The Los Alamitos High track and field team swept the Sunset League Finals, and the Griffin boys and girls took first place in varsity, junior varsity and frosh-soph categories. The varsity girls compiled 178 points to second place Fountain Valley, which had 145. The varsity boys scored 143, while Marina finished second with 98.
“This is the first time I can remember where a team has won each of the three levels for both genders. Then taking into account the boys winning Orange County Championships makes this season one of the most special,” Head Coach Nathan Howard said.
Relay teams had a strong showing for the Griffins, as did senior Jose Rubio, who helped a relay team and took top spots in several other individual events.
In the boys 110 meter hurdles, Griffin senior Jose Rubio pulled away from the pack to win in 14.02 seconds. Junior Samuel Scott took third in a time of 15.41. Rubio also won the 300 hurdles in a time of 37.07. Rubio’s time in the 110 hurdles broke a meet record that had stood since 1968 and was a new school record. His 300 time was also a new meet record.
In the boys long jump, Rubio took first place with a distance of 22-07 and sophomore Sean Ayale took third with a jump of 20-06.25. In the boys high jump, Griffin junior Kevin Schmitt took second place with a height of 6-01.
In the boys 4×100 relay, seniors Rubio, Adhre Sparks, Chris Howard and Ryan Ayale teamed up to take first place in a time of 42.76. In the boys 4×400, Howard, Ahmad Martin, Brandon Bandley and Ayale teamed up to take first place in a time of 3:24.48.
Howard also took first in the boys 200 in 22.62, with Sparks behind him for second in 22.72. Brandon Bandley finished first in the boys 800 in 1:56.95 and sophomore Klaus Quinonez took third in the 3200 with a time of 9:43.45.
In the boys 400, the Griffins swept the top three spot with Howard (50.87), Ryan Ayale (51.08) and Martin (51.09) pulling away down the stretch.
The Griffin girls took both the 4×100 and 4×400 relays. Junior Rachel Hermann, sophomore Sydnee Kolster, junior Jade Galloway and sophomore Danielle Limp took the 4×100 in a time of 48.74. Junior Lauren Willingham, Limp, junior Bronson Ledgard and senior Caroline Desmet teamed up to win the 4×400 in 4:05.78.
Desmet also won the 400 in a time of 1:00.36. Junior Delaney Sanacore won the 1600 in a time of 5:08.36 and also ran away in the 800 to win in a time of 2:17.51. Griffin freshman Olivia Velasco took second in the 800 in a time of 2:21.39. Junior Bronsyn Ledgard was third in the 1600 in a time of 5:11.58.
In the girls 100, the Griffins took second and third, with Limp taking second in 12.49 and Kolster taking third in 12.66. Kolster also took second in 200 with a time of 26.37.
Willingham took second in the 100 hurdles with a time of 15.19 and won the 300 hurdles with a time of 45.65.
In the girls high jump, senior Kallie Given took first place with a height of 5-05 and junior Reilly McMahan took third for the Griffins with a height of 5-01. In the girls pole vault, Griffin senior Brooke Anger finished tied for second place with a height of 10-08.
In the girls long jump, junior Jade Galloway took second with a distance of 16-11.05.
Reilly McMahan took second in the triple jump with a distance of 33-11.00.
Griffin junior Faimalie Sale took first place with toss of 46-03.50 and she also won the discus with a throw of 134-00. Griffin senior Miranda Ta’amu was second in the shot put with a toss of 36-00.50.
Top finisher in each event automatically qualifies for the CIF-SS preliminaries on Saturday. Second and third place finishers can qualify with qualifying marks.
This article appeared in the May 10, 2017 print edition of the News Enterprise.
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