Practice for all runners at 7:00 am this Saturday.
Boys Rock at Bosco
The Covina boys promised big things in their 2011 debut, and they more than backed up their words at the Don Bosco Tech Invitational on Saturday. As expected, 3 boys ran under 16 minutes en route to a stellar team time of 79:37, one of the fastest team times ever run by a Covina boys team, and a 3:52 improvement over last year's performance. The boys brought home a 2nd place plaque, their first time to earn hardware at this meet. The top 7 times are listed below, with comparisons to last year's times. Next up is the Woodbridge Invitational. Parents, please note that this race is on Friday night and takes place at Estancia High School. Directions can be found on this site.
Kevin Mejia 15:37 ('10 16:22) Paul Gonzalez 15:38 ('10 16:40) Chris Maldonado 15:49 ('10 17:02)
Enrique Hernandez 16:07 ('10 16:57) Manny Cruz 16:26 ('10 18:07) Richard Reyes 16:26 ('10 dnr)
Kevin Herrera 16:31 (freshman)
Record-Breaking Effort from Ashli Leads Girls' Debut
The Covina girls cross country team continued its year by year improvement with a very strong start to the season at the Don Bosco Tech Invitational on Saturday. The girls' team time (top 5 runners) was 1:40:25, a 3:26 improvement over their performance last season. Ashli Baddorf, in only her second year of cross country, led the girls with a time of 18:52 in the senior girls race. Ashli's time was the fastest ever run by a Covina girl in a cross country race. Junior Ruby Medina also ran into the record books with a time of 19:27, and #3 runner sophomore Alondra Elizalde came in at 20:10. The top 7 performance are listed below with comparisons to last year's times. The girls race again this Friday night at the Woodbridge Invitational at Estancia High School. Directions to this meet and all meets can be found on this site.
Ashli Baddorf 18:52 ('10 20:53) Ruby Medina 19:27 ('10 20:57) Alondra Elizalde 20:10 ('10 dnr)
Belle Chiu 20:59 ('10 22:19) Denise Arciniega 21:00 ('09 21:45) Kim Lamadrid 21:02 ('10 22:27)
Monica Gonzalez 21:17 ('09 21:59)
Colts Conquer Enigma Hill
The Colts are pictured at the top of the brutal Enigma Hill after repeats on the hill located just outside their campground. How bad can MSAC be after this?
Covina CC Teams Up With Arroyo Grande
During their stay at camp, Covina joined with the Arroyo Grande cross country team for a run at the beach and a game of "capture the flag". Before the run, both teams were treated to a talk from Arroyo Grande assistant coach Philip Reid. Reid, a former state champion at Rio Mesa High School, spoke of overcoming injuries during his collegiate career and his recent breakthrough. Reid ran a 13:39 5000 meters for his current team the Asics Aggies. That's pretty fast.
Boys Ready to Take Next Step
The 2011 boys varsity team is pictured here at Camp French after a superb summer of training. They are favored to win a third straight league title, but have made it clear that they are focused on bigger things in November. From left are junior Nick Mannino, senior Paul Gonzalez (All-League in 2010), junior Manny Cruz (2010 frosh-soph champ), freshman Kevin Herrera, senior Chris Maldonado (All-League in 1600), junior Carlos Jimenez, junior Adrian Munoz, senior Enrique Hernandez, and junior Kevin Mejia (All-League in 2010 and Covina CC MVP). Depth won't be a problem for the Colts. Not pictured are projected #2 man senior Kevin Rios, projected top 7 runner sophomore Richard Reyes (4:56 in 1600), and senior Zaw Naing who ran 4:59 during track season and has had a very strong summer. Let the season begin.
Girls Team Finishes a Strong Summer
The 2011 girls varsity team is pictured here on their last day at Camp French in Arroyo Grande. Stronger than ever, the girls plan to contend for a fourth straight league title, knowing that this will be their most challenging title defense yet. Several girls have returned from injury-plagued track seasons to put together a solid summer of training. Pictured from left are sophomore Alondra Elizalde (All-League in 2010), junior Ruby Medina (All-League in 2010), senior Heather Jimenez, senior Ashli Baddorf (All-League in 2010, 800 champion), senior Monica Gonzalez, senior Denise Arciniega, senior Belle Chiu, senior Natalina Lopez, junior Kim Lamadrid, and sophomore Maria Castello.
