* Meagan Humphries scored an impressive win in the girls pentathlon on Saturday at the California Winter Championships
Photo Credit: Raymond Tran/MileSplit California
by Ryan Blystone - MileSplit California
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ARCADIA, Ca. - Saturday's annual California Winter Track and Field Championship meet at Arcadia High School was the finish line for the sport's unofficial high school offseason.
Given that distinction, senior standouts Meagan Humphries, Mikaela Warr, and Payton Smith demonstrated why they're each ready for the CIF-sanctioned spring season by combining for four record-setting female performances in the competition.
Humphries, competing for the Castaic Track Club, won the five-event pentathlon with 3,796 points, far ahead of the 3,622 notched by Calabasas TC's Tierra Crockrell in 2017. Humphries, a University of Texas commit, won all of the events -- the 60-meter hurdles, high and long jump, shot put and 800-meter run.
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She ran the hurdles in 9.22 seconds, cleared 5-8 in the high jump, threw the shot put 31-10, leapt 19-6.75 in the long jump and edged La Canada TC's Katie McGuinness 2:30.03 to 2:30.61 in the 800m. The latter event marked the first 800m race Humphries has run as a high school athlete, she said.
"I was so worried about the 800," said Humphries, who was all smiles after she finished. "I told myself before the long jump event I'm going to do as well as I can so I don't have to worry about the 800. I did well in most of my events, better than expected in shot put, which was only the second time I've done that."
She achieved a personal best time or mark in all but the high jump on Saturday. The five-event prowess displayed by Humphries is not a surprise. She qualified and reached the 2023 CIF-State Championship meet finals in four events -- 200 meters, long, high and triple jump - and medaled in each event.
"Honestly, I love having stuff to do, I love being busy so I was happy to add another event (today)," Humphries said of a five-event day.
She actually also qualified for the girls 300m run in the open division and could have run it with enough rest time between the 800m and 300m, but she ultimately chose not to do a sixth event.
Canyon Country Canyon TC's Warr had a double record-setting day in the 60m and 150m. She broke two marks set last year by Carson's Reign Redmond. Warr won the 60 in 7.28 seconds (+1.3) breaking's Redmond's mark of 7.38. Niya Clayton, the defending CIF State champion in the 100, was second in 7.43. Later, Warr ran a 17.42 in the 150 to best Redmond's 17.69 mark.
"My game plan was to just execute and run a PR - and I did more than that by breaking a record. I'm beyond happy. I'm proud of myself," she said after the 60.
Peyton Smith, representing La Jolla TC, sizzled in winning the 300m girls race in a personal best 37.82. Her time shattered the previous record time set in 2017 by Shae Anderson in 38.12. Smith was a state meet finalist in both the 200m and 400m last May, finishing third in both.
"My coach said just run like you did at the state meet and so as I went around the 150 mark I said, 'Just go for it,' I did and it paid off," an excited Smith shared shortly after the victory. While the 300 isn't a normal race distance, Smith does run 350s in practice and claimed "300 is my perfect race" because it's before the end of the 400, "her least favorite part."
Summer Wilson of JSerra TC won the 3K in 9:48.62, shaving nearly 12 seconds off the winter meet's previous best time by Citrus Valley TC's Claire Graves, 10:00.05, in 2017.
Although Murrieta Valley TC's Ariella Avina was runner-up to Wilson, she too broke Graves' mark with a 9:55.37.
Other female track event winners Saturday were: Jordin Lieberman, Murrieta Valley TC, 1500, 4:34.39; Niya Clayton, Oaks Christian TC, 60 Hurdles, 8.91; Oaks Christian TC, 4000 Distance Medley Relay (1200-400-800-1600) - Delaney Napierala, Elizabeth Walker, Katherine Walker and Alexandra Reierson, 12:49.04; Makenna Herbst, Carlsbad TC, 600, 1:33.46; St. Mary's Academy TC, 4x200 relay - Madison Mosby, Jayla Cigar-Dingle, Riley Trosclair and Diane Scott, 1:42.26; Chino Hills TC, 4x800 relay, 9:45.96; and Canyon Country Canyon TC, 800 sprint medley relay (100-100-200-400) - Cayden Panariello, Keziah Webster, Alaya Graves-Hogains and Briana Bartone, 1:48.51.
All female field event winners Saturday were Kelly deJong, Maranatha Christian TC, pole vault, 12-8; Jillene Wetteland, Long Beach Poly TC, high jump, 5-6; Alyssa Alumbres, Vista Murrieta TC, long jump, 18-9.5; Ronan Gallagher, Folsom TC, weight throw, 52-5.25; Ab Hernandez, Jurupa Valley TC, triple jump, 38-2; and Mai Ricks, Long Beach Poly TC, shot put, 41-8.25.
Related Links:
California Winter Championship meet page