Southern Section Division 2 Preview

GIRLS PREVIEW




Sprints/Hurdles
These events will be dominated, and perhaps, all captured by ladies in the Calabasas uniform.   Defending California State Champion De'Anna Nowling (above) looks to capture her FOURTH divisional title (2016-2017 in Division 3) in the 100 meters.  As one of the best in the nation, she holds a wind-legal best of 11.47.  Fourth place in the 200 meters (23.78 legal best) at the State Meet, this should be her third straight 200-meter divisional title.  As one of the most decorated athletes in California, Nowling enters the 2019 season with six SS-CIF divisional titles, including relays.   With her closest returning competitor moving to Division 1, teammate Kennedy Waite is projected to be Nowling's runner-up in the 100 meters as she was sixth in 2018 (12.25 legal best).    We also anticipate the return of all-everything, Tierra Crockrell, who went down with a broken foot in March of 2018.  

In the 400 meters, Cienna Norman-Thomas of Citrus Valley captured the 2018 Division 2 title as a freshman with an impressive 55.00 clocking.  In the process, she was the only freshman in the section to qualify for the Masters Meet.  Cerritos' Nicole Blue was sixth place a year ago in the 200 and 400 meters (25.19w/56.78 bests).  Chino's Valeia Payne crossed in third place in the 400 meters (56.64 best) a year ago.  Bonita's Alisha Wilson improved last postseason to finish fifth in the 400 meters (56.33 best) while teammate Sami Riggs (56.80 best) was also a Division 2 finalist in 2018.  Bonita's season was capped off with their State Championship 1600 Relay squad.

Calabasas' Kyla Robinson-Hubbard is not just the California State Runner-Up in the 300 Hurdles (41.82 best) but also the defending Division 2.  She seeks a FOURTH title (2016-2017 in Division 3) in the longer hurdles.  Do not overlook the fact that she was also fourth in the 400 meters (56.07 best) in 2018 as well.   JW North's Amari Jenkins moves in from Division 1, where she was sixth in the longer hurdles a year ago.  While Robinson-Hubbard won the Masters Meet, Jenkins was seventh (43.27 best) and qualified for the State Meet. 

The 2018 LA City Champ in the 100 hurdles, Bella Witt is the headliner in the 100 Hurdles (14.36 legal best).  Perhaps the most prominent transfer on the California prep scene, Witt was very sharp in capturing the 60-meter Hurdles at the Winter Championships.  She also qualified for the State Meet in the 200 meters with a wind-legal best of 25.33.   Her new teammate, Jade McDonald (14.77 best), is the fastest returner in Division 2 from a year ago, placing third at the 2018 Division 2 finals.  Also returning, Agoura's Ashley Kerley was fourth while Nia Jones of Hesperia was sixth at the Division 2 finals. 

Also returning from the Division 2 finals in the 300 Hurdles, Tori Olera of Northwood was fourth place in 2018.  Meanwhile, Hart's Kendall DeLaVega was fifth a year ago while Elise Craft of Thousand Oaks was sixth.  DeLaVega was also a finalist in the 100 Hurdles in 2018. 

Finally, Norco's Taylor Shorter was a CIF Finalist in THREE events (100, 200 and 100 Hurdles) in 2018.  With a more streamlined focus on one or two events, we suspect Shorter will be a factor this postseason.   


Distances
As referenced with the boys, some of the top returners from Division 2 have moved up to Division 1 in 2019.  With that, it leaves it wide open.   The one champion that returns is Mission Viejo's Ashley Johnson in the 800 meters.  Johnson stepped it up in the postseason to capture the Division 2 title and then excelled at the California State Meet with her fifth-place finish (2:10.57). 

