Bell-Jeff’s Couch leads local contingent into CIF track and field finals
It looks like Caitlyn Couch is peaking at the right time.
The Bellarmine-Jefferson High girls’ track and field runner will look to add to her success this season when she takes part in Saturday’s CIF Southern Section Finals.
Couch, a junior, will be competing in the Division IV 800 meters and will be a member of the Guards 4x400 relay team. The junior could add a third event, as she is an alternate in the 1,600.
Joining Couch at Cerritos College will be Burroughs boys’ pole vaulter Christian Valles and Burbank girls’ pole vaulter Mikaela Teixeira.
Couch, who captured Santa Fe League titles in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200, qualified for the 800 finals by taking fifth in 2 minutes 18.53 seconds Saturday at in the Division IV preliminaries at Carpinteria High.
“I think Caitlyn may just be peaking at the right time. She’s had a long season and I think the fact that she was able to PR in the 800 last week proves that she still has something left,” said Bell-Jeff Coach Jim Couch, Caitlyn’s father. “We are really looking for her to maybe have a top-five finish, maybe PR again and make it to the Masters Meet.”
Couch will need to finish among the top 12 finishers across four divisions in the 800 and 1,600 to earn a spot in the Masters Meet on May 27 at Arcadia High.
In the 2016 CIF finals, Couch was an alternate in the Division IV 1,600 and made it into the race, finishing seventh in 5:30.24.
“There is a chance she can run in the 1,600 this year, as well, where she’s an alternate once again,” Jim Couch said. “Some coaches who have athletes in a few races said they might pull some out of the 1,600, so she could run the 800 and the 1,600.”
The 1,600 is scheduled for 1:35 p.m. and the 800 for 3:50 p.m.
Couch will join Cosette Balmy, Claire Borat and Dalila Rincan in the 4x400 relay. In Saturday’s prelims, the team took eighth in 4:09.40 to set a new school record.
“I’m just very proud of the group for being able to make it to the finals,” Couch said.
The latest in a line of successful Burroughs pole vaulters, Valles, a junior, comes into Saturday’s finals after taking fifth with a 14-foot-6-inch effort in Saturday’s Division I prelims.
Valles, whose personal best effort is 15-0, will attempt to be the second Indians vaulter to advance to the Master’s Meet in as many years. In 2016, Sarah Prystupa advanced all the way to the CIF State Meet, finishing sixth.
“I think Christian is holding up pretty well and his body seems to be holding up as well,” Burroughs pole vault coach Mike McHorney said. “We have been cutting back some of his workouts so he doesn’t get burnt out. But as of now, he is going off his excitable energy.
“I think if he does 15-0 on Saturday, he’ll make it to the Masters. And if he can make 15-0 on his first attempt, I’m pretty sure he’ll make it. Sometimes it comes down to attempts, so you really have to try to make it in as few attempts as possible.”
The boys’ pole vault competition is scheduled for 4:45 p.m.
Getting underway at 3:45 p.m. will be Teixeira in the Division I girls’ pole vault. In the prelims, the senior cleared 11-6 to tie for third and set a new school record.
“I am so proud of her,” Burbank Coach Darin Wolf said. “She has worked so hard this season and has been chasing that school record all year. To finally get it and to also qualify for the CIF Finals in the process, just shows that hard work pays off.”
The top 12 finishers in the pole vault will advance to the Masters Meet.
Twitter: @jefftsports
