2020 Southern Section Girls Preview

DIVISION 4

The ladies of Oaks Christian are overwhelming favorites to capture their sixth title in the past seven years in 2020.  They are also slated to score the most points of the four divisional favorites, especially when you consider that they added one of the Southern Section best hurdlers in Elise Craft, formerly of Thousand Oaks.  No other program looks to score half of what Oaks Christian should to illustrate our confidence.  

Sprints
Only two underclassmen return from the 2019 finals for the 100 meters. Leading the way is Oaks Christian's Jahzara Richardson, who was runner-up up to Serra's Jazmyne Frost last year. The only other returner for the event is Cameron Walker, who placed sixth as a freshman a year ago. 

While Richardson also qualified in the 200 meters with a sixth-place finish, it was Nia Mosby of Archer (No. 6 in photo) that stole the show, surprising with the divisional title in the event. While she pulled the upset in the shorter sprint, there was no surprise that she brought home the victory in the 400 meters (54.83 best). She continued to excel with a seventh-place finish in the 200 meters (24.22 best) while also qualifying in the 400 meters. 

For the 400 meters, five of the top seven from the 2019 finals return.  Combining for six points in the event at the 2019 divisional finals, Brooklyn Courtnall (photo at the top) and Raeshell Austin of Oaks Christian are slated to be at the top in the event in 2020. La Reina's Jenna Krostag placed sixth in the event last year while coming back to also qualify to the finals in the 200 meters. Also, watch for Heritage Christian's Kaylen Fletcher, who placed fourth in the 200 meters last year and owns a 24.86 wind-aided best.  

Hurdles
Asjah Atkinson is the two-time defending champion in Division 4 for the 100 Hurdles and one of the best in the nation, as evidenced by her third-place finish at the State Meet. While she is still an overwhelming favorite to claim her third title, Elise Craft, now of Oaks Christian will try to improve the competition on Atkinson (No. 5 at right). She was fifth at the Division 2 finals last year with wind-legal best of 15.10. Chadwick's Cameron Walker and Archer's Starlynn Brown also earned medals in 2019. 

Craft is the favorite to capture the title in the 300 Hurdles as her 44.30 is the best returning mark in the division. Craft was the Division 2 runner-up in the event and placed eighth at the Southern Section Masters Meet. Kathryn Tamminga of Valley Christian (46.10 best) was third at the 2019 finals while Basset's Davina Torres and Valley Christian's Emma Spresney also earned medals a year ago.  Not at the 2019 finals, expect Oaks Christian's Sonia Virk to make an impact as she owns the third-fastest returning time (46.56) in the division. 

Distances
The big story is the migration of Mia Barnett from Village Christian to her home school, Crescenta Valley. Not only was she back-to-back champions the last two seasons in 1600 and 3200 meters, but in 2019, she was a State Meet finalist in both events. 

One of the best in California, Mayfield's Audrey Suarez, had been the queen to runner-up finishes the past two seasons. But, she held on to the victory in the 800 meters (2:11.16) and is back to defend her title. But Suarez (leading in photo) continued to improve and roared to a third-place finish at the State Meet, peaking with a 4:45.00. She will have her work cut out if she also looks to defend her 800-meter title.

Oaks Christian's Hannah Wilson (No. 4 in photo) opted to only focus on the 800 last postseason, as she is also one of the division's best 400-meter athletes (57.00 in 2019). Out-leaned by Suarez in one of the most exciting finishes at the 2019 finals, the Stanford-bound Wilson rebounded well, peaking with a 2:10.87 fifth-place finish at the State Meet. 

Sierra Canyon's Isis Diaz was a finalist in the 1600 and 3200 meters as a freshman last year. Despite a 3-plus second personal best in the 1600 meters (4:54.58), she just missed qualifying for the State Meet with her eighth-place finish at the Masters Meet. 

Coming off a breakout cross country season, Foothill Tech's Brooke Secreto should be the most improved distance girl in the Southern Section. Pulling the upset and capturing the Division 4 State cross country title last Fall, she is our favorite to capture the 3200, she finished fifth at last year's 1600 meter finals. 

Another top finalist to consider was Nordhoff's Jasmine Ramirez who impressed with her fourth-place finish in the 3200 meters. Wildwood's Dani Barrett and Linfield Christian's Ryley Burns will work their way back to the divisional finals in 2020. 

Reflecting back to the 800 meters, Marlborough's Lucea Wright raced a fourth-place finish in 2019, leaving the season with a 2:14.87 best. Only a freshman, she qualified for the Masters Meet.  

Vertical Jumps
Michelle Duchemin of Windward is the defending champion. Seemingly stuck at the 5-2 bar all season long, she won with that exact mark and qualified for the Masters Meet. Runner-up to Duchemin, La Reina's Charlotte Allison owns the top mark as she cleared 5-3 in April and also added a week to her schedule with a berth into the Masters Meet. St. Anthony's London Lee has cleared the 5-2 bar in 2019, but only managed a fifth-place finish at the divisional finals. Four others elevated over the 5-1 bar, with Muir's Deniya Fields placing fourth a year ago.

Defending champion in the pole vault, Linfield Christian's Kaelyn McCann (at right in photo) eclipsed the 11-6 bar on fewer misses to claim the title in 2019. While she owns a best of 11-8, runner-up, Bryan Polly of Oaks Christian actually owns the top mark at 12-0. Both advanced to the Masters Meet and finished tied for seventh, just outside the six State Meet entrants. Grace Chen of Grace Brethren was fourth in 2019 is trying to recapture that 11-3 magic she found in April last year. Fifth a year ago, Celeste Taylor of St. Margaret's has elevated over the 10-7 bar. 

Horizontal Jumps
Not only is she one of the best in the state for the 100 hurdles, but St. Anthony's Asjah Atkinson is the defending champion in the long jump. With her best coming at the State Meet, the 19-4.5 mark earned her a sixth-place medal.   Two-feet behind her on paper, the competition is led by Jolie Beegle of Mayfield.  She placed fourth a year ago, while Grace Brethren's Grace Chan was fifth. Oaks Christian's Raeshell Austin took a break from the sprints and relays to place sixth. 

Moving to the triple jump, Neta Ofiaeli of Santa Ynez Valley captured the 2019 title with a 38-4.5 performance. As a freshman, that earned her a spot to the Masters Meet where she placed tenth. Mayfield's Jolie Beegle was third last year (36-4.25) while Chase Sullivan of Flintridge Prep was fifth as a freshman in 2019. Vinae Edwards represents the triple jump tradition in St. Mary's Academy as she was sixth in 2019. 

Throws
Three of the top four from the 2019 finals return in the shot put. Defending champion, Daphne Ebenhack of Village Christian (pictured) shined with a 38-8 performance that was over two-feet further than the runner-up. She is projected to qualify for the Masters Meet in 2020.  Rosary's Rebel Tuinikuafe was third while Hope Gordon of Heritage Christian was fourth. Gordon's best is 37-10. 

In the discus, only two return from the 2019 divisional finals. Valley Christian's Olivia Vande Vegte was runner-up and returns with the top mark of 116-5. Meanwhile, Aguinas' Noelle Chavez is right behind her with a 115-4 best. She earned a third-place medal last year.