2011 Schedule
The following is a tentative schedule for the 2011 cross country season. Stay tuned for possible changes. Click on Directions for maps to all venues.
Monday 7-11 Varsity Practice Begins
Monday 7-25 Practice for all Athletes Begins
Friday 7-29 Time Trial for Camp
Monday 8-15 through Friday 8-19 Camp in Arroyo Grande (Top 10 boys and girls)
Saturday 9-10 Don Bosco Tech Invitational @ Santa Fe Dam
Friday 9-16 Woodbridge Invitational @ Estancia High School (Evening Competition)
Wednesday 9-28 League Meet #1 @ Bonelli Park @ 3:15
Saturday 10-1 Super XC Classic @ Bonelli Park
Saturday 10-8 SGV One-on-One Challenge @ MSAC
Wednesday 10-12 League Meet #2 @ Schabarum Park @ 3:15
Friday 10-28 Cougar 2-Miler @ APU (Evening Competition)
Tuesday 11-1 League Finals @ Bonelli Park @ 2:00
Saturday 11-12 CIF Prelims @ MSAC
Saturday 11-19 CIF Finals @ MSAC
Saturday 11-26 State Championships @ Woodward Park (Fresno)
Rachel Wins Athlete of the Year
Cross country and distance track star Rachel Falomir has been selected as Covina's female Athlete of the Year. (As expected, Remontay McClain won the honor for the boys) This award is voted on by all coaches at CHS. During Rachel's career, she was All-League in cross country 3 years in a row, including undefeated League MVP in 2009. Her personal best of 19:36 in cross country is one of the top times ever run by a Covina girl. She has also been All-League in track, in the 1600, 3200, and pole vault, including a runner-up finish in the 1600 in 2010. Her p.r. of 5:38 in the 1600 is, again, one of the top times in CHS history. Rachel will continue her running career at Vanguard University.
Farewell Seniors
The class of 2011 will always be remembered for the great Remontay McClain. But, departing along with him will be several seniors who have made a significant impact on the Covina Cross Country program. These runners were here as Coach Andy Frogue started the program on its path to success, and they leave with Covina CC clearly on top of the mountain. Farewell Remontay, Justin Salcedo (pictured), Kevin Medina, Richard Stephenson, Jose Gonzalez, Ricky Herrera, Dominic Espinosa, Rachel Falomir, Stephanie Fuentes, Sam Alvarado, and Nancy Contreras.
Remontay Does it Again!
Covina's superstar sprinter Remontay McClain successfully defended both of his state titles in the 100 and 200 meters in Clovis, California. With a crew of about 20 supporters and coaches on hand, McClain had the largest margin of victory in the 100 meters since the State meet began using automatic timing. He later came from behind to win the 200. Remontay is only the second sprinter in history to win back to back state titles in these two events. In other words, it is a nearly impossible feat. He has been a huge inspiration for our cross country program and we all wish him the best as he continues his career at Azusa Pacific.
Ashli Wins League in 800
Junior Colt Ashli Baddorf, All-League in cross country last fall, finished a stellar track season by winning the individual league title in the 800 meters. A former sprinter for the Colts, Ashli began running the 2-lap event this season, and was undefeated in league, capping it off by defeating last year's champion, Alyssa Martinez of San Dimas. Ashli will compete at CIF prelims next Saturday along with fellow distance runners Kevin Medina (1600 runner-up), Chris Maldonado (3rd 1600), and Justin Salcedo (800 runner-up). Also, joining Ashli on the 4x400 will be cross country teammates Natalina Lopez, Ruby Medina, and Belle Chiu, making it an "all-cross country" relay. After his 800, Salcedo will lead off the boys 4x400.
