Glendale track and field maintains Bronze Bowl for 18th straight season

Andrew Villa shouldered the responsibility of making sure the Glendale High track and field team would retain the Bronze Bowl.

The senior took it upon himself to contribute in numerous ways during Wednesday’s Pacific League track and field dual meet with cross-town rival Hoover.

Villa responded to the challenge, as he won two individual races and teamed up to win two relays to ignite visiting Glendale to a 99-33 win. Glendale posted a 112-20 win in the girls’ meet to give Glendale a 211-53 overall win and possession of the Bronze Bowl – awarded to the school with the most combined points in the meet.

“I took it as a duty to win it for our school,” Villa said. “I made it my personal goal because it’s such a huge rivalry. We got some real good results and we’re happy to bring the bowl back to school.”

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Glendale improved to 18-0 since the bowl’s inception.

On the girls’ side, the Nitros were led by Vanneza Venzor. The sophomore won the 1,600 (5 minutes 41 seconds) and the 800 (2:38). She also worked with Michelle Wilcox, Marion Dacosta and Carolina Carrillo to win the 4x400 relay in 4:31.

“It felt good to get a PR in the 1,600,” Venzor said. “I got off to a good start and just wanted to stay patient.

“I felt comfortable in all of my races. I just wanted to get some good marks to help boost my confidence.”

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Glendale’s Krizia Rapisora clears a hurdle midway on the way to winning the 110 hurdles at a dual Pacific League track meet at Hoover High School on Wednesday, April 19, 2017.  (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Glendale’s Vanneza Venzor in first place in the 800 against Hoover at a dual Pacific League track meet at Hoover High School on Wednesday, April 19, 2017.  (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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The first lap of Glendale and Hoover in the boys 800 in a dual Pacific League track meet at Hoover High School on Wednesday, April 19, 2017.  (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Glendale’s Marion DaCosta runs to the finish of the 200 in first place against Hoover at a dual Pacific League track meet at Hoover High School on Wednesday, April 19, 2017.  (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Hoover’s Chris Chereque finishes in first place in the 1600 against Glendale at a dual Pacific League track meet at Hoover High School on Wednesday, April 19, 2017.  (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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The Bronze Bowl on display with runners in the boys 1600 at a dual Pacific League track meet between Hoover and Glendale at Hoover High School on Wednesday, April 19, 2017.  (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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The Bronze Bowl on display at the start of the boys 1600 at a dual Pacific League track meet between Hoover and Glendale at Hoover High School on Wednesday, April 19, 2017.  (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Glendale’s head coach Bob Bailey watches a finish during a dual Pacific League track meet against Hoover at Hoover High School on Wednesday, April 19, 2017.  (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Hoover’s head coach Jack Sallakian enters results onto a clipboard at a dual Pacific League track meet against Glendale at Hoover High School on Wednesday, April 19, 2017.  (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Glendale’s Marion DaCosta wins the 400 against Hoover at a dual Pacific League track meet at Hoover High School on Wednesday, April 19, 2017.  (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Amer Mohammed and Mikkel Laspinas run to the finish in first and second place in the 800 at a dual Pacific League track meet against Hoover at Hoover High School on Wednesday, April 19, 2017.  (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Galo Lopez carries all of the pole vault poles back to storage after completing the pole vault event against Glendale at a dual Pacific League track meet at Hoover High School on Wednesday, April 19, 2017.  (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Glendale’s Vanneza Venzor runs in first place to the finish of the 1600 against Hoover at a dual Pacific League track meet at Hoover High School on Wednesday, April 19, 2017.  (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Glendale’s Isiah Redona, center, and Oftap Mejia, left, come in first and second place, with Hoover’s Aszher Khan in third in the 4x100 at a dual Pacific League track meet at Hoover High School on Wednesday, April 19, 2017.  (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Glendale’s Kendall Gaskin runs to the finish in first place in the 4x100 against Hoover at a dual Pacific League track meet at Hoover High School on Wednesday, April 19, 2017.  (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Edgar Flores, the shot putt and discus coach for Hoover High School, carries a lot of flags onto the field to create a safe zone for the discus competition at a dual Pacific League track meet between Hoover and Glendale at Hoover High School on Wednesday, April 19, 2017.  (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Glendale’s Thomas Khan wins the 200 against Hoover at a dual Pacific League track meet at Hoover High School on Wednesday, April 19, 2017.  (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

Villa captured the 110-meter high hurdles in 17.73 seconds and set a personal-best mark of 43.39 to take the 300 hurdles. He worked with Dane Tamme, Isiah Redona and Thomas Khan to take the 4x100 relay (45.47) and closed the meet by grouping with Redona, Tamme and Robert Peralta to capture the 4x400 relay (3:38.2).

Glendale (3-4 overall and in league) also got two victories from Kuba Nogalski in the high jump (5 feet) and triple jump (38-5) and victories from Peralta in the 400 (53.74), Tamme in the 100 (11.38), Ameer Mohammed in the 800 (2:14), Khan in the 200 (23.37), Chad Saklaway in the 3,200 (11:04), Galo Lopez in the pole vault (11 feet) and Julius Reyes in the discus (121-10).

Glendale’s girls’ squad got first-place performances from Dacosta in the 400 (1:03) and 200 (28:04), Angel Rapisora in the 100 hurdles (17.81), Kendall Gaskin in the 100 (13.25) and Carrillo in the 300 hurdles (51.60). The Nitros also received first-place efforts from Sofia Boiajian in the pole vault (6 feet), Faviola Ramirez in the discus (82-11), Rita Grigorian in the long jump (13-10), Emma Bacani in the triple jump (28-1) and Zineb Fisher in the shot put (29-10 1/2).

Glendale’s 4x100 relay squad of Melina Puchulutegui, Dacosta, Carrillo and Gaskin won in 51.67.

Hoover (1-6 overall and in league) got first-place outings in the boys’ competition from Chris Chereque in the 1,600 (4:55), Quinton Smith in the long jump (18-8) and Azad Markosian in the shot put (40-1 1/2).

For Hoover’s girls’ team, it got first-place contributions from Amanda Hirsch in the high jump (4-10) and Gabby Quiñones in the 3,200 (13.17).

“We got some good efforts with Azad and Gabby leading the way,” Hoover Coach Jack Sallakian said. “Azad is very dedicated and I’m looking forward to see what he can do at the league prelims and beyond. Gabby is just a freshman and she ran a good race despite having had a recent injury.”

The league prelims will be held April 28 at Arcadia High and the league finals will take place May 5 at the same venue.

charles.rich@latimes.com

Twitter: @TCNCharlesRich