The562’s cross country and track & field coverage is sponsored by Joe Carlson & Debbie Hughes.
The562’s coverage of Long Beach Wilson Athletics is sponsored by Joel Bitonio, Class of 2009.
The562’s coverage of Long Beach Poly is sponsored by Bryson Financial.
Long Beach Poly and Wilson share the longest-standing rivalry in the city, but when it comes to track and field, it’s “Long Beach vs. everyone.”
That mentality was clear during the teams’ final dual meet of the season at Wilson, where both programs agreed to rest several varsity athletes. Both schools had recently competed at the Arcadia Invitational, Mt. SAC Relays, and several other high-profile meets, so the decision came at a good time ahead of next week’s Moore League individual finals.
In the end, the Long Beach Poly boys and Wilson girls still managed to lock up Moore League titles on Wednesday—but both teams have their sights set on bigger goals with individual league finals and CIF meets ahead.
“We’re on the same page as far as our goals,” said Bruin co-head coach Neil Nelson of Wilson and Poly. “My thing is that I know Poly and I know Wilson. But with those other teams out there, you know, it’s always been Long Beach versus everyone. I know that they’re going to continue to drop and we’re going to continue to drop, but you gotta stay healthy.”
“We wanted this to be more so training and fine tuning the things we needed to work on for whats ahead,” added Poly coach Crystal Irving. “There’s nothing greater than having Long Beach strong and knowing that we’re going to support each other because competition makes you better.”
Girls’ Varsity
The Wilson girls took home wins in 10 of the 14 events including the first six of the afternoon.
Nadia Mejia was a standout distance runner for the Bruins and had a pair of wins in two of her three events. Mejia took home the 1600m with a 5:08.44 and also ended the night with a win in the 3200m finishing in 11:28.95. She also finished third in the 800m.
Kaylin Edwards was another standout athlete for Wilson after winning the 100m hurdles in 13.89, a new personal-record on her seventh run in the event this year. She was also the third leg of Wilson’s 4x100m that was alone in first place with a 47.35.
“We saw her this week in practice and I was like, ‘Woah’” Nelson said of Edwards. “[Co-head coach Shannon Fisher] was tweaking some stuff and I knew she was going to be ready.”
Nelson was also impressed with Saniah Varnado, who also came away from Wednesday with a pair of wins. Varnado took home the 400m with a 56.34 and also found a win in the 200m with a 24.64. The sophomore’s two times are both new season-bests.
Wilson also had a handful of personal-records including Loren Webster with a 12.03 first place finish in the 100m. Elisa Rodriguez set a personal-record while winning the 800m with a 2:18.31.
Journii Spencer was the star for the Bruins in the field events with a pair of wins in each the long jump and triple jump. Spencer jumped a 17-10.50 and new personal-record in the long jump and also won the triple jump with a 38-04.50.
Long Beach Poly had a handful of bright spots in the girls events including Joy Anderson who finished the day with two wins. Anderson won the high jump with a jump of 5-04.00 and took home the 300m hurdles with a 45.83. Jayla Biggers won shot put while Gabrielle Cason took a win in the pole vault.
Boys’ Varsity
The Long Beach Poly’s boys were able to flex some of their depth on Wednesday afternoon and did so while winning 11 of the 14 events.
“It was good to note that we have more rabbits in the hole for lack of a better term,” Irving said. “When it comes down the line when it’s time to go to state we take six boys and six girls on the varsity level, so it’s good to know that we have additional options to make sure that everyone’s healthy and able to contribute to the team if need be.
The Jackrabbits started things off with a win in the 4x100m, where Malachi Dawson, Julius Johnson, Jaylen Mcneil, and Lynnox Newton ran a 41.38.
Johnson was also productive in his other two events where he picked up another pair of wins. Johnson ran a new personal-record in the 400m with a 48.41 and jumped 5-06.00 for a win in the high jump.
Armon Bly also found wins in both of his events with the 100m hurdles and the 300m hurdles. Bly set a new personal-record in the 300m hurdles with a 39.46 and also won the 100m hurdles with a 14.83.
Dawson also ran in the 200m for Poly and took home another win with a 21.69. Archie Byrom was a strong distance runner for the Jackrabbits with a 10:43.57 and first place finish in the 3200m.
Poly swept the board on all of the five boys field events, including a pair of wins in the long jump and triple jump from Jonathan Weston. Jaden Akens also won the shot put while Benjamin Montooth took home pole vault.
For Wilson, the Obando brothers, Cash and Wyland, both had productive nights including a win in the 800m from Cash. Cash ran a 1:55.70 meanwhile Wyland set a new personal-record in the 400m with a 48.53.
Ky’Zir Burroughs also won the 100m for Wilson with a 10.95 and Tommy Pincherli took home the 1600m with a 4:37.30.
The results don’t particularly come as a surprise to either side of the meet, and both teams viewed Wednesday as a rest day ahead of next week’s Moore League finals. The prelims will take place at Wilson on Tuesday and the finals will be on Thursday.
“We knew that our girls team was pretty good and we knew that their boys team was pretty good,” Nelson said. “We rest a lot of people, they rest a lot of people. It helped. Moore League champs for our girls and they’re Moore League champs for the boys and now we’ll move on. We know how rough it’s going to get and we’re looking forward to it.”
Girls’ Varsity Race Winners
4x100m – Wilson, (L. Weston, S. Varnado, K. Edwards, L. Webster), 47.35
1600m – Nadia Mejia, Wilson, 5:08.44
100m Hurdles – Kaylin Edwards, Wilson, 13.89
400m – Saniah Varnado, Wilson, 56.34
100m – Loren Webster, Wilson, 12.03
800m – Elisa Rodriguez, Wilson, 2:18.31
300m Hurdles – Joy Anderson, Poly, 45.83
200m – Saniah Varnado, Wilson, 24.64
3200m – Nadia Mejia, Wilson, 11:28.95
Shot Put – Jayla Biggers, Poly, 29-06.00
High Jump – Joy Anderson, Poly, 5-04.00
Long Jump – Journii Spencer, Wilson, 17-10.50
Triple Jump – Journii Spencer, Wilson, 38-04.50
Pole Vault – Gabrielle Cason, Poly, 9-06.00
Boys’ Varsity Race Winners
4x100m – Poly, (M. Dawson, J. Johnson, J. Mcneil, L. Newton), 41.38
1600m – Tommy Pincherli, Wilson, 4:37.30
110m Hurdles – Armon Bly, Poly, 14.83
400m – Julius Johnson, Poly, 48.41
100m – Ky’Zir Burroughs, Wilson, 10.95
800m – Cash Obando, Wilson, 1:55.70
300m Hurdles – Armon Bly, Poly, 39.46
200m – Malachi Dawson, Poly, 21.69
3200m – Archie Byrom, Poly, 10:43.57
Shot Put – Jaden Akens, Poly, 52-07.00
High Jump – Julius Johnson, Poly, 5-06.00
Long Jump – Jonathan Weston, Poly, 21-11.75
Triple Jump – Jonathan Weston, Poly, 43-00.50
Pole Vault – Benjamin Montooth, Poly, 10-06.00