Boys Shatter 4x1600 Record
The boys quartet of Justin Salcedo, Paul Gonzalez, Chris Maldonado, and Kevin Medina competed in the invitational heat of the 4x1600 at the MSAC Relays, and blew away their old school record by 17 seconds. The boys had run 18:52 earlier in the season at the Chino Relays. Salcedo led off with a p.r. of 4:32, and Maldonado and Gonzalez also ran personal bests. The new record of 18:35 is an average of 4:39 per mile. Not to be outdone, the girls lined up the very next morning on the same track and also set a new school record. Rachel Falomir (5:38), led off with a p.r. The stick then went to Ruby Medina, Stephanie Fuentes, and finally to Ashli Baddorf who also ran a p.r. (5:42) The new record is 23:19, an average of 5:50 per mile.
Colts' Season Ends at Prelims
The 2010 cross country season has come to a close for Covina Cross Country, as the boys and girls teams fell short of qualifying for CIF Finals at Prelims on Saturday. Rachel Falomir(20:42)led the girls to an 11th place finish in their heat, while sophomore Kevin Mejia(16:48)led the boys to a 10th place finish in their heat. Both teams needed to finish in the top 6 to move on to CIF Finals. The 2010 Covina Cross Country awards banquet will be held on December 2nd in the CHS cafeteria. Flyer to be posted soon. On behalf of Covina Cross Country, Coach Erik Starkey would like to thank the Sandovals, Andrew Tachias, all the parents, and of course his wife, Gretchen, for helping make this a truly special season. See you on the track.
CIF-Bound Colts Get Inspirational Visit From Coach Irv Ray
As Covina's boys and girls teams prepare for CIF prelims, they were treated to a visit from one of the great cross country/track coaches in California, UC Riverside's Irv Ray. Coach Ray began his coaching career at Covina High School where he coached Kevin Berko(school record 1600,4x800), Adam Shanks(school record 800,4x800), Tim Kearns(school record 4x800),and Erik Starkey(school record 4x800). Coach Ray also coached Covina legend Andrew Tachias(Covina school record 3200) during his 4-year career at UC Riverside, and Coach Erik Starkey during his 4 years at Azusa Pacific. Among his accomplishments are helping APU to several national titles and coaching several All-Americans, coaching Cal Baptist University to its first and only national title in track (including a nation-leading 4x800 and distance medley relay team), and coaching world-class runner Brenda Martinez at UC Riverside. He also guided the high school training of Big Bear runner Ryan Hall, now a world class marathoner, and is currently coaching Ryan's brother, Chad. Coach Ray has even had a hand in the current success of the Covina program, as they are training under his "Run With the Best" training system. The Colts will be back on the MSAC course for CIF Prelims on Saturday, November 13th. Race times to come.
Kevin is King, Covina Completes Undefeated Season
It seems that 2010 is truly a special year for Covina Cross Country. Over the weekend, team captain Kevin Medina(pictured in the jacket) was crowned Homecoming King, and took his place beside Queen Rachel Falomir, completing the cross country sweep. And, as expected, the Covina Colts are once again Valle Vista League Champions after the boys and girls teams were victorious at league finals held at Bonelli Park on Wednesday. Under 90+ degree temperatures, Covina was able to outlast their competitors to win the girls and boys JV league titles,as well as both varsity titles. The boys frosh-soph team gave a valiant effort in finishing second to Baldwin Park by 16 points. Sam Alvarado was untouched as she won the girls JV race by more than a minute, and once again led the team to a near-perfect score of 16. While the girls missed a perfect race by one point, the boys JV team were not to be denied. Led by a breakthrough effort from Kevin Rios, the boys went 1-5, finally securing the perfect score Covina has been chasing for two seasons. Manny Cruz clearly outclassed the field in winning the boys frosh-soph race. Congratulations to individual League Champions Manny, Sam and Kevin.
