2013 Track and field Preview: South Pasadena Tigers look to keep top spot

If there’s a characteristic that describes the Pasadena-area’s track and field programs in 2013, perhaps that term is diversity.

Local teams begin the new campaign trying to build their way up to respectability, while others are trying to stay atop the heap.

Maybe no program captures this feel more than South Pasadena High, which returns a deep, veteran girls’ team that captured a CIF Southern Section Division III championship and a boys’ team that, outside of a few upperclassmen, is young and ready to learn.

“When you have a state champion and are Southern Section champions, it’s easy to say expectations are high,” Tigers Coach PJ Hernandez said. “The great thing is that the girls are still excited from last year and are ready for this year.”

The goal for South Pasadena is to qualify more athletes to the CIF State Meet.

Last year, the Tigers only advanced one athlete, albeit, a big qualifier in sophomore Claire Kieffer-Wright, who captured the state long jump title in a mark of 5 feet, 10 inches.

Kieffer-Wright is already in high spirits this season, having won the Azusa Pacific Cougar Classic on March 2 with a leap of 5-8.

Yet, Hernandez has already dropped hints that Kieffer-Wright won’t be competing in as many high jumps this season, in an attempt to rest her for the latter half of the season and a potential opportunity to qualify to the U.S. Olympic Trials.

As for the rest of the squad, the Tigers return a stacked corps in versatile sophomore Nina Acebo, who finished second in the Division III finals in the 100-meter hurdles (15.25 seconds), third in the long jump (18 feet) and fifth in the 300-meter hurdles (45.57).

Junior Kamia Willis, senior Laura Anuakpado, junior Helena Van Loan, sophomore Jazmin Jackmon, senior Anika Renken, sophomore Sophia Hathaway and newcomer Rebecca Linston highlight Hernandez’ deep crew.

As for the boys, Hernandez’ “super sophomores” have a couple of veteran long-distance leaders in senior Paul Messana and junior Josh Wilson.

Messana finished third in the Rio Hondo League in the 800 (2:00.06) and the 1,600 (4:30.78) and was a member of the Tigers 1,600-meter relay team. Wilson was second in the 1,600 (4:25.57) and 3,200 (10:05.78).

One other upperclassmen to keep an eye out for is senior captain Hector Fernandez, who was fourth in league in the 300 hurdles (42.87) and was a member of the 1,600 relay.

Fernandez’ younger brother, Justin, along with Anuakpado’s brother, Sam, are two of several sophomore hoping to make an impact.

Only one other local returner reached state last year and that was La Salle’s Daniel De La Torre.

The UCLA-bound senior is hoping to end his prep career with a better finish than his fourth-place effort in the 3,200 (9:06.60) and ninth-place result in the 1,600 (4:16.38) at last year’s CIF State Meet.

“We’re not going to overextend Daniel and want to keep him as fresh as possible,” Lancers Coach Fred Riley said. “He has some big goals, especially for state.”

While field events have been a problem recently for the Lancers, Riley had a good crop of pole vaulters led by Steven Toyama and Christian Zavala, while he has an up-and-coming thrower in Tommy Sparks.

As for track events, Patrick Lownes-Santos could surprised in the 800-meter run.

Riley’s girls’ team finished runner-up in the Del Rey League to powerhouse Serra last season.

“I know it’s a lofty goal, but we’d like to take league this year,” Riley said. “It’s always going to be difficult with a team like Serra, but it’s not impossible.”

Senior Alessandra Gonzales, who finished fourth at league finals in the 100 (12.49) and 200 (25.95) is back along with 400 runner Denise Peterson, relay runner Carolann Dyson, 800 runner Tracy Cuesta, hurdlers Kyle Chavarria and India Hines and throwers Billie Rude and Jaya Banks.

At San Marino, the program appears to be on rebuild mode after several key graduations, including two star athletes in state 400-meter qualifier Kyle Ezold and sprinter/hurdler Omhunique Browne.

Juniors distance runner Veronica Mejia is back after finishing in the top 10 in league in the 400 (seventh), 800 (fifth, 2:34.93) and 1,600 (10th), while two-time state cross-country qualifier, junior Alissa Barraza, is also back in the 800 after taking fourth in league in 2:24.35 last year.

On the boys’ side, every league finals placer except sophomore 100-meter dasher Matt Bayle (11.76) and junior discus thrower Jonathan Yau (89-4) graduated.

Turning to the Prep League, Mayfield Senior Coach Eric Sun is confident his Cubs can repeat as league champions.

“There are several seniors and upperclassmen that want to finish this year on a special note,” Sun said. “We lost the Prep League title a couple of years ago and the girls don’t want that to happen again.”

There are few events where the Cubs don’t have at least one returner, while Mayfield may be strongest in the field.

Dual league champion Remy Traglio returns after capturing crowns in the shot put (29-5) and discus (98-9) last year. Traglio will be joined by reigning league pole vault titlist Madeleine Waller (8-6).

As for the track, the Cubs return sprinter Harley Barrera and quite a few distance runners from the Prep League cross-country championship squad that include junior Alyssa Rivas, Karina Alvarez and Christina Cordano.

Sun also expects strong efforts from hurdler Venezia Hyland.

As the only local coed Prep League school, Pasadena Poly has double the goals of either Mayfield or Westridge.

