The Crescenta Valley High School cycling team had another stellar performance at round three of the five-race SoCal series at the Lake Perris recreation area on March 24.

For the second time this season, the team stood atop the podium as the top team in their division beating 25 other tough teams. CV now leads the season standings by 84 points over second place Orange County Composite in the highly competitive high school cycling league.

CV cycling had a record setting day with race winners in both the freshmen girls and sophomore boys classes and strong performances from every rider on the team. In the freshmen girls class, Brenna Pratt won the race in very dramatic fashion as she shadowed series points leader and winner of the first two races Hanna Eckvahl for 10 tough miles, then sprinted past her in the last 100 yards for an impressive and historic victory. It was the first victory for the girls in the five-year history of the CV cycling team. Teammate Ellis Cobb finished on the podium in fifth place.

Pratt and Cobb have each been on the podium all three races so far this season and are now second and fourth respectively in the overall individual season standings.

CV’s freshmen boys continued to improve with Daniel Rhyoo and Soonhyuck Hong finishing in ninth and 10th place, both season best results.

Sophomore boys were equally impressive with series leader Alexander DeRoche leading the 15-mile race from the start. He took his second win of the season. Tobias Iven finished with an impressive fourth place. DeRoche and Iven now first and fourth respectively in the individual season standings.

Dylan Steinart finished a season best 16th place.

In sophomore girls, DeAnna Lopez recovered from a tough fall midway through the race to finish strong in seventh place.

The largest class of the day was the JV boys with 66 riders. CV was led by Adam Rowton, who just missed the podium in sixth place, and Evan Cobb in ninth.

Varsity rider Lucas Rowton was strong as always but a broken chain on the third of four laps ended his day prematurely.

Race No. 4 will take place on April 14 at the Keyesville recreation area in Lake Isabella.

Submitted by Jim ROWTON