The Steele Canyon High School track and field team displayed its scoring potential by winning both the boys and girls Blue Division team championships at this year’s Mustang/Phair Co. Relays held April 25 at Otay Ranch High School.
Steele Canyon won the boys team title with 107 points to out-distance runner-up Otay Ranch (86 points) and third place Eastlake (84 points); the Lady Cougars racked up 119 points to top the girls field ahead of runner-up Eastlake (100 points) and third place Otay Ranch (91 points).
The Steele Canyon High School track and field team displayed its scoring potential by winning both the boys and girls Blue Division team championships at this year’s Mustang/Phair Co. Relays held April 25 at Otay Ranch High School.
Steele Canyon won the boys team title with 107 points to out-distance runner-up Otay Ranch (86 points) and third place Eastlake (84 points); the Lady Cougars racked up 119 points to top the girls field ahead of runner-up Eastlake (100 points) and third place Otay Ranch (91 points).
“We’re a little younger than some teams we’ve had in the past but we have a good mix of experienced student-athletes to go with our newcomers,” Steele Canyon athletic director Gary Stathas explained. “Our seniors have been pretty consistent throughout the season and we have a good group of younger kids coming up.
“We’re not as overpowering as we have been in the past but we have depth, and that depth has been what’s carried us the most.”
Several Grossmont Conference leaders dot the Cougar lineup: Malcolm Anders in the boys 400-meter dash (50.31), Cedell Morris in the boys high jump (6-4), Nathan Martinez in the boys pole vault (14-0), Carlene Masar in the girls 1600-meter run (5:15.76) and Katy Lynch in the girls pole vault (11-0).
Steele Canyon’s boys’ 4×400 relay team ranks third in the San Diego Section with a time of 3:26.15.
Cougar Nation
Martinez won the Blue Division pole vault at the Mustang Relays with a clearance of 13 feet. He entered the competition at the height and took one jump to win the event.
Martinez remains undefeated in league dual meets. He’s hoping to end the season with a record-setting performance.
“My goals are to compete in the CIF finals and clear 15 feet,” he said.
The school record is 14-6, set by Dylan Fitzgerald in 2008.
The Cougars successfully defended their title in the boys’ distance medley relay with a time of 10:52.33. Running the four legs were Derek Tyler, Chris Pina, Dominic Garza and Josh Paradise.
Tyler saw double duty in the pole vault by clearing 12-0 to place third in the event. Paradise also competed in the boys’ 4×800 relay to help the Cougars capture the bronze medal in the event.
Among team leaders, Morris won the boys high jump by clearing 6-4 while Lynch won the girls pole vault by clearing 11-0.
Steele Canyon’s boys’ team opened the meet by winning the 4×110 shuttle hurdles in 1:06.21 and followed by winning the 4×100 relay in 43.74 and the 4×200 in 1:33.49. The Cougars also finished second in the sprint medley relay (1:36.69).
Also on the boys side, Steele Canyon senior Isaiah Webb finished second in the boys high jump (5-10) while senior Roosevelt Johnson placed second in the triple jump (41-9.5) and senior Paul Alexander placed third in the shot put (43-0).
Steele Canyon freshman Stephen Gomez finished third in the boys’ 300-meter dash (37.70) while senior Bryce Johnson was third in the boys’ 300 intermediate hurdles (42.00).
On the girls’ side, junior Tajanique Bell captured the girls’ 300 low hurdles in 46.50—almost three seconds in front of runner-up Autumn Pearson of Otay Ranch (49.34).
Other top performances in the meet for the Lady Cougars included senior Sabrina Dozier, who captured first place in the shot put (35-10) and discus throw (118-10).
Sophomore Jillian Baldwin and junior Alana Gillis tied for second in the girls high jump at 4-10. Junior Carolina Slatten finished second in the girls’ shot put (32-5) while junior Dezeree Freed placed third in the girls discus throw (94-2).
Junior Bliss Montemayor finished second in the girls’ pole vault (8-6) while junior Lauryn Thompson was third in the girls long jump (15-6) and third in the girls’ 300 dash (44.65).
In girls’ relay events, Steele Canyon emerged with gold medals in the 4×200 (1:48.53), 4×800 (10:08.01), distance medley (12:53.80) and 4×100 shuttle hurdles (1:06.30). The Lady Cougars also captured a silver medal in the sprint medley relay (1:55.56).
Silver Division
Mount Miguel finished third in the Silver Division boys team standings with 57 points behind team champion Point Loma (76 points) and runner-up Serra (63 points).
Among individuals, Monte Vista’s Tyler Lopez won the boys’ 1500-meter invitational run in 4:10.43 while Mount Miguel’s Shean English won the boys discus throw with a mark of 122 feet, 5.5 inches and Monte Vista’s Kirsten Kulhanek won the girls’ high jump by clearing 5-0.
Mount Miguel’s Laulauga Tausaga captured first place in the girls’ discus throw with a prodigious heave of 141-4 – nearly 50 feet farther than the runner-up in the event (Monte Vista’s Sydney Ringgold at 93-5.5).
Tausaga (42-10.5) and Ringgold (29-6) also finished first and second, respectively, in the girls’ shot put event.
Monte Vista’s Camille Sotelo placed second in the girls’ 300 dash (44.52) while Mount Miguel’s Justice Chima finished second in the boys’ high jump (5-8). Monte Vista’s Freddie Sims finished third in the boys’ 300 dash (37.45).
In relay events, Mount Miguel placed second in the boys’ sprint (1:38.16), second in the boys’ 4×200 (1:37.42) and third in the girls’ distance medley (16:17.95).
Orange Nation
Valhalla finished sixth out of nine teams in the Blue Division boys’ standings and seventh out of nine teams in the girls’ standings.
Valhalla junior Dashawn Kiniston won the boys’ 300-meter intermediate hurdles in 40-37 — a blink of an eye ahead of runner-up Josh Godfrey of Bonita Vista (40.53).
In relay events, Valhalla placed second in the boys’ 4×200 (1:36.36), third in the girls’ 4×200 (1:53.77) and third in the boys sprint medley (1:36.87).
Amazing awaits
The Grossmont Conference varsity prelims and finals are scheduled May 12 and May 15, respectively, at Mount Miguel High School.
The San Diego Section prelims are set May 23 at Mount Carmel High School, followed by the section championship meet May 30 at the same site.