Poly’s boys’ squad is led by dual-league champion Jake Zelek, who won titles in the 110 (16.90) and 300 (43.03) hurdles. Zelek’s best challenge in league might come from teammate Alex Pinon. Panthers triple jumper Parker Matthews (39-2), 3,200-meter runner Michael Caughron (10:25.51) and 400 league sprint champion Hunter Palmentiero (51.83) highlight a deep squad.

Poly’s girls’ team also has a few league champions back in orange this season in league 400-meter champion Diana Matthiessen (1:00.05), 800 champ Evan Gancedo (2:22.25) and long jump champion Noel Askins (17-6 1/4). Gancedo was the league runner-up in the 3,200 and 1,600, while Askins was third in the 100 dash and Brooke Edwards took the bronze in the 300 hurdles.

While the roster at Westridge isn’t as big as that of Mayfield or Poly, the Tigers still have their fair share of league title aspirants, led by sophomore Emma Hovanec.

The long-distance runner, who won the Prep League’s first cross-country cluster meet and later finished runner-up in league, is hoping to move into a crowded field in the both the 1,600 and 3,200.

After Hovanec, junior Whitney White is back in the 100 (13.51), while junior Mikaela Berry is pining to advance her league ninth-place effort in the 800 (2:38.66).

Also returning is sophomore Sara Kim in the 1,600 and Dylan Jack in the relays.

At Maranatha, coach Nanyamka Redmond suffered some big defections after state qualifying hurdler Ebony Crear and Olympic League 100-meter dash champion Alayah Byers both transferred.

“We lost both girls before the start of the year, but we still have some solid athletes,” Redmond said. “We’re really young, but we’re hoping to compete.”

Back in action is senior Laura Mason, who was the league runner-up in the 400 (1:01.47) and according to Redmond, will compete in the 100 and high jump.

Redmond knows that while she’s lost some key athletes, she can count on thrower extraordinaire Skylar McLeod, the league champion, in the discus (99) and shot put (30-8).

One other athlete to keep an eye on is sophomore Amanda Shankweiler, who was fifth in both the 800 (2:34.54) and 3,200 (12:49.77)

On the boys’ side, the Minutemen have their eyes set on defending the Olympic League crown and return a talented bunch in 200 and 400 champion Kyle Brown (22.34 and 49.34), APU-bound 1,600 and 3,200 champion Kyle Bueckert (4:36.85 and 9:54.74) and 800 champ Jonathan Ericson (2:01.57).

League 100-meter runner-up Ben Byer is also back and will be challenged by track newcomer Jeremy Major, who is slated to run in the 100, 400-meter relay and will compete in the long jump.

Down the road from Maranatha is Marshall Fundamental, where the Eagles graduated all five Alpha League champions and will hope to bounce back under coach Audrey Green.

“Last year, we lost both the boys’ and girls’ league championships by a few points,” Green said. “The team remembers that and our goal this year is to win championships.”

Senior Mark Merino (12.06 and 23.57) will hope to follow in the footsteps of graduated teammate Derrick Shepherd, who won the league 100 and 200 crowns, respectively, last year.

Also looking to pick up the slack is junior Sean Hudson, who will compete in the 800 (2:12.86) and 1,600 (4:59.13) and soccer newcomer David Reyes and relay runner Jeremiah Jamero.

As for the girls, sophomore Breanna Da Sylveria is hoping to exact some revenge on Paraclete’s Brittany Cooper, who edged her out for the 100-meter crown, 12.89 to 12.99. Da Sylveria is also tabbed to run the 200 (26.13), where she also finished runner-up in league last year.

Newcomer Angela Mariana Sanchez is hoping to lead the pack in the 1,600 and 3,200, while Jennifer Jimenez will hope to aid the Eagles in the relays.

It may be asking too much for Muir to challenge in the Pacific League, especially after the graduation of sprinter Kevon Seymour and jumper Tevin Polk, along with the transfer of fellow sprinter Darrick Holmes Jr. to Oaks Christian.

Sprinter and relay runner Marcelles Clash is back from the gridiron this year to help out along with distance runners Francisco Claros and German Fortin.

The numbers of returners is significantly higher on the girls’ side as basketball player Cheyenne Hodges will run the 100 and 200 for the Mustangs, joined by sophomore Keeye Cotlage in the 200.

Perhaps the Mustangs’ athlete with the best chance at winning a Pacific League crown is sophomore Tierra Adams, who finished runner-up in the league shot put last year with a toss of 33 feet 6 inches.

Numbers are also a problem at Pasadena, as the Bulldogs graduated a few key standouts.

Junior Michael Dondalski, who ran cross-county, is looking to surpass his ninth-place finish in league last season in the 800 (2:01.18), while teammate Michael Snoddy (3,200) is also hoping to move up the league ranks.

Even though Blair doesn’t participate in the same amount of nonleague invitationals as its Rio Hondo League partners, the Vikings still have real expectations this season.

Senior Caelan Tange returns after finishing second in the league finals with a 11.60 in the 100. Tange also ran the 200 last year for the Vikings.

On the girls’ side, the Vikings return their lone league champion in Sydney Mosley, who captured the triple jump title in 35-5 1/2. Mosley also finished fifth in league in the 300 hurdles (48.96) and sixth in the long jump (16-2).