Staying with the 800 meters, seven of the finalists in 2018 were underclassmen with a top level talent moving out, while another moves in.  Janiah Brown (third place in 2018) has transferred to Oaks Christian and will compete in Division 4.   JW North sophomore Makayla Browne moves into the division with her 2:11.77 personal best.  She was fifth in Division 1 in 2018, while advancing onward to eventually take ninth at the California State Meet.  Rania Gomaa of West Torrance burst out of obscurity in 2018 with an eight-plus second personal best at the Division prelims (2:11.79).  She crossed in fourth place a week later.   Redlands' Chelsea Romo and Megan Gonzalez of South Torrance were fifth and sixth, respectively.  Finishing seventh in 2018, she was third as a freshman in 2017 with a 2:14.13 personal best.  She impressed with her efforts in the 300 and 600 meters at the recent Winter Championships.  Mission Viejo's Morgan Calcagnie rolled to a 2:14.85 at the South Coast League finals while two other teammates also come forward with sub-2:21 credentials.  Westlake's Claire Adams returns with a 2:15.52 that qualified her for the postseason in 2018.  

On paper, the Diablos of Mission Viejo dominate the 1600 meters, owning the top three returning times.  With injuries derailing her last two seasons, Yale-bound Kelli Hines looks to elevate herself back to the top Division 2.  A State Meet qualifier in 2016 for the 1600, she rolled to a 4:58.24 in early April last year.  She also returns with the top Division 2 time in the 3200 meters at 10:29.28.  Johnson (5:05.26) along with Emma Hicken (5:06.04) are the next two up from 2018.   In regard to the Distance Relays, the Mission Viejo girls should be one of the top units in California. 

Also returning from the 2018 Division 2 Finals, Simi Valley's Jill Walker (10:42.30) and Capistrano Valley's Carly Corsinita (10:41.62) were fifth and sixth respectively in the 3200 meters.   Both qualified for the Masters Meet and also have sub-5:15 credentials.  Colony's Amber Rios is coming off a great Cross Country season and was a finalist in 2018 in the 1600 meters (5:10.87 best).    Westlake's Rebecca Schultz (5:03.57/10:51.48 bests) crossed in seventh place for the 3200 meters as well. 

Several freshmen rose to prominence this past Cross Country season. 
Tiani Goeson of Serrano was fifth at the Division 2 XC Finals while Emma Hadley of Canyon (Anaheim) already brings a solid resume to the stage.  Her 1500 meter time from eighth grade equates out to a 5:10 for the full 1600 meters.    


Throws
Natalie Ramirez of West Ranch will look to defend her Shot Put and Discus titles from the 2018 Finals.  Except, in 2019 - she will be in Division 1.  That leaves the Division 2 title to someone new.  Except, you would hardly refer to Golden Valley's Shyann Franklin as new!    Franklin was second in the Shot Put (46-6.5) and third in the Discus (143-5).  But, Franklin kicked it up a notch in the Shot Put by improving by two feet and brought back home a second-place medal at the California State Meet in 2018.  She also qualified in the Discus and returns as one of the best in the state.   This will be Franklin's fourth season of advancing onto the Southern Section Masters Meet. 

Other returners from the Division 2 Finals include Mission Viejo's Ava Butterbaugh (39-2.75), Norco's Kamryn Pohl (37-7.5 best)  and Ramona's Prentice Burris (39-9 best).   Meanwhile, Franklin may go uncontested in 2019 as the only other returner in the Discus is Hemet's Joelle Ricciardi, who finished in eighth place at the 2018 finals.   

Simi Valley's Sami Barakat looks to recapture her form from April of last year.  Overall, she returns with the second best marks (42-11.5 and 136-2) in both throws for Division 2.  Barakat has already impressed with a 44-5 performance at an All-Comers meet in January.  Elsinore's Soley Lymon (39-9 and 118-0) is also projected to qualify for the 2019 Division 2 finals in both throws.  Silverado's Ksani Coney qualified for the postseason in 2018 and returns with a 129-11 effort from last year. 