In the famous Bill Murray film "Groundhog Day", Murray keeps waking up to the same day with the same events, over and over again. This describes how the varsity races have played out in the Valle Vista League this season. The girls team won their third league title in a row, scoring 41 points over Northview's 58. (The girls have scored 41, 45, and 41 points in the 3 league meets this season.)The boys team, though they never finish in the same order, also painted a familiar picture, as they won their second straight title by scoring 35 points over second place Nogales, who had 78. (The boys have scored 31, 34, and 35 points in the 3 meets.)The girls were led by Rachel Falomir and Alondra Elizalde, who placed 4th and 6th. The rising Richard Stephenson was the top dog for the boys, placing 3rd, with Paul Gonzalez right behind him in 4th. Also earning varsity All-League honors were Ashli Baddorf (8th), Ruby Medina (10th), Kevin Mejia (5th),and Kevin Medina (10th). Covina now prepares for CIF Prelims at MSAC on Saturday, November 13th.
Rachel Wins Homecoming Title, Covina Scorches Track at APU
Friday night was indeed a good night for Covina Cross Country, as Rachel Falomir was crowned Homecoming Queen at halftime of Covina's football game vs. Pomona (another win),and made it to APU in time to help the Colts to a big performance under the lights at the Cougar 2-Miler. In their last race before Valle Vista League Finals, and their first race since League Meet #2, Covina looked to be in peak form with team time improvements from last year's meet from 65:22 to 63:26 for the girls, and from 52:23 to 51:12 for the boys. Freshman Alondra Elizalde continued her rapid ascent with a 12:14 performance to lead the girls, while Richard Stephenson had a big breakthrough for the boys, sprinting across the line neck and neck with Kevin Medina, both at 10:05. Both teams also had excellent 1-5 gaps, with the boys at 23 seconds, and the girls at 45 seconds (the girls' closest all season). Top 10 performances are listed below. Covina now attempts to put the clincher on boys and girls league titles at Bonelli Park this Wednesday. Team dinner takes place Tuesday night in Q-30.
Kevin Medina 10:05 Richard Stephenson 10:05 Justin Salcedo 10:17
Enrique Hernandez 10:25 Paul Gonzalez 10:28 Kevin Mejia 10:34
Chris Maldonado 10:41 Kevin Rios 10:42 Jose Gonzalez 10:46
Roman Hussey 10:54
Alondra Elizalde 12:14 Ashli Baddorf 12:38 Ruby Medina 12:48
Rachel Falomir 12:48 Natalina Lopez 12:59 Nancy Contreras 13:07
Stephanie Fuentes 13:11 Monica Gonzalez 13:23 Kim Lamadrid 13:26
Sam Alvarado 13:26
Covina Skips MSAC, Prepares for League Finals
While nearly every cross country team in Southern California competed at the MSAC Invitational this past weekend, Covina elected to stay home and continue to practice in preparation for Valle Vista League Finals, coming up on November 3rd. Having already run on the MSAC course earlier this season (with the girls winning the Division II title at the SGV Challenge, and the boys placing second), the Colts' next appearance on the famous hilly course will be at CIF Prelims on November 13th. Covina will tune up at the Cougar 2-Miler at Azusa Pacific this Friday, then prepare for the final Valle Vista League meet at Bonelli Park next Wednesday. The boys team will attempt to complete an undefeated season and win their second straight title, this time outright, after sharing it with Northview last season. The girls team, who have not lost a league meet since 2007, will try for an unprecedented third straight Valle Vista crown. Spaghetti dinner will take place in Q-30 on Tuesday, the night before Finals (6:00) and team pictures are this Friday at 2:15.
Colts Boys and Girls Take League Meet #2
Covina Cross Country continued its quest for a boys repeat and a girls three-peat as they convincingly won Valle Vista League Meet #2 at Schabarum Park on Wednesday. Under hot conditions and on the hilly, unfamiliar new course in Hacienda Heights, the Colts varsity teams had almost identical scores to the first meet at Bonelli. The day began with Sam Alvarado winning the girls JV race by more than a minute, and helping the girls to an almost perfect score of 16. In the Carlos vs. Manny frosh-soph battle, it was Carlos Cuellar coming away with the win this time, and even beating his older JV teammates who were running in the same race. Jose Gonzalez was once again the JV winner, and led his team to a big win over Baldwin Park who came out much stronger this time.
