Santa Margarita Takes 2 Titles

It was the usual suspects that led Santa Margarita to the girls’ team title at the Serra League track and field championships Friday.

Lori Mann and Meghan Atkinson won two events each to lead the Eagles to a 24-point victory over Mater Dei at Santa Margarita. The Eagles also won the boys’ title.

Mann broke track records in winning the 1,600 in 5 minutes 5.32 seconds and the 3,200 in 11:03.34. Atkinson posted victories in the 200 (25.85), 400 (58.01) and ran the anchor on the winning 400 relay team (49.20).

The victory gave Santa Margarita some much-needed momentum heading into the Southern Section preliminaries, which begin Friday at Cerritos College. Mater Dei, which won the Orange County Championships last month, shares the top ranking in Division III with Santa Margarita.

“We knew we could do well against them,” Santa Margarita Coach Gil Garcia said. “It was just a matter of changing a few things and they worked today.”

Mann made up for disappointing losses to Mater Dei’s Jenny Sears in the distance events at the county championships, opting for slower splits in the opening laps, which allowed for a stronger kick in both races.

“I was more consistent with my lap speed, I didn’t have a surge and then relax,” Mann said. “I think I did that at the Orange County Championships and it made my body tired.”

Santa Margarita’s girls’ team also received key points from Mandie Rowell in the 100 hurdles and pole vault. Rowell finished third in the hurdles in 16.12, improving her personal best by just over a half second. Rowell also finished third in the pole vault (10-feet), improving her lifetime best by a foot.

“Rowell was huge for us,” Garcia said. “She went from 16.66 [in the hurdles] on Tuesday, which was her personal best, to 16.12 today.”

Mater Dei’s Lindsay Wells won the 100 hurdles in 15.33, the 300 hurdles in 45.87 and anchored the 1,600 relay team to a first-place finish in 4:01.13.

In the Serra League boys’ track and field finals, Scott Langford led Santa Margarita to a 21-point victory over Bellflower St. John Bosco, winning the 100 in 10.98 seconds and anchoring the 400 relay team to a first-place finish in 42.99.

Pat Luke won the pole vault (15-6) and Jim Lunnen won the high jump (6-6) for the Eagles.