Jumps
The transfer of Jade McDonald, moving from Mater Dei over to Calabasas, will be felt the most here in regard to the tipping of the scales of Division 2 supremacy.  McDonald was runner-up in the Triple Jump and third in the Long Jump (18-10.25 legal best) as a freshman in 2018.  Qualifying for the Masters Meet in both, McDonald excelled with her sixth place medal at the California State Meet in the Triple Jump (40-2.25 legal best).   Considering how the next two finishers at the 2018 finals have moved to other divisions and McDonald is the class of the field in the horizontal jumps.   Joining McDonald on the runway, Bella Witt of Calabasas will also play a major role as she was fourth at the LA City Section Championships in 2018 with an 18-0 wind-aided effort.   

But the duo from Calabasas will have their hands full in the Long Jump.  Bonita's Alisha Wilson (18-8.5 legal best) came on strong last postseason and captured the Division 2 title en route to her ninth place finish at the California State Meet.  She is also one of the premier 200/400 specialists in the division. 

In the Triple Jump, McDonald will be challenged by Woodbridge's Emily Garner.  Moving back into Division 2 after a one year hiatus, Garner (39-4.5 legal best) was the 2018 Division 1 champion and advanced onward to take eighth place at the California State Meet.  Garner seeks a fourth consecutive trip to the State Meet finals in the event. 

Her teammate, Madison Lyon (39-9.5 legal best), was runner-up at the Division 1 Triple Jump finals and in qualifying for the State Meet, earned herself a tenth place finish.  She was seventh in Division 1 for the Long Jump and also projects as a Division 2 finalist coming into the 2019 season.   Her personal best of 18-10.25 came with her runner-up performance at the Orange County Championships.  A third Warrior in the form of Simran Malhotra comes into 2019 with an 18-7 best (into a wind) while Mater Dei's Sophia Chiaramonte achieved the same mark in April of last year.  

Capistrano Valley's Jolie Robinson qualified for both events last year with a sixth place finish in the Long Jump (18-10.5 best) and seventh place performance in the Triple Jump (35-10.75 legal best).   She went into the finals as the favorite a year ago for the Long Jump. Meanwhile, Serrano's Natalie Lin (36-11 best) was sixth a year ago in the Triple Jump.   

Moving to the High Jump, the top four from the 2018 finals were underclassmen.  Adding onto that talent pool, Woodbridge's Emily Garner brings her 5-8 PR to the show.  Her best came in the form of a third place finish at the California State Meet, adding to her resume after her fifth place medal from the 2017 State Meet.  But, Josephine Morales of Dos Pueblos is the defending Division 2 champ.  She has qualified for the Southern Section Masters Meet the past two seasons and comes into 2019 with a 5-6 personal best.  Morales advanced onto the State Meet and earned a ninth place finish.  Meanwhile, Moorpark's Victoria Plummer is a time-time Masters Meet qualifier while elevating up to an eighth place finish at the 2017 State Meet.  Her all-time best came as a freshman at 5-8. 

Taking third a year ago on a foreign exchange program, Tereza Vackova has moved back to Europe.  Bonita's Jocelyn Hipwell, Moorpark's Quynh Gedney and Northwood's Skylar Legaspi were all qualifiers from the 2018 Division 2 finals.   Capistrano Valley's Robinson is also one of the top returners with a 5-3 best in 2018. 

Westlake's Paige Sommers stole all of the headlines with her phenomenal freshman campaign.  Not only did she capture the Division 2 title but also advanced onward to take second place at the California State Meet.  Her 13-0.5 performance at the divisional finals elevated her onto the national stage as the top freshman in the United States.  She is also an accomplished high jumper with a best of 5-2. 

West Ranch's Amber Racina, fourth at the 2018 Division 2 finals, moves to Division 1.  Displaying great improvement in 2018, Golden Valley's Emma Rudolph was fifth.  She advanced on and placed 11th at the Southern Section Masters Meet.  Meanwhile, Thousand Oaks' Seanne Chan (11-0 personal best), Layne Hayward of South Torrance and Jenny Kroeger of Mission Viejo were also finalists from 2018.  Hayward and Rudolph go into the 2019 season with 11-6 personal bests.