Monte Vista Cross Country: Team News

The following Mustangs were honored at the 2009 awards banquet.  Once again, the parents organized a special event, with lots of decorations transforming the Commons into a festive banquet hall!  El Balazo delivered mountains of food, while the deserts and Izze's flowed all evening.

Congrats to the entire team, especially those honored below:

MVXC  2009 Awards Banquet  
Four Year Seniors – Honorary Letter Winners (Davis) 
Emily Bartz
Kaite Heiting
Katie Swinnerton
Jennifer Aceto
Cameron Bailey 

Team Manager Award:  Emily Bartz 

 Varsity Letter Winners
Boys: 
Amis Matulionis
Jake Erlick
Elliott Killick
Josh Smiley
Zach Chambers
Kevin Ho
Dan Roderick
Taylor Balke
Michael Garaventa
Byron Kilian
Trevor Furhiman
Stephen Balogh
Drew Feldman 

Girls: 
Nicole Aha
Kimmy Abood
Kelly Peterson
Anna Hoyt
Natalie Scott
Jill Anderson
Mikaela Hammitt
Meghan Yap
Lauren Gratsch
Kristina Chin
Amy Ingram 

Frosh Soph Awards (Kovar): 

Frosh/Soph Team Captain:  Steve Lindow

Frosh/Soph Team Captain:  Nick Ranelli

Frosh/Soph Team Captain:  Annie Kelly

Frosh/Soph MVP Award:  Drew Feldman

Frosh/Soph MVP Award:  Elena Smith

Frosh/Soph Most Improved Award:  Michael Abood

Frosh/Soph Most Improved Award:  Phoebe Killick

Frosh/Soph Most Inspirational:  Matt Yap

Frosh/Soph Most Inspirational:  Ellie Harvey

Junior Varsity Team Captain:  Jill Smith

Junior Varsity Team Captain:  Kate Sallstrom

Junior Varsity Team Captain:  Brandon Rebottaro

Junior Varsity Team Captain:  Kyle Murray

Junior Varsity MVP Award:  Logan McCaul

Junior Varsity MVP Award:  Kate Sallstrom

Junior Varsity Coaches Award:  Dominik Novotni

Junior Varsity Coaches Award: Amanda Stansell

Varsity Team Captain:  Nicole Aha

Varsity Team Captain:  Jake Erlick

Varsity MVP Award:  Josh Smiley

Varsity MVP Award:  Nicole Aha

Varsity Rookie of the Year Award:  Amy Ingram

The entire team is invited to the San Ramon Valley Track on Saturday, to see how fast you can run a 3200 meter race now that you are super fit from the cross country season!  This is a required event for the varsity runners, but the whole team is encouraged to come on down.  The first race will be at 9:00 AM, and will be run in heats according to projected ability.  Arrive in time to warm up!  You can wear your MV uniform, or anything (appropriate please) that you want!

The following is an informational note from SRVXC Coach Tim Hunter.  See you there!

Saturday between EBAL and NCS (Nov 14) at 9am at SRVHS track we will be hosting the 4th annual 3200 TT scrimmage. We will split the athletes into ability heats which could be 4-5 seperate races if needed. We can talk about how the heats will be set up. Varsity, JV, frosh/soph bring whoever. It's a scrimmage so you can wear uniforms or not, spikes, trainers, it's all good. Let me know if I left something out. Possible heat set up:
 
10:50 and faster
 
12:20 to 10:51
 
13:50 to 12:21
 
15:00 to 13:51
 
Tim Hunter

TIME:  First race at 1:00 PM.  Full Schedule:

                                                                        Frosh Soph Girls Race              1:00PM

                                                                        Frosh Soph Boys Race             1:40PM

                                                                        Junior Varsity Girls Race           2:10PM

                                                                        Junior Varsity Boys Race          2:50PM

                                                                        Varsity Girls Race                     3:20PM

                                                                        Varsity Boys Race                    4:00PM

Shame to Coach Davis for not posting this sooner.  Several weeks ago, JV Coach Austin Glimme named his Captains for the season.  They are:

Jr Brandon Rebottaro
Sr Kyle Murray
Jr Jill Smith
Jr Kate Sallstrom

Each has shown extreme dedication to the JV cause, as well as fast race results.  They look to help lead the team to the JV Championships!

