The Los Alamitos High School Girls Track and Field Team had a challenge in front of it trying to defend last year’s title at Saturday’s Orange County Championships, especially after graduating several high-caliber seniors last year. However, with the team scoring in both five track events and five field events, the Griffins achieved a second place finish behind a strong Mission Viejo team.
In the often overlooked Field Events, the Los Al Girls especially shined while being led by multi-event senior Alison Parsons. Parsons not only won the Long Jump (18’-09”) but placed second in the Triple Jump with a school record leap of 37’-04.25”, finished third in the 100m Hurdles (15.48) and fourth in the High Jump (5’-00”). Parson’s talents accounted for nearly 40 percent of the points for the girl’s team.
Adding to the team’s accomplishments on the field, junior Kallie Given won the High Jump with a clearance of 5’-06”. Sophomore Faimalie Sale, who placed second last year in the Frosh/Soph Shot Put, moved up to compete in the Varsity Shot Put this year and again placed second (39’-09”). Sophomore Jade Galloway placed second in the Frosh/Soph Long Jump (17’-03”).
On the track, senior Ashley Willingham won the 200m (24.76) and placed third in the 400m (56.43) . Willingham was also a member of the third place 4x100m Relay with seniors Anijah Green, Pi’ilani Mata and Ashlan Revollar, and the fourth place 4x400m Relay again with Mata and juniors Claire Stevens and Caroline Desmet.
In the Boys Varsity events, junior Jose Rubio placed second in the 110m Hurdles (14.94), fourth in the Long Jump (22’- 01.25”) and eighth in the 300m Hurdles (40.10). Senior Thomas Heib repeated as runner -up in the 800m with a time of 1:54.07 and senior Andrew Fowler cleared a personal best height of 14’-10” to place third in the Pole Vault. Additionally, in the Frosh/Soph events, sophomore Kevin Schmitt placed second in the High Jump at 5’-10” and sophomore Brandon Bandley placed 3rd in the 800m with a time of 2:01.14.
Other Los Al athletes scoring points at the Orange County Championships included:
• Girls Frosh/Soph 800m: Bronsyn Ledgard – 4th Place
• Girls Frosh/Soph 4x100m Relay: Lauren Willingham, Nicole Barham, Sydnee Kolster, Danielle Limp – 5th
• Girls Frosh/Soph 1600m: Delaney Sanacore – 6th Place
• Girls Frosh/Soph 100m: Danielle Limp – 7th Place
• Girls Frosh/Soph 200m: Sydnee Kolster – 8th Place
• Boys Varsity Discus: Ryan Coy – 8th Place
• Boys Frosh/Soph Pole Vault: Michael Parsons – 4th Place
• Boys Frosh/Soph Pole Vault: Christian Virga – 5th Place
• Boys Frosh/Soph 300m Hurdles: Samuel Scott – 7th Place
• Boys Frosh/Soph High Jump: Sean Ayale – 8th Place
The track teams’ next meets was the Sunset League Prelims at Huntington Beach High School on Friday, April 29 and the following meet will be the Sunset League Finals, also at HB HS, on Thursday, May 5.
