By Darrel Wheeler
Contributing Writer
This year’s prep Track & Field season came to a conclusion last Saturday at Mt Carmel High School.
Mt Carmel was the location for the CIF Track & Field Championships, but Cathedral Catholic girls’ team stole the show scoring 124 points to capture this year’s D-II Championships. Del Norte High School finished second with a score of 87.
Cathedral Catholic’s dynamic duo of Hanna Labrie-Smith and Dani Johnson placed first, second and third respectively in the 100, 4×100 relay, 100 hurdles and 300 low hurdle races. Junior Hanna Labrie-Smith set a new record in the 300 LH’s 42.43, while sophomore teammate Dani Johnson soared to victory in the 100 low hurdles 14.16.
“We went out there today as a team and worked hard, and we did our very best and it worked out for us. I competed in four events but the 100 hurdles is my favorite so hopefully I will do well at the state meet,” said Dani Johnson.
Mission Hill’s Suzie Acolatse doubled in the 100m and 200m sprints clocking in at 11.59 and 23.97 respectively, braking Monique Henderson’s long standing 100m time of 11.97 in 1999.
Hoover junior Esther Nofodji finished second in the discus with a throw of 125-5. “Last year I took her to the state championships just so she could see what the whole state experience is like. It was a way to motivate her and it worked. If she keeps working hard she can easily be San Diego’s top thrower next year,” said former Hoover track coach Stuart Payne.
Rancho Bernardo girls captured the D-1 Title beating La Costa Canyon 68.5 to 60.
Boys D-1 team results: Poway-85, Oceanside-66, Mt Carmel-40.
Boy D-II results: Del Norte-112, St Augustine-64, Monte Vista-38.
Poway High’s Brandon Lucas won both 100m and 200m boys sprints in 10.63 and 21.21.
Morse High School junior John Kendricks ran Saturday’s 2nd fastest 100m (10.85) and 4th fastest 200m (21.9). “I wasn’t really feeling well because of a pain I had felt in my hamstring so I didn’t know how I was going to do, but I took second place in the 100 so I’ll take that. I was trying to get a 10.7, but I couldn’t. That’s OK – I will get it next week,” said John Kendricks.
Lincoln Hornet Ty’Shaun Whiting continues to impress the San Diego sprint scene, posting the 3rd fastest time in the 200m at 21’79 . The State’s number one thrower Dotun Ogundeji of Madison High dominated the shot put with 63-6 and discus with 194-5. Dotun and the rest of San Diego’s qualifiers will have to bring their “A” games next Saturday to Fresno, CA for an opportunity at state supremacy.
