Flintridge’s Fall Sports Teams Learn from Early Season Opponents

Flintridge Preparatory School’s season is highlighted by impressive performances from the boys and girls Varsity cross country teams, as well as strong play from the boys Varsity water polo squad.

Boys Varsity Cross Country

Racing up a division at the Stanford Invitational was no sweat for the Varsity cross country team. Alan Yoho ’14 won the race with a time of 15:42 in the 5K, averaging a 5:03 mile and leading the Rebels to third place among California teams and fifth place overall at the 40-team meet Sept. 28. Coach Ingrid Herskind says the race highlighted the growth of the team. “We’re a very young team—we took three sophomores and one freshman,” she said. “It started to show the hard work we’ve been putting in over the summer. It’s paying off as we move into October and prepare for the end of the season.” Jack Van Scoter ’16 had a great showing, finishing in ninth place with a time of 16:21. “He had a great strategic race,” she said. The strong finish at the Stanford meet capped off a nice run for the Rebels, during which they won their League opener over challengers Poly, Chadwick and Webb. The boys are currently ranked first in the CIF Southern Section and third in the state. The team looks forward to its next meet Oct. 12 at Clovis High School in Fresno.

Girls Varsity Cross Country

The girls Varsity cross country team came out strong in its first League meet, coming in second only to reigning League champion Mayfield Senior. The day was highlighted by Sarah Yoho ’14, who won the race with a time of 20:36. The Rebels also took the second place spot in the meet with a great performance in her Varsity debut from Natalie O’Brien ’17. The team has worked hard all summer to prepare for the myriad of courses they’ll run this year, including the upcoming one-on-one meet at 7:30 a.m. Oct. 5 at Mt. San Antonio College.

Varsity Football

The Varsity football team faces Heritage Christian at 7 p.m. Oct. 5 at Granada Hills High School, its last tune-up before opening League play against historic rivals Pasadena Poly Oct. 11. The Rebels should be prepared for its League slate after facing tough competition in their first four games, falling in some heartbreakers to a 0-4 record. Coach Antonio Harrison says he purposefully schedules tough non-League competition to prepare his team for the season. “There’s no false sense of confidence from playing lesser opponents,” he says. The model worked last year, as the Rebels went 1-3 in its non-League play and went on to take second place in League and make it to the second round of CIF playoffs.
This year’s team is spurred by an offensive trio made up of running backs Stephan Smith ’14, Elliot Witter ’15 and first-year quarterback Andrew Tsangeos ’16, who threw for more than 200 yards against Frazier Mountain, the first time a Prep quarterback has hit that mark in a decade. Harrison says the team is really starting to come together as it gears up to face League opponents. “In the second half of the last game, it clicked,” he says. “They really understand their game now.”

Girls Varsity Volleyball

Despite a tough start to the season, the Girls Varsity volleyball team isn’t giving up. Its 1-8 record (0-3 in League) speaks to the team’s youth and its injury struggles, but it says nothing about its spirit. Says Coach Sean Beattie: “What’s encouraging is the amount of heart that we’re playing with. We’re playing some really good teams and there is no sign of quit.” The girls are learning a lot with each practice and match, with setters Talia Yessaie ’16 and Neiki Rokni ’15 gelling to provide spark for the offense. “With only four girls on the team from last year, we knew it was going to be a learning experience. We’re in an extremely strong League, but we’re getting better each game.” The girls face their next League opponent at 5 p.m. Oct. 4 at Webb.

Boys Varsity Water Polo

The Boys Varsity Water Polo team made a statement in its League opener Oct. 1 as it shut down Chadwick in a 13-4 win at home. The Rebels excelled on defense, forcing 21 turnovers in the match, propelling the team to an even 7-7 overall record as it dives into League play. Coach Dan Hare says he is happy with the way the team has started the year, noting that it has learned a lot by facing teams in higher divisions. The team is led by an experienced core of 10 seniors, including skilled scorer and team co-captain Ethan Vandeventer ’14, as well as a duo of junior defensive threats, including goalie Alex Hirsch-Miran ’15, who had 13 saves against Chadwick, and Diego Delgado ’15, who leads the team in steals. Says Hare: “We’re ranked seventh in Division 5 right now, but we’ve got our eyes on getting to No. 1 by the end of this.” The team faces League opponent Milken Community at 3:30 on Oct. 9 at home.

Girls Varsity Tennis

The Girls Varsity Tennis Team, 1-6 overall and 1-1 in League, opened League play against Webb, winning 10-8 with strong performances from doubles team Cady Deck ‘14 and Lori Pridjian ’14, as well as singles star Roya Gheissari ’14. First-year Coach Hratchia Sargsyan says he is still experimenting with his doubles matchups. “I’m researching to find the right fit,” he says. The team is working together as new pairings are tested and players are coming back from injuries. The team looks to improve its League record in its next matchup against Westridge at 3:30 p.m. Oct. 3 at Muir High School.