The girls varsity team scratched and clawed their way to another win in a suddenly super-competitive Valle Vista League. Rachel Falomir moved up a spot to 4th, and was followed in 5th by freshman Alondra Elizalde who was running in her first ever varsity race. Ruby Medina was clutch for the Colts, placing 7th, and Stephanie Fuentes and Ashli Baddorf sealed the win, placing 14th and 15th. The score was Covina 45 Baldwin Park 63 Northview 69. Top 7 performances are listed below.
The boys had a very business-like win, waiting patiently for a huge lead pack at the first mile to eventually thin out, then coming in in almost the exact same spots as they did in meet #1. The Kevins switched places, with Medina taking 2nd this time, and Mejia placing 5th. It was then Richard Stephenson in 7th, Paul Gonzalez in 9th, and Enrique Hernandez in 11th. The score was Covina 34 Baldwin Park 67 Northview 74. The top 7 performances are listed below. Covina's next competition is two weeks from Friday at the Cougar 2-Miler on the track at APU.
Rachel Falomir 21:02 Alondra Elizalde 21:22 Ruby Medina 21:52 Stephanie Fuentes 22:36
Ashli Baddorf 22:48 Sam Alvarado 22:52 Nancy Contreras 23:00
Kevin Medina 16:56 Kevin Mejia 17:14 Paul Gonzalez 17:22 Richard Stephenson 17:38
Enrique Hernandez 17:43 Chris Maldonado 17:56 Carlos Cuellar 18:42
Girls Team Wins SGV Challenge
The Covina girls team, on the MSAC course for the first time this season, improved on last year's 3rd place finish by winning the Division 2 title at the SGV 1 on 1 Challenge Saturday.(Covina placed 4th with all Division I and Division II schools combined.) The SGV meet puts each team's top 5 varsity runners against each other in separate races. The girls (running without top 5 runner Nancy Contreras who was taking the SAT) improved their team time from a year ago by more than three minutes. The top 7 performances are listed below. Covina now prepares for Valle Vista League Meet #2, held this year at Schabarum Park.
Rachel Falomir 20:01 Ruby Medina 20:30 Ashli Baddorf 20:53
Alondra Elizalde 21:24 Stephanie Fuentes 21:30 Sam Alvarado 22:06
Natalina Lopez 22:08
Boys Take Second at SGV Challenge
Covina Cross Country got its first opportunity to run on the famous MSAC course (where the CIF Championships are held), and took full advantage, as the boys team took home a second place plaque, and improved their team time from a year ago by nearly 3 minutes.(Covina placed 7th with all Division I and Division II schools combined.) The SGV 1 0n 1 Challenge features a unique meet format in which each team's #1 through #5 runners race each other in separate races. Though the boys did not run as a team, they continued to exhibit great spacing between #1 and #7. The top 7 results are below. The Colts now prepare for League Meet #2 this Wednesday at Schabarum Park.
Kevin Medina 16:41 Kevin Mejia 16:47 Justin Salcedo 16:53
Paul Gonzalez 16:59 Chris Maldonado 17:01 Richard Stephenson 17:09
Enrique Hernandez 17:32
Covina Competes at Top Speed Classic
Covina Cross Country followed up its victorious league opener by competing at the brand new Top Speed Super XC Classic on Saturday. It was the second time in three days that the Colts competed at Bonelli Park, though the grassy, hilly course on Saturday was not as fast as Thursday's Valle Vista League opener. On Saturday, the girls and boys varsity teams both finished in the top 10 in stellar fields which included Rancho Cucamonga, Glendora, Claremont, and South Hills. Sophomore Kevin Mejia led the boys as they continued to tighten their team gap with usual #6 man Chris Maldonado moving into the top 5. Justin Salcedo also returned to form, finishing 4 seconds behind Maldonado. The girls also kept their team gap close, led by Rachel Falomir. #2 girl Ashli Baddorf (a former sprinter who has never run cross country) finished 9 seconds behind Falomir. Nancy Contreras moved back into the #4 spot. Also, freshman Alondra Elizalde moved into the top 5. Top 7 results are listed below. Covina competes next at the SGV One on One Challenge on the famous MSAC course this Saturday.