Race update from Coach Sharon:

THE OVERNIGHT RELAY:
115.8 Miles!!!  2009 team destroys last years record, hammering out mile after mile to set the new standard! Story and results: http://www.eteamz.com/mvxc/news/index.cfm?subsite=3429447&cat=278749#news4770786 

Used running shoe drive also highlights fundraising for charities!

For many years now, the 12 hour Overnight Relay has acted as a fundraiser for the local community.  Started as a tradition by former coach Mike Huntsman who felt that the team should give back to the community, the event has raised several thousands of dollars for local causes.  In prior years, the Contra Costa Food Bank, The Family Crisis Center, The Lindsay Wildlife Museum and others have received support from the team.  This year, for the 3rd time in the past 5 years, the captains selected the Save Mount Diablo organization to support.  Given the amount of running that the team does in the Mt Diablo foothills, it is easy to see why the cause would be near and dear to the cross country squad.

Information about Save Mount Diablo can be found at their web site: http://www.savemountdiablo.org/home.htm

The team is asking for all runners at the overnight relay to make a personal donation.  It's fine for your family to contribute as well, but the goal is have each team member donate themselves.  If everyone gives $10 or more, we'll easily raise $1000 for the cause.

Thank you for your support of this worthy organization!

Coach Mike Davis

Mark your calendars for the always exciting end-of-season awards banquet.  Food catered by El Balazo.  Athletes are free.  Parents and siblings are $7 at the door. 

Monday, November 16th, 2009.   6:30PM in the MVHS Commons.

More information coming!

All students are dismissed at 2:10.  If you have a test in your 6th period class, or you feel you can't miss that class...then don't get out early.  If you miss 6th period, then change and head over to the park to help set up.

4:00 - Novice Race  2.0 miles.  Boys and Girls Combined
4:25 - JV Girls Race 3.0 miles
5:00 - JV Boys Race 3.0 miles
5:30 - Varsity Girls Race 3.0 miles
6:00 - Varsity Boys Race 3.0 miles
Frosh Soph is included in the JV race. 

Buses - Leave Monte Vista at 7:15 AM.  Be at MV by 7:00 AM.

You must ride the bus if you are competing. 
You must stay for the entire meet.  You may ride back with parents at the conclusion of the meet.

There is NO snack table at this meet.  Bring plenty of water and food.  Dress warm for the early morning hours.

WHO IS SCOTT BAUHS???  Read the following profile from 2008: http://www.pausatf.org/data/2008/tfscottbauhsprofile.html

Course map: http://pleasanton.k12.ca.us/avhsweb/scarpelli/XC%20Scott%20Bauhs.html

Order of Events
9:00am Freshman Boys
9:30am Freshman Girls
10:00am Sophomore Boys
10:30am Sophomore Girls
11:00am  Junior Boys
11:30am  Junior Girls
12:00am  Senior Boys
12:30pm   Senior Girls  

Participating Teams 

Amador Valley
Castro Valley
College Park
De La Salle
Dougherty Valley
Foothill
Gunn
Homestead
Livermore
Miramonte
Monte Vista
Piner
San Leandro
San Ramon
Santee
St Patrick-Vincent
Union Mine

On Monday, Coach Davis announced the Varsity Senior Captains for the 2009 season.  They are both four year veterans of MVXC team traditions and deserving leaders for the upcoming season.  Newbies to our squad would be wise to seek their advice on just about anything related to the sport of cross country! 

Congrats to Seniors Nicole Aha and Jake Erlick for being chosen for this honor. 

On Weds the 16th, Coach Sharon Kovar announced the Frosh-Soph team captains for 2009!  All were selected based on their committment to the team, their work ethic, and their ability to be leaders within the squad.  Oh yeah, they're pretty good runners as well! 

Congrats to 2009 F/S Team Captains Steve Lindow, Annie Kelly, Angelyn Brown and Nick Ranelli.

Congrats to the 2009 Cross Country "ASB Club" Officers who were nominated by the Coaches last week.  As an Associated Student Body club, these officers will approve the team budget, and handle requests for expenditures. 

President:  Jen Aceto - Senior
Vice President:  Michael Garaventa - Junior
Secretary/Treasurer:  Katie Swinnerton - Senior

2009 schedule, with Summer Running Club information, is now availible for downloading by clicking the "Handout" below.

