Southern Section Girls in Review - Top Headliners

Jacqueline Duarte (Chino Hills/So.) - State Champion in the 1600 meters

As a freshman, she pulled off the upset of the meet at the 2018 Division 1 Finals, blasting to the lead in the last 100 meters and with a 13-second personal best, captured the 1600 meter title.   Peaking with a third-place performance at the California State Meet, and as the top freshman in the nation, capped off the incredible breakout season.  Moving onto the 2019 season, she stayed relatively tame for the first half.   Once we saw her close with a 68-second lap at the daytime portion of the Arcadia Mile, we knew she was right where she needed to be for that time of the year.   This became her template over the last month of the season as she defended her Division 1 title and rolled away from the competition once again at the California State Meet.  She even added on the 800-meter title (2:11.66) to add onto her resume.  But once in Clovis, she brought her best when it counted most and claimed the state title in what is currently the sixth fastest time in the nation (4:42.58).   This is just outside the top 20 in California State history as well.  Her 67-second closing lap was nothing new and unfortunately, for the competition, they had a view they'd rather forget.  She is off to Seattle next weekend to compete at the Brooks PR meet and take on some of the nation's best.  

Natalie Ramirez (West Ranch/Sr.) - State Meet Medalist in Discus and Shot Put
One of the greatest throwers in Southern Section history closed out a great career with two third-place medals in both throws at the California State Meet.   Over the course of the past three seasons, she has finished in the top three at the divisional finals six times with three individual championships (two in the SP and one in the Discus).  This season, she made her third trip to the State Meet where ss a junior, she earned a fourth-place medal in the Shot Put and placed seventh in the Discus.  She advanced on to the postseason all four years while also earning four titles in the tough Foothill League with three runner-up honors as well.   Her personal best of 163-2 in the Discus ranks her 14th on the all-time Southern Section lists while her 49-7.75 in the Shot Put places her 17th on those lists.  Very few throwers have left with this many accolades on their resume.  

Fatima Cortes (Great Oak/Sr.) - State Meet Finalist in the 1600 and 800
A catalyst for multiple championships on the Cross Country course, and a stalwart on Great Oak's 2018 Division 1 championship squad, Cortes attempted something rarely seen (or accomplished).  In taking second place at the SS Masters Meet in the 1600 and 800, she became the first Southern Section girl to qualify for the State Meet in both events since 2010.  Templeton's Savannah Camacho and Chadwick's Jaye Buchbinder achieved the feat at the same Masters meet nine years ago.  But, both chose to focus solely on the 800 meters at the State Meet whereas Cortes not only competed in both but advanced to Saturday's finals as well. She moves on to UC Berkeley with personal bests of 2:11.40, 4:45.41 and 10:25.90.  Not a bad progression for a girl that did not break 2:30 in the 800 meters as a freshman.   

Taylor Shorter (Norco/Jr.) - State Meet Medalist in both hurdles
After a sophomore breakout season, but not truly sure what event was best for her, the Norco coaching staff made all the right decisions on Shorter's fate in 2019.  In 2018, She was the only girl in the section to qualify in three track events at the Division 2 finals. (100, 200 and 100 Hurdles).  This past off-season, Shorter continued to improve her hurdling form to elevate into one of the best in the nation.  Her 13.92 was the fourth fastest wind-legal mark in California, and while it looked like she favored the shorter hurdles, she almost pulled off a huge upset in the 300's.  In qualifying sixth to the 300 Hurdles State Meet final, Shorter attacked the first several hurdles, maintained form all throughout for a huge improvement (42.06) and a second-place finish!  She leaves the 2019 season as not only one of the most improved athletes in the state but also the only girl in California to be ranked in the top four in both hurdling events.      

Calabasas - "What Could Have Been ..."   Calabasas had Both Relays and Two Top Athletes Disqualified
Perhaps, the greatest single headline that captured the attention of the Southern Section was one of misfortune, regret, and disappointment.  Since Jade McDonald (formerly of Mater Dei) and Bella Witt (formerly of Birmingham) enrolled at Calabasas, the Coyotes became instant favorites to capture the 2019 State team title.  Projected to score over 60 points at the State Meet, they were also slated to score over 115 points and easily capture the Division 2 team title as well.  But, once Witt and Kyla Robinson-Hubbard stepped onto the track to compete in the 4x400 relay at the Marmonte League finals, it officially became their fifth event.  Unknown by the coaching staff that the Tuesday prelims and Thursday finals are, essentially, the same meet.  The punishment for this infraction, unfortunately, resulted in both girls being disqualified in their individual events while both relay teams were also unable to advance to the postseason.  While their 4x100 relay (45.95) left the season with the top mark in California, Witt was projected to advance to the State Meet finals in the 100 hurdles and the 200 meters.  Meanwhile, Robinson-Hubbard was the 2018 State Meet runner-up in the 300 hurdles.  Once the decision was finalized by the CIF-SS offices, this sent shockwaves all throughout the state and if anything, served as a continual reminder that we all need to review the NFHS rules before every season.

