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After having to postpone the meet, avoiding the previous weekend's deluge of rain and extreme low temperatures, Trabuco Hills High School played host to the Mustang Roundup on Saturday (March 4), with some of the top track and field athletes in the Southern Section, if not the state, putting on a show.
Here's a closer look at some of the top early-season marks dropped at this meet on Saturday.
BOYS
About as close as you get, junior Nate Frazier, who also anchored that 400 relay, brought home the win in the open 100 meters (10.76) to move up to second in the state, holding off Helix freshman Brandon Arrington and Servite senior Alex Skalmowski, who both clocked a 10.77.
Running on the second leg for Mater Dei's relay, current state leader Logan Lyght held on to win the 110 hurdles (14.36) over 2022 State Meet runner-up, Davis Davis-Lyric of Upland (14.58). The two would match up again in the 300 hurdles, but this time, Davis-Lyric claimed the 38.97 victory.
Perhaps, the most impressive performance for the boys on the day came in the 400 meters where Helix senior Adren Parker rolled to a commanding 47.78 victory. He was fourth at the California State Meet in 2022, with that time ranking as the second fastest in CA thus far.
Glancing back to that 400 relay, Trabuco Hills opened up the season with a 42.28 clocking, to move the Mustangs to third in the state.
Underclassmen claimed all three distance races. Redondo Union sophomore Adam Divinity used a 60-57 negative split effort in the distances to win the 800 meters (1:57.77).
Also employing the negative split approach, Tesoro sophomore Griffin Kushen raced home with a 4:20.21 performance. His splits were 2:13-2:07 with teammate Casey Goetschel placing second at 4:21.09. Vastly improved Matthew Kubler of Valley Christian (Cerritos) placed third at 4:21.62 as the senior came into 2023 with a 4:37.04 best.
In the 3200 meters, Trabuco Hills junior Eli Griggs used a strong last 600 meters to bring home a lifetime best of 9:33.85, outlasting teammate Ryan Stanley (9:35.98).
In the field events, Mater Dei also showed off their strength as sophomore Brandon Gorski cleared 6-6 to win the high jump with teammate Isley Gutierrez placing second at 6-4.
In a great battle in the long jump, Gorski would jump 22-9, placing second to JSerra's Josh Jornadal, who also measured out to 22-9. But also not to be overlooked was the win by Mater Dei senior Jared McDuffie (44-1) in the triple jump.
JSerra's boys brought home victories in both throwing events. Defending CIF-State champ in the discus, Brendon See only saw action in the shot put with his 54-9.5 win. Meanwhile, teammate Jake Stafford took care of the discus with his 158-1 top mark.
GIRLS
For the girls on the track, Ayala junior Kayla McBride was most impressive with her dominating 55.16 performance to win the 400-meters! That time moved her up to sixth in the nation and the only girl to break 56 seconds. McBride returned for an encore performance to also win the 200-meters in 24.85.
The girls of Rosary proved that they are a program to watch in 2023, rolling home in the 400-relay with a 47.82 victory and with three freshmen in the line-up! That is the third-fastest time in the state.
Rosary freshman Justine Wilson returned to capture the 100 meters (12.31) while fellow frosh, Jada Faison brought home the fastest time in the 300 Hurdles (46.36) as well. Faison also captured the long jump with an 18-3.5 wind-legal performance! Wilson would go on to place third in the 200 meters with a stellar time of 25.58.
Taking second in both races behind the strong efforts of McBride, JSerra freshman Maya Woolforde also shined. Coming in as the fastest frosh in the 400 meters (56.16), she crossed in at 57.29 before returning with a 25.28 runner-up effort in the 200 meters.
In the distances, most impressive was the 10:48.69 performance by Shadow Hills senior Marjourie Lopez. Having to go solo over the final five laps of the race, she went out in 5:16, returning with a 5:32 and a school record. Earlier, she placed second in the 1600 meters (5:13.39) to Redondo Union junior Lyla Fedio, who recorded a lifetime best of 5:11.78.
The 800 meters saw JSerra sophomore Anne Elise Packard cross in 2:21.60 in a negative split affair. More impressive is that she was returning back from a 59.86 effort from the 400 meters.
Regarding impressive doubles, Redondo Union junior Lela Divinity cruised to a 15.56 win in the 100-meter hurdles and then turned around to run 59.53 in the 400 meters. She was a Div. 1 finalist in the 100 hurdles in 2022.
Ayala sophomore Isabelle Salazar starred in the long jump with a runner-up 18-3.5 performance while Mater Dei junior Madison Forbes captured the triple jump at 37-10.
In the throws, Helix featured four girls measuring out over 35 feet with junior Hailey Lauifi leading the way with a 37-8 effort. Aside from McBride, Lauifi was our only double-winner as she also excelled in the discus with a 114-8 performance.
Mark Gardner is a former coach, popular announcer and a regular contributor to MileSplit
Photos by Josh Barber
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