GIRLS TRACK EVENTS
400 Relay
JW North has kept their talent under wraps for the better part of the season and steps in as the top seed at 47.50. This moved them up to seventh in the section (of those teams remaining) and a factor in regard to the runner-up team plaque. With their first graduating class, along with two transfers from Rancho Verde, Orange Vista improved down to a 47.65 and will line up just to the outside of JW North. Mission Viejo seeks valuable points early on here as they enter with a 47.92 best. Citrus Valley (48.25), Bonita (48.31) and Culver City (48.41) round out the top talent assembled here.
1600 Meters
Kelli Hines of Mission Viejo (pictured above) makes her way back to the finals after a two-year layoff. Injuries derailed her talent the past two seasons after she was seventh at the 2016 finals. Off to attend Yale this fall, seasonal best is 4:52.68, which is the fifth best time in the section. Freshman Emma Hadley of Anaheim Canyon will try to play the spoiler, as she had to settle for runner-up at her own league finals, despite the 4:54.22! The two should break away from the pack early on. Chino freshman Mia Chavez is next up with 5:07.19 run on this same track at the Mt. SAC Relays. Mission Viejo's Emma Hicken also qualified and seeking a top three finish to add to the team title cause.
100 Hurdles
As an individual qualifier in three events in 2018 and fifth in this event, Norco's Taylor Shorter has settled in 
making the hurdles her primary focus. As talented as you will find in the Southern Section, her 13.92 wind-legal sits atop the sectional rankings. Third a year ago in this event, while representing Mater Dei, Jade McDonald of Calabasas (third from left) owns a wind-legal best of 14.72, while cruising to a 14.50 wind-aided effort last weekend. Coming in from Division 1, Woodbridge's Madison Lyon gets into blocks with a 15.20 wind-legal best and took advantage of the wind last weekend to cross in 14.96. Her teammate, Phoebe Ladd continues to improve as she used Shorter's talent at the prelims to cross in 14.86 while she owns a wind-legal best of 15.41. Finally, Thousand Oaks' Elise Craft has been consistent with a 15.03 time last weekend.
400 Meters
As a member of the California State 4x400 Relay championship squad in 2108, Bonita's Alisha Wilson put aside an injury-riddled season and emerged with the top time (55.41) last weekend. She was fifth a year ago, her time last week moved her up to seventh in the Southern Section. But, defending champion, Cienna Norman-Thomas of Citrus Valley ran her best time of the season (56.23) as well. Reflecting on seasonal bests, the fight for that third spot to should fall upon JW North's Kiaya Holmes (56.58), Milana Malec of Woodbridge (56.59 at prelims), Gahr's Jazmyn Parrish (56.85 @ prelims) and Chino's Valeia Payne (57.12). Payne was third at the 2018 finals.
100 Meters
Taking another step toward defending her 2018 State title, Calabasas senior De'Anna Nowling has been dominant this season. Getting into the blocks with an 11.43 seasonal best, she is one of the best in the nation and looking to leave a permanent imprint as one of the best in California history. In the race for second place, Woodbridge's Simran Malhotra comes in with a wind-legal best 12.04, while she rolled to a an 11.83 effort in last week's natural fan aiding the qualifiers. Culver City's Kayla Barnes (12.00w last week) owns a legal best of 12.17 while Kennedy Waite of Calabasas is looking to stay with her teammate for as long as possible and gather as many points toward the team title chase. She was sixth in 2018. Norco's Kirstin Light (12.09w last weekend) bursts out well from the blocks and will contend for a top-three finish.
800 Meters
This group possesses more top-end talent in the Southern Section than any other division. The Division 2 
defending champion, Ashley Johnson of Mission Viejo, placed fifth at last year's State Meet. This season, Johnson has a seasonal best of 2:12.07 but she has company as fellow Diablo, Morgan Calcagnie owns the top mark in the section with a 2:11.26! JW North's Makayla Browne (pictured) has been patiently waiting for the postseason as she unleashed an impressive 2:13.24 effort last weekend to be the top seed. She was ninth at the State Meet finals as a freshman in 2018. Moving over from Simi Valley, Westlake's Hailey Golmon has been consistent all season and steps onto the track with a 2:12.62. She is seventh in the section. Also in the top 10 for the section, Emma Hadley of Anaheim Canyon has lived up to the expectations. Her 2:13.01 places her among the top freshmen in the nation. Five of the top nine in the section toe the line here.
300 Hurdles
Accomplished as a short hurdler along with some solid marks in the 200 and 400 made this a natural fit for Norco's Taylor Shorter. Only competing twice in this event in 2018, her 43.55 seasonal best is second in the Southern Section of all competitors coming into the weekend. But, with State Meet experience and sixth at the Division 1 Finals in 2018, Amari Jenkins of JW North (43.86 last weekend) would like to claim the title and the battle for Riverside County supremacy. Calabasas is leaning on Jade McDonald this weekend and she looks to pull the upset, stepping into the blocks with a 44.10 best. She is currently sixth in the section. Thousand Oaks' Elise Craft was sixth in 2018 and brings a 44.30 into the weekend. Woodbridge's Emily Waller and her 44.47 is a further testament that not too much separates the top competitors. Also, do not overlook Northwood's Tori Olivera who was fourth in 2018.
200 Meters
She's back! An event that she admits despising, De'Anna Nowling of Calabasas is the defending Divison 2 champion and steps into her reserved lane five with a 23.64. Tops in the state, she will lose sight of those in the rear view mirror down the straightaway. She hopes to see teammate, Tierra Crockrell (24.94w last weekend) cross right after her for the 1-2 finish. Woodbridge's Simran Malhotra rolled to a wind-aided 24.86 effort last weekend to secure a spot while Kayla Barnes of Culver City used the wind to excel to a 24.81 performance. The tight battle for all of the spots behind Nowling, will also be led by Golden Valley freshman Tylar Gallien (24.85w at prelims), Gahr's Jazmyn Parrish (24.87w last weekend) and JW North's Kiaya Holmes who owns a wind-legal effort of 25.07.
3200 Meters
Capistrano Valley's Carly Corsinita (pictured) steps on the line as the favorite, owning a 10:37.14 seasonal best. She 
was sixth in 2018 and earned a spot at the following weekend's Masters Meet. Of those competing this week in this event, she is sixth in the Southern Section. Her goal will be to stay with Division's 3 top gun (Oak Park's Sarah Shulze who is first in the section) and run away as a pair away from the Division 2 athletes. But Isabella Frisone of Canyon, Ana. possess the race savvy, unlike any freshmen we've seen this season and brings a 10:44.14 onto the track. Qualifying for the Masters Meet in fifth place in 2018, Simi Valley's Jill Walker has crossed in 10:45.46 this season while Ventura's Madeleine Locher (10:46.25) is as talented as they come. Seeking valuable points and a Masters Meet qualifier in 2016, Mission Viejo's Kelli Hines (10:54.27) has the top 1600 meter speed of the group and should surprise a few. Colony's Amber Rios and Serrano's Tiani Goeson also look to compete for a top-five finish.
1600 Relay
As mentioned, JW North has done a great job patiently progressing their athletes and put that talent on display at last weekend's prelims. They enter as the top seed (3:53.71) and own the eighth fastest time in the section coming into the action. 2018 runner-up and a Masters Meet qualifier, Citrus Valley steps in with a 3:54.47 best this season. Woodbridge (3:55.58) looks to stay with these two while Mission Viejo (3:56.68) may need this event to secure the 2019 team title. They were fourth in this event a year ago. Golden Valley (3:58.15) and Culver City (3:58.40) also seek a top-five finish.