This is the final schedule, although some changes may be made as the season progresses.  All the league meet dates are firm.  Juniors - plan SAT testing around the EBAL Championship meet!

Despite the chilly, windy day, the Cross Country squad showed up in force to wash cars and raise funds for the team.  The first shift was the coldest, but had more runners signed up to work, so the cars flowed smoothly.  The first shift was treated to an interesting display of student driving (fortunately no XC athletes were hurt, nor their cars).

Coach Austin was certainly in fine form, becoming one with the Bullhorn and producing a steady stream of 'encouragement' to the washers and driers! 

The second shift was smaller, but also cranked through the cars and closed up the operation on time! 

As you pile on the food at the banquet, you can feel good about your hard work today!  If you have not yet turned in our $$$, please do so ASAP (to Coach Austin).

For many years, the varsity runners have done the famous "drop off" runs, where they are driven to some far point and dumped out, with the only option that of running back to Monte Vista.  Last week, Coach Davis, with help from Mrs Lisa Roderick, took it up a notch.  Blindfolding the guys while in the MV parking lot, they were driven to an obscure elementary school in western San Ramon (Twins Creeks).  Once there, they were lead one-by-one into a fenced area reserved for bikes, and were told to remove the blindfolds only when they could not hear Coach Davis' VW in the distance.   However, they could probably hear him laughing, as it was quite a spectacle indeed.  In fact, the guys were chewed out by a local preschool teacher who found their presence in the bike cage somewhat disturbing.

 9 miles later, they found their way back to MVHS!  A tradition is born!

Varsity Team Captains:  Connor Donley, Kaitlin Kelly, Mike Roderick, Nicole Aha

MVXC Club Officers:  Kaity Thomas, Katie Swinnerton, Alex Morris, Colton Anderson

JV Team Captains:  Eric Bergquist, Kirsten Ratliff, Vincent Kot, Jen Aceto

Frosh/Soph Team Captains:  Kristina Chin, Kendall Horalek, Logan McCaul, Michael Garaventa

Right after the Tri Valley Invitational, Coach Austin headed over to the greatest elementary school carnival in the tri-state area!  Ok, I'm not even sure what the tri-state area is... but this carnival has to rank among the finest anywhere.  Live bands pounded out the tunes, while games of all kinds were being contested in the outdoor areas of the school.  Coach Davis dropped in to say hello, and found several MVXC members taking on 3rd graders in tests of skill and daring.  Having cleaned up in the always difficult "cake walk"... Brett Zorich, Danny Bartz, Mike Slap and Lisa Wulf took on the locals in a free for all cake eating contest.  The starting whistle went off, and all heads dropped into the dishes of white or chocolate cake.  Pre-contest favorite Danny Bartz looked to be a shoe-in for the victory, but suddenly, the local elementary student stood up in the classic 'victory' poise - having dispatched the larger, hungrier but obviously overmatched high school students.

If you didn't attend - and Coach Austin knows who you are - make this a must on next years social calendar.

Newest installment from your friends down at FMS!  Features coverage of Stanford, Clovis and other races.  Rankings as well as an article examining the "team cheer".  Good stuff.

A LARGE contingent of Mustang XC teammates braved the trip to Hayward High School to cheer on the varsity squads today.  This was the largest group of non-parents that Coach Davis has ever seen at the event.  And your efforts REALLY MADE A DIFFERENCE in the perfomances of the varsity team.  You were all over the course - dressed up - signs and balloons displayed - yelling like crazy!  THANK YOU!

Fresno is just a short 3 hour drive away...  who can come down and support the guys this Saturday?  You'll have to find transportation, but with this group of supporters, I sense it won't be impossible.

 MVXC!  Nuff said.

Ranked 5th coming into the meet, the Varsity Girls squad went down to the starting line, to find the following box assignment.  Yes, it appears that their race was predetermined.

An expanded MVXC end-of-season video, produced by Bhavik Kanzaria and Cameron Tremblay-Adams has been uploaded to Flotrack.com:

http://www.flocasts.org/flotrack/flotrackr/videos.php?a=video_show&show=&vid=5523

DVD copies are being made of this now epic miniseries (nearly 30 minutes of non stop MVXC action!!!).   EBAL #2, Mt Sac and NCS footage added, along with more Senior tributes.  Watch for future announcements to get your copy (or download it from the above site).