Kevin Mejia 17:00 Kevin Medina 17:13 Paul Gonzalez 17:24
Chris Maldonado 17:25 Enrique Hernandez 17:27 Justin Salcedo 17:29
Richard Stephenson 18:17
Rachel Falomir 21:10 Ashli Baddorf 21:19 Ruby Medina 21:46
Nancy Contreras 22:15 Alondra Elizalde 22:16 Stephanie Fuentes 22:16
Natalina Lopez 22:28
Colts Look Strong in Valle Vista Opener
Covina Cross Country began its Valle Vista League title defense on Thursday at Bonelli Park, and showed that they plan to stay on top of the mountain with solid victories in both girls and boys races. The Colts started the day by dominating the JV races with Jose Gonzalez leading the boys and Sam Alvarado leading the girls. Both runners inserted themselves into the top 7 with their performances. Sophomore Manny Cruz made his headband look very good as he ran away from the field in the boys frosh-soph race.
The girls varsity team recorded a solid victory in a very talented field representing a much-improved Valle Vista League. The score was Covina 41 Baldwin Park 62 Northview 66. Rachel Falomir, Ashli Baddorf, Ruby Medina, and Stephanie Fuentes all placed in the top 10.
The boys varsity team, who recently discovered the concept of pack running, was very impressive in placing all 5 runners in the top 10. The score was Covina 31 Northview 52 Baldwin Park 89. Sophomore Kevin Mejia placed 2nd overall, and was closely followed by Kevin Medina in 5th, Enrique Hernandez in 7th, Paul Gonzalez in 8th, and Richard Stephenson in 9th. The Colts next competition is the Super XC Classic this Saturday at Bonelli Park. The top 7 performances are listed below.
Kevin Mejia 16:38 Kevin Medina 16:45 Enrique Hernandez 16:49
Paul Gonzalez 16:50 Richard Stephenson 16:56 Chris Maldonado 17:10
Jose Gonzalez 17:57
Rachel Falomir 20:42 Ashli Baddorf 20:48 Ruby Medina 20:51
Stephanie Fuentes 21:07 Natalina Lopez 21:50 Sam Alvarado 21:59
Monica Gonzalez 22:11
Colts Prepare for League Competition
It was only three short years ago that Covina girls cross country was the only team on campus without a league title to its name. Pictured here is the 2008 team of Marleny Cifuentes,Melissa Spolar,Briana Reyes,Nancy Contreras,Rachel Falomir,Stephanie Fuentes,and Natalina Lopez after clinching the school's first title. Four girls remain from that team as the Colts try to make it three in a row this season. They will face serious competition in a much-improved Valle Vista League as the opener is scheduled for September 30th at Bonelli Park.
Colts Bring Home Hardware From Woodbridge
Covina Cross Country continued to roll in the early season at the Woodbridge Invitational on Saturday. The meet took place at Estancia High School due to construction at Woodbridge, and by all accounts, the grassy course was not quite as fast as the regular Woodbridge layout. Still, the Colts had an outstanding performance from top to bottom. 5 girls who did not race in the season opener came off the sideline to give the squad needed depth, while the boys team looked very strong at all grade levels. The boys seniors (pictured) brought home a 5th place plaque, and the girls JV team placed 3rd. The top 10 performances are listed below. Covina's next competition is League Meet #1 at Bonelli Park on September 30th.
