Division 3
Claiming their 4th straight Division 3 crown, Santa Margarita easily had this one clinched before Nikki Merritt's victory in the 300 hurdles and Tessa Green's title in the 200 meters.
Now having claimed team titles in all her four years, Merritt lived up to the billing with her individual titles to go along with the 47.43 victory in the 4x100 relay. Meanwhile, her greatest challenge in the 100 came from teammate Green, 11.99 to 12.01. Green moved onto the Masters Meet in both her individual events and Merritt moved on in her three.
Merritt's 14.35 victory in the 100 hurdles was run into a -1.2 wind. In the 300 hurdles, she looked flawless in running away from the group over the last four barriers in a 42.93 victory. She was second in both hurdles races at the 2017 D3 finals.
With those two earning 48 points combined, along with the victory in the relay, they also received another individual title. In bringing home six victories altogether as a squad, Gwynn George qualified for another trip to the Masters Meet in the 800 meters. Her 2:13.54 win was the largest of the four divisions. For added support, Isabella Ghio earned a 3rd place medal in the pole vault.
Alemany confirmed their runner-up status with a victory in the 4x400 relay. With Briana Johnson, Ariana Rodriguez, and DeJahnae Jackson providing the spark, they held off a tough Chaminade squad to advance to next weekend's meet. They started the meet with a 3rd place finish (47.88) in the 4x100 relay. Johnson took 3rd place in the in the 400 (57.01), with Rodriguez placing 5th and Jackson claiming points with a 7th place finish. Johnson came back to take 4th in the 200. Off the track, Havana Thomas took 3rd place in the triple jump.
San Luis Obispo junior Anneke Moersdorf defended her triple jump crown with another victory at 38-05.5. She seeks another trip to the State finals in the next two weeks. This year, she also added the long jump title (17-11) to her resume. Although jumping the same distance as she did last year, she missed advancing to the Masters in 2018. Over at the high jump pits, Moersdorf also earned a 5th place with a clearance of 5-01, thus earning 24 points altogether as an individual.
State Meet qualifier in 2017, Costa Mesa's Tayla Crenshaw captured the discus with a throw of 133-03. She earned a 2nd place medal in the shot put (38-06) to advance onto next weekend in both events. Lakewood St. Joseph's senior, Talavou Maili won the shot put with a 40-04.50 best. Maili's teammate, Ryann O'Bannon took 2nd in the high jump (5-03) to also advance.
A State finalist the past two seasons in the 3200, Oak Park's Sylvia Cruz Albrecht brought home a D3 title, but in the 1600 meters. Opting to focus solely on that event, she was in control throughout her 4:51.32, eight second victory. Cruz Albrecht gave way to the 3200, paving the way for teammate Sarah Shulze to take the title. Shulze, racing among the DI girls (in a combined heat), motored to a convincing 27-second victory. Shulze 10:29.90 was the first time she had dipped below 10:40.
In moving on to next weekend, Chaminade's Bailey Umans earned the victory in the 400 meters in a personal best time of 55.73. She also was the catalyst on her 4x400 relay squad advancing to the Masters Meet with their 3:51.67 runner-up spot as well.
Others advancing were La Sierra's Mariah Allain (12.02, 3rd place in the 100 meters) and Sherman Oaks Notre Dame's 4x100 squad (47.71, 2nd place). Also from Notre Dame, Cheyenne Alacorn took 4th in the high jump (5-03), while Los Altos senior Ulani Wells will join her with her 3rd place finish as well. Charter Oak's Sela Pastrana measured out to 38-03 for her 2nd place finish in the triple jump. In the discus, Hemet Tahquitz' Estefani Flores took 2nd at 128-10 while Emily O of Orange Lutheran snagged that last spot to next weekend at 125-01.