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It was cold, cloudy and windy at Long Beach Poly for this year’s Moore League track and field finals but the city’s Spring stars still shone brightly with multiple CIF-SS qualifiers in almost every event. The host Jackrabbits won 19 event golds with Wilson picking up nine, as two of the state’s premier programs proved they’re once again ready for runs at CIF-SS and CIF State championships. A burgeoning Millikan program picked up three golds, two by distance star Jason Parra, and Jordan grabbed one from triple jumper Jamar Andrews.
Both Poly coach Crystal Irving and Wilson coach Neil Nelson said they got through basically everyone they were hoping to get to next week’s CIF-SS Division 1 prelims at Trabuco Hills, with CIF-SS D1 Finals to follow May 11 at Moorpark.
The Jackrabbits won all four relays as they looked sharp even missing a few pieces. Poly’s boys’ 4×100 ran a 41.42 with an all-freshman and sophomore lineup of Julius Johnson, Ben Harris, Jaylen McNeil and Donte Wright Jr. Harris was one of the stars of the meet, as the standout freshman (who owns a 10.38 time this year) doubled in the 100 and 200 and also ran a strong back-stretch split on the 400 relay.
“I give a lot of credit to my teammates because they push me every day, they’re why I come out pushing myself to get faster and better,” he said. “Our relay is strong and I’m just excited for CIF now.”
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Poly got the sprint double from Harris but also got a distance double from sophomore Avery Peck, who won the 1600 and 3200. Peck missed last Spring with a stress fracture and said she was happy to be back on the track.
“It was really hard for me last year sitting and watching and I felt like I was kind of stagnant during (cross country season), so it’s been good to get stronger and faster in the Spring,” she said. She also added that she was bummed that Millikan distance standout Nadia Mejia missed the event with a stress fracture of her own.
“I really enjoy competing with her and I’m hoping she heals up because it’s more fun when we’re racing each other,” she said.
Standouts on the girls’ side for Poly included sprinter Brooklyn Lee, who won the 100 and also anchored Poly’s winning 4×100.
“This has been a great year for me I’m really pushing to new levels,” she said.
Poly also got a win in the 300 hurdles as Anise Becker edged Wilson star Kaylin Edwards to grab the gold there.
There were plenty of wins for the Bruins, with Edwards taking the 100 hurdles crown and also easily qualifying for next week in the 300 hurdles. Freshman Kaedyn Burroughs beat Poly star Xai Ricks in the 400 with a 47.66 that was good enough for the No. 4 time in the state—expect Long Beach to dominate that event in the postseason.
“I felt like in the last 150 meters I knew I had him, I still had something left,” said Burroughs.
The biggest performance for Wilson was Loren Webster, who hit a new state-leading long jump mark of 20-9.5 as she gears up for another successful postseason. Webster would have won the league title with all three of her fair marks, and after the 20-9.5 was posted, she celebrated jubilantly.
Brooke Blue picked up a win for Wilson in the girls’ 400, and JT Kraemer grabbed the gold in the boys’ 800 with a 1:56.56.
For Millikan the star of the day was the distance crew, led by Parra, who easily doubled in the 1600 and 3200 and said he plans to continue with both races into the postseason.
“This was my fastest double by far and I feel like I could’ve gone faster, I feel really strong,” he said. Asked what it meant to him to wrap a storied Moore League career, he said he was glad to go out on top of the league.
“I had really high expectations for myself when I came to Millikan, and I haven’t reached them all but I’m happy to finish it off strong,” he said.
The Rams also got a gold from Duke Hemsley, who won the shot put.
Jordan’s Jamar Andrews won the triple jump and while they were short on individual titles Friday, plenty of athletes qualified from Millikan, Jordan and Lakewood. When the full CIF-SS prelims qualifier list is posted next week we’ll post the local qualifiers on the website.
Moore League Champions
Running Events
Girls’ 4×100: Long Beach Poly (Leila Holland, Jaylin Hunter, Aniyah Brooks, Brooklyn Lee), 46.49
Boys’ 4×100: Long Beach Poly (Julius Johnson, Ben Harris, Jaylen McNeil, Donte Wright Jr.), 41.42
Girls’ 1600: Avery Peck, Long Beach Poly, 5:02.74
Boys’ 1600: Jason Parra, Millikan, 4:12.47
Girls’ 100 Hurdles: Kaylin Edwards, Wilson, 14.73
Boys’ 110 Hurdles: Sedwitz Dumont, Wilson, 14.79
Girls’ 400: Brooke Blue, Wilson, 55.81
Boys’ 400: Kaedyn Burroughs, Wilson, 47.66
Girls’ 100: Brooklyn Lee, Long Beach Poly, 11.98
Boys’ 100: Ben Harris, Long Beach Poly, 10.88
Girls’ 800: Shirayah Lewis-Williams, Long Beach Poly 2:16.72
Boys’ 800: JT Kraemer, Wilson, 1:56.56
Girls’ 300 Hurdles: Anise Becker, Long Beach Poly 43.63
Boys’ 300 Hurdles: Ethan Bartee, Wilson 39.46
Girls’ 200: Nevaeh Lewis, Long Beach Poly 24.77
Boys’ 200: Ben Harris, Long Beach Poly 22.00
Girls’ 3200: Avery Peck, Long Beach Poly 11:09.43
Boys’ 3200: Jason Parra, Millikan 8:54.46
Girls’ 4×400: Long Beach Poly (Leila Holland, Jaylin Hunter, Aliyah Stokes, Nevaeh Lewis) 3:51.26
Boys’ 4×400: Long Beach Poly (Noah Smith, Darieon Shufford, Jarrius Hill, Xai Ricks) 3:17.12
Field Events
Girls’ High Jump: Jillene Wetteland, Long Beach Poly 5-5
Boys’ High Jump: Julius Johnson, Long Beach Poly 5-8
Girls’ Long Jump: Loren Webster, Wilson 20-9.50
Boys’ Long Jump: Jonathan Weston, Long Beach Poly 22-6.75
Girls’ Triple Jump: Journii Spencer, Wilson 37-8
Boys’ Triple Jump: Jamar Andrews, Jordan 46-1.25
Girls’ Shot Put: Mai Ricks, Long Beach Poly 40-4.5
Boys’ Shot Put: Duke Hemsley, Millikan 50-11
Girls’ Discus: Mai Ricks, Long Beach Poly 127-5
Boys’ Discus: Laighton Scott IV, Wilson 155-9
Girls’ Pole Vault: Chazz Brown, Long Beach Poly 9-6
Boys’ Pole Vault: Roan Alexander, Long Beach Poly 10-6