Paul Gonzalez 16:33
Kevin Mejia 16:38
Kevin Medina 16:38
Richard Stephenson 16:43
Enrique Hernandez 16:46
Justin Salcedo 17:10
Chris Maldonado 17:18
Jose Gonzalez 17:27
Kevin Rios 17:42
Carlos Cuellar 17:46
Rachel Falomir 19:59
Ruby Medina 20:36
Ashli Baddorf 20:56
Nancy Contreras 20:59
Stephanie Fuentes 21:16
Natalina Lopez 21:19
Sam Alvarado 22:14
Alondra Elizalde 22:15
Kim Lamadrid 22:15
Monica Gonzalez 22:23
Girls Show Depth at Woodbridge
The Covina girls team displayed its depth at Woodbridge on Saturday, as 12 Colts finished between 20 and 23 minutes. The varsity team took 10th in a very strong field of 23 which included Canyon, Torrance, and cross-town rival South Hills. The girls JV team (pictured) took home a 3rd place plaque, finishing behind Canyon and Torrance, whose varsity teams took 1st and 3rd. Covina will try to defend its varsity league title on September 30th, but also hopes to win the girls JV title, the only one the Colts did not win in 2009.
Colts Come Out Swinging in Season Opener
Covina Cross Country began the 2010 season with an outstanding opening performance at the Don Bosco Tech Invitational at Santa Fe Dam on Saturday. 18 out of 19 returning runners ran personal bests on the flat course, and newcomers Cristian Guzman, Maria Castello, and Elly Aparicio were impressive in the first race of each of their careers. The boys varsity team improved their team time from a year ago, going from 84:39 to 83:32. The girls, despite sitting out several varsity runners, were also better than last year, improving from 1:44:56 to 1:43:49. The top 7 performances are listed below, including comparisons to last year's times. the Colts' next competition is the Woodbridge Invitational on Saturday, which this year takes place at Estancia High School.
Kevin Mejia 16:21(09 17:23)
Kevin Medina 16:39(09 16:55)
Paul Gonzalez 16:40(09 17:59)
Richard Stephenson 16:47(09 17:18)
Enrique Hernandez 16:57(09 18:04)
Chris Maldonado 17:02
Jose Gonzalez 17:02
Rachel Falomir 19:36(09 20:16)
Nancy Contreras 20:44(09 21:38)
Ashli Baddorf 20:53
Ruby Medina 20:57
Natalina Lopez 21:39(09 20:42)
Belle Chiu 22:19(09 23:11)
Kim Lamadrid 22:27(09 23:35)
Girls Set to Attempt 3-Peat
A deeper than ever girls team is pictured at the Firebowl as they neared the end of their stay at Camp French. The Colts return all runners from last season's team, and are expected to contend for an unprecedented third straight league title. Pictured from left to right are freshman Alondra Elizalde, sophomore Ruby Medina, junior Monica Gonzalez, senior Sam Alvarado, senior Stephanie Fuentes, senior Rachel Falomir, junior Natalina Lopez, junior Belle Chiu, sophomore Kim Lamadrid, and junior Denise Arciniega.
Boys Ready to Roll
The boys neared the end of a long summer of training as they prepare to defend their league title, won last season for the first time since 1993. Pictured here at the Firebowl at Camp French are junior Paul Gonzalez, sophomore Carlos Jimenez-Cuellar, senior Dominic Espinosa, senior Justin Salcedo, senior Kevin Medina, senior Richard Stephenson, senior Jose Gonzalez, sophomore Kevin Mejia, junior Enrique Hernandez, and junior Chris Maldonado.
Colts Hit Trails at Camp
Covina Cross Country continues to train hard for the upcoming season. Here, the girls and Coach Sandoval finish one of many trail runs at camp in Arroyo Grande.
Tachias Returns to Train With CC Team
2-Time CIF Champion Andrew Tachias, who is now a police officer with Inglewood PD, returned to Covina this summer to train with the Colts as they prepare for the upcoming season. Tachias has a personal best in cross country of 14:30, and also holds the school record in the 3200. He was CIF Champion in the 3200 in 2003, and CIF Masters Champion in 2004 and placed 3rd at the State Championships that year. He is pictured right in the middle in the red shirt. By the way, during his training at the police academy, Andrew broke the academy record in the mile and a half run. No surprise there.
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