Local rivalries dominate track season

There are many subplots heading into the track and field season, but league rivalries will headline some of the key competitions.

In the Rio Hondo League, South Pasadena and San Marino highs will take aim at each other and the other four schools within league.

Senior Omhunique Browne returns as San Marino’s celebrated athlete after earning fifth in state in the 300-meter hurdles in 43.08 seconds.

“Omhunique competes at another level,” Titans Coach Barbara Edmundson said. “She’s the one everyone knows about.”

Browne also returns as the reigning league champion in the 100 (12.18), 200 (24.93) and runner-up in the 100 hurdles (14.94).

Senior Rebecca Morris is the Titans’ other league champ, having tied Tigers sophomore Claire Kieffer-Wright with a leap of 4 feet, 10 inches in the high jump.

Edmundson listed senior Kyle Ezhold (400- and 1,600-meter relay), Andrew Cordova (sprinter), distance runner Alissa Barraza and sprinter Thomas Cotter as potential breakout athletes.

The aforementioned Kieffer-Wright already made headlines in the offseason when she won the California Indoor Track and Field Championships in February in Fresno with a mark of 5-8.

“I guess she didn’t want to wait for the season to already make an impact,” South Pasadena Coach Pierre Hernandez said. “She’s obviously a talent and is ready for a breakout year.”

Junior Paul Messana (4:28.33) and senior Alex Tranquada (10:01.02), both league runner-ups, will attempt to fill in for graduated teammate and league champion Sam Pons in the 1,600 and 3,200, respectively.

Maybe one of the league’s best cross-country rivalries between South Pas sophomore Helena Van Loan, the All-Area Girls’ Cross-Country Runner of the Year, and La Cañada junior Sonja Cwik may carry over into the 3,200, where Cwik (11:18.35) topped Van Loan (11:22.96) in last year’s final.

South Pasadena also returns sophomore league champion Kamia Rodil-Willis in the 400 (56.56) and long jump champ Amanda Paggao (16-8).

Of course, the largest contingent of local schools compete in the Prep League, where Mayfield, Poly and Westridge are biding for titles.

Panthers sophomore hurdler Jake Zelek, the 110 (17.85) and 300 (45.07) hurdle champion, owns two of Poly’s six titles last season.

“Jake is an ideal heptathlete,” Panthers Coach Chris Schmoke said. “This year we’re going to have a lot of different people step up and we should be pretty strong.”

Poly football standout Nathan Hamming, the league shot put (45-1 3/4) champ, returns as does Jordan Olivar, who finished third in the shot (41-00 3/4) and fourth in the discus (98-04 3/4).

Panthers sprinter Hunter Palmentiero (53.83) is also hoping to take the 400-meter title after finishing second last season.

On the girls’ side, three-sport athlete Evan Gancedo has the inside track for an 800 (2:26.73) title now that Chadwick’s Jaye Buchbinder has graduated.

Schmoke also listed distance runner Michael Caughron, 400-sprinter Noel Askins and vaulter Madison Carrey as valuable contributors.

Westridge’s best chance at a league championship comes from sophomore Carmen Costa, who last season tied Mayfield’s Katherine Rouse at 4-8 for third place in the high jump. The event’s two higher-placing participants both graduated.

The one title Mayfield appears most bent on winning is that of the team crown, which it lost to Webb last season by six points.

Senior Alex Arnett returns as the school’s lone league champion after capturing the 400 title in 1:00.59.

“The girls really want to win league and that effort is led by Alex,” Cubs Coach Eric Sun said. “Everyone brings a special talent with them and Alex has a desire to succeed and is a leader.”

Long-distance runners Karina Alvarez (5:22.64) and Alyssa Rivas (12:31.39) can bury their second-place finishes last year in both the 1,600 and 3,200, respectively, since the league champions graduated.

The same could be said for sophomore Remy Traglio, who finished second (29-6 1/2) in the shot last year.

Sun was excited to have a deep squad that includes 800-runner Mary Najarian, throwers Mary Baggott and Carrie Morris, sprinters Harley Barrera and Franni Ferri, hurdlers Annie Peacock and Venezia Hyland and vaulter Madeleine Waller.

“We’re not [Division IV power] St. Mary’s, but the dynamics of this team are interesting,” Sun said. “We have a chance to make a run at league and go further.”

Maranatha returns a few talented athletes this season, led by the sprints and hurdles.

Sophomore Ebony Crear captured Olympic League titles last season in the 100 (12.63), 100 hurdles (16.02) and 300 hurdles (46.89), while the only other Minutemen female champion was 200-runner Khristlyn Newsome (26.59).

On the boys’ side, Bradford Ortlund won league crowns in the 110 (15.90) and 300 hurdles (40.81), while junior Kyle Bueckert, an All-Area cross-country runner, was the league’s top 1,600-meter runner (4:29.16) and senior Jordan Griffin was a titlist in the long jump (20-6 3/4).

While neither Pasadena or Muir will likely contend for team titