Distance Runners of Agoura Sparkle

The names change, but Agoura High’s tradition of excellence in girls’ long-distance running marches on.

At the Spartan Relays at Rio Mesa High on Saturday, the Charger girls’ won 4 x 800-meter and distance-medley relays, and senior Laura Hayward placed first in the 3,200.

Hayward upset Maribella Aparicio of Fillmore, clocking a personal-best 11 minutes 6.33 seconds.

Aparicio, a junior who placed seventh in the Kinney national cross-country championships in December, was second in 11:22.40, and Agoura sophomore Kay Nekota was third in 11:27.56. Hayward led Nekota and Aparicio by 10 meters at the 1,600-meter mark (5:30.2) and she extended that advantage to about 80 meters at the finish.

Allison Kaz, Hayward, Amy Skieresz and Christie Camp earlier had won the 4 x 800 in 9:34.5. Camp, Carrie Malnekoff, Nekota and Skieresz followed that with a victory in the distance medley in 12:39.96.

Westlake junior Crystal Brownlee won the shotput with a heave of 41 feet 4 1/2 inches.

Jeremiah Agoulu of Harvard-Westlake won the boys’ 100 in 11.00.