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Flintridge Prep track’s Barakat finishes with four-title flurry

Hanna Barakat ran to four Prep League titles on Friday evening to finish her distinguished career with 10 total.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Veteran talent shined for the Flintridge Prep track and field program at the Prep League finals at Burroughs High on Friday.

Led by talented seniors Hanna Barakat and Warren Hosseinion, who were named the league’s girls’ track and boys’ field most valuable athletes, respectively, the Rebels captured 10 total league championships.

Flintridge Prep also advanced 21 total entrants to the CIF Southern Section Division IV preliminaries at Carpinteria High on May 13.

In team scoring, the Flintridge Prep girls finished second behind rival Mayfield Senior, 155-125, while the Rebels boys took third (74) after winner Poly (153) and Vivian Webb (91).

No one entered Friday as accomplished as Barakat, who closed a wonderful league career with three individual victories and one team triumph.

The University of Brown-bound Barakat opened with a victory in the 400-meter run in a time of 59.35 seconds, which was followed by wins in the 100 (12.79) and 200 (25.56).

Perhaps the most thrilling triumph came with some controversy as an incorrect lane assignment allowed the Flintridge Prep 1,600-meter relay team to rally and win in 4:13.59 with Barakat at anchor on a squad with Arielle Guzman, Julie Le and Sasha Codiga.

The victory was not only the fourth of the day, but the 10th in the career of Barakat.

“I’ve been thinking about coming out to my final league race since this morning and it’s such a great environment,” Barakat said. “It’s small enough here that everyone knows everyone and respects everyone. It’s been my pleasure to compete in this league.”

While Barakat was a scoring machine, so was the Flintridge Prep distance squad.

Sophomore Codiga captured the 800 (2:25.25) and junior Sophie Gitlin claimed the 3,200 (11:15.57).

University of Oklahoma-headed Natalie O’Brien also capped her league swansong with a win in the 1,600 (5:14.67).

“Today was a little bittersweet because I’m ready for the next level, but I’m going to miss this,” said O’Brien, who also qualified to prelims in the 3,200 (second, 11:15.57).

The boys turned in three victories, led by a double triumph from Hosseinion, who captured the discus (122 feet, 5 inches) and shot put (50 feet).

“It feels great because I’ve come so close to winning before and to end with a double, it’s a great feeling,” Hosseinion said. “I’ve been working on my form for the last four years, so it’s nice to get this.”

Junior Evan Patinelli turned in Flintridge Prep’s last victory in the 3,200 in 9:52.37.

On the girls’ side, Flintridge Prep boasted four additional prelims qualifiers in Codiga in the 1,600 (third, 5:28.15), sophomore Jenna Mijares in the 800 (third, 2:26.85), sophomore Marissa David in the triple jump (third, 32-8 1/2) and sophomore Evelyn Molebash in the pole vault (third, 8-10).

La Cañada Flintridge resident McKenna Smith of Mayfield also qualified in the 800 (second, 2:26.30), 1,600 (second, 5:21.14) and 3,200 (third, 12:13.27).

As for the boys, the squad also qualified Pattinelli in the 1,600 (second, 4:36.20), senior Riley Coan in the 800 (second, 2:03.57) and 1,600 (third, 4:41.48), junior Colin Coane in the pole vault (third, 8-4), senior Johnathan Vahala in the 3,200 (third, 10:21.50) and the 1,600-meter relay squad (third, 3:44.71).

andrew.campa@latimes.com

Twitter @campadresports

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