De'Anna Nowling (Calabasas/Sr.) - Defends 100 meter State Title along with a Fourth Divisional Title
The University of Miami-bound senior was able to place aside all off-the-track distractions to defend her State title in the 100 meters.  She will be missed as her electric smile was on full display once again as she crossed the finish line in 11.55!  She returned to finish fourth in the 200 meters.  Her 11.43 performance from the Texas Relays in March leaves her as the 12th fastest in Southern Section history as she is the first repeat state champion in the event since Long Beach Poly's Arianna Washington earned three in a row from 2012-2014.  Back to the Southern Section, Nowling earned her FOURTH divisional title in the 100 meters as she captured the Division 3 titles in 2016-2017.  You have to back to 2000-2003 and Allyson Felix, (yes, THAT Allyson Felix!) to find a girl that captured titles in the 100 meters in all four seasons.  Nowling earned fourth place medals at the State Meet before these last two championships.    

Jazmyne Frost (Serra/Sr.) - Wraps Up Career with Two More State Meet Medals
Despite the majority of her 2018 State Team Champion squad graduating or transferring, the USC-bound Frost continued to shine on the largest stages.  One of the most decorated athletes in Southern Section history, she graduates with a State Team Title, a Division 4 team title (both in 2018), two first-place medals from the State Meet to go along with three runner-up distinctions.  Adding to the trophy case, Frost also placed third on two different occasions at the State Meet.  Of course, this is on top of her earning the Division 4 title in the 100 meters the past two seasons, the divisional title in the 200 meters in 2018 to go along with being a member of three victorious relay squads over the past three seasons.  This past State Meet, she placed second in the 200 meters while crossing for third place in the 100 meters.  In 2018, she earned the same places, just flip-flopping the events.  She leaves the section with personal bests of 11.57 (100 meters) and 23.65 in the 200 meters.  

Paige Sommers (Westlake/So.) - Pole Vaulter Earns Runner-Up Medal at the State Meet
The sophomore from Westlake continued to improve after her breakthrough freshman campaign in 2018.  After ending the season as the top freshman in the nation, elevating up over 13-00.50 and advancing onto place third at the California State Meet, expectations were higher than ever.  Improving up over the 13-06 bar, the 5-10 Sommers claimed a second Division 2 title in the pole vault.  In clearing 13-00 at the State Meet last month, she earned the runner-up medal while she is now tied for the 10th best mark in California State history.  It's also the sixth-best mark in Southern Section history.  Following in her father's footsteps in the vault (John was an 18+ vaulter in the mid-'90's for UCLA and competed at the '96 Olympic Trials), she also displayed her athleticism away from the vaulting runway.  Sommers added her third Division 2 title to her shelf as she escalated up over the 5-06 bar in the high jump while she also qualified for the State Meet in that event as well.  Furthermore, she just missed advancing onto the divisional finals in the 100 hurdles.  

Caelyn Harris (Upland/Fr.) - Freshman Flies to State Long Jump Title
Coming into the season with one of the best club-track resumes, we had our eyes on the Upland freshman early on.  And for good reason as she exceeded even the high expectations we already had!  She saved her best for last with her 20-08.50 wind-legal performance to capture the California State title in the long jump.  Throwing some drama in there, she fouled on her first two attempts but recovered to capture the title by almost a foot.  Her performance is the 13th best mark in California State history and ninth ever for the Southern Section as she just missed the state freshman record.  Harris was also an accomplished hurdler as she placed fifth at the Division 1 finals while also helping her 4x100 relay squad to advance to the divisional finals.  She finished as the top freshman in the nation in the long jump and now has the goal of becoming the first back-to-back champion in the event since Jenna Prandini (2010-2011).     

Saundria Martin (Long Beach Poly/Sr.) - Four Time State Meet Medalist

Perhaps, hidden by other headliners, Martin improved over the last two weeks about as well as anybody else in California.  She crossed with a fourth-place finish in the 200 meters (23.94) after placing fifth in the 100 meters (11.76).  Two weeks earlier, she captured the Division 1 title in the 100, while being out-leaned at the finish for the 200 meters.  She was also a vital cog in their relays, which earned 18 points between them.  At the California State Meet, Poly's 4x100 relay placed third.  Meanwhile, to end the meet with the 4x400 Relay, Martin moved her squad into the lead on an impressive second leg.   In enacting a small sense of revenge and payback on Roosevelt from two weeks earlier, Poly's squad was able to bring home the State title in the relay!  At Saturday's State Meet finals, Martin's performances were personal bests as she was one of the few athletes to drive back with four State Meet medals.

Roosevelt - Holds off Long Beach Poly for First Title in School History
In one of the closest team battles in the history of the Southern Section, it all came down to the final relay as both squads went into the event, tied at 48 points apiece.  And, of course - both squads were the top two teams in California going into the meet!   With what ended being the fastest time in California for the 2019 season, Roosevelt left no doubt and rolled to a 3:43.77 victory to capture their school's first team title.  Unfortunately, the false start from Kenya Payne in the 300 hurdles is what allowed Roosevelt to jump right back into the battle. Myah Hatcher stepped up to finish fourth in that same race, while just before, Alexys Ford placed sixth in the 800 meters.  Meanwhile, one of the most improved throwers in California, Lydia Liu pulled off the upset victory in the discus (to go along with her fourth-place finish in the shot put).  Erika Flaherty came up big with her second place finish in the pole vault while the Mustangs started the meet, finishing right behind Poly in the 400 relay.  Anchoring that 1600 relay squad, freshman Naomi Johnson placed fourth in the 400 meters to also help propel Roosevelt to the team title.  In what also made a team championship improbable for Roosevelt was the fact that their top pole vaulter, and obviously one of the best in the division, abruptly quit the team and transferred out of the state.  While Hatcher and Johnson just missed qualifying for the State Meet finals in their events, Liu placed fifth in the Discus.  Meanwhile, their 4x400 relay finished second while their shorter relay placed fifth.  But, at the Division 1 finals, the cards fell in place and the Mustangs brought home the team title plaque.   

Jade McDonald (Calabasas/So.) - State Meet Finalist in Three Events
Already an accomplished athlete as a freshman at Mater Dei, when transferring to another high octane program such as Calabasas brought some headlines on its own.  While at Mater Dei, she placed sixth in the triple jump at the California State Meet while helping her squad to the Division 2 title as she earned 22 points by herself.  With all those expectations, McDonald did not miss a beat while she advanced back to the California State Meet once again, but this time, in THREE events!   With a busy slate for Friday's prelims, the sophomore advanced to the finals in all three.  Her best performance came the next day where her personal best of 19-09.75w yielded her a fourth place medal.  Meanwhile, she placed seventh in the triple jump and eighth in the 100 hurdles.  At the Division 2 finals, she captured the long and triple jumps while finishing second in the 100 hurdles, adding up to 28 points on her own!  

Mia Barnett (Village Christian/So.) & Audrey Suarez (Mayfield/So.) - No Sophomore Slump for these Two
It's very difficult to separate these two as seemingly, both of them are in one another's shadow on the largest stages.  Add in the fact that they are training partners, despite attending different schools and it just felt right to highlight these two together!  Both rose up to two of the top freshmen in the nation in 2018, but followed up with even better seasons as sophomores.  Both battled one another to the top two times at the Divisional Finals, with Barnett holding off Suarez for the second year in a row in the 1600.  Suarez bounced back to capture the 800 meters to claim her first title (to go along with three runner-up medals), while Barnett would cross with the Division 4 title in the 3200.   The two advanced back to the California State Meet in the 1600 meters where they shined once again.  Suarez crossed in third place while Barnett was right behind her in fourth.  Barnett also advanced to the State Meet final for the 3200 meters, where she placed ninth and was the top finisher representing the section.  Barnett ended the season with the third best marks in the section for the 3200 (10:22.51) and the 1600 (4:46.12).  Meanwhile, Suarez rolled to a 4:45.00 in her third place finish at the State Meet in the 1600 meters.  She passed up on the 800 meters at the SS-Masters Meet but not before she recorded the second fastest time (2:11.16) in the section to capture the Division 4 title.  Along with Chino Hills' Jacqueline Duarte, these two executed precise racing schedules that had them performing best at the end of the season for the second year in a row.  Photo: Suarez (3) and Barnett (second from left) in the 1600m Final at State.

Samarra Monrroy (Millikan/Fr.) - Freshman No Longer the Underdog
Very few outside the Long Beach area realized just how talented this freshman was until the postseason.  Aggressively attacking the first half of the 400 meters and not letting up, Monrroy got everybody's attention at the Division 1 prelims, where she delivered the top time of the day in 54.72.  She placed second at the Division 1 finals, captured the event at the Masters Meet (54.16) but unlike most freshmen, kept it coming.  Despite being unable to hold the lead over the last 50 meters at the State Meet final, Monrroy crossed with a runner-up 54.25 performance (her fifth straight sub-55 second effort in four weeks).  Her seasonal best is the top time in the section in 2019 and overall, she is the third fastest freshman in the nation.  Meanwhile, her 24.64 effort at the Moore League Finals was the second-fastest among all freshman in California.  

Asjah Atkinson (St. Anthony/So.) - Sophomore Shines Once Again
Advancing to the State Meet finals in the 100 hurdles once again, Atkinson rolled to a 13.89 wind-aided third-place effort.  She also placed sixth in the long jump.  In capturing the Division 4 titles in both hurdles as a freshman, she claimed divisional titles in the 100 hurdles and long jump in 2019, giving the sophomore four titles on her resume already!   Her 13.84w was the fourth best (under all conditions) time in California while her 19-04.5 effort in the long jump makes her one of the best returning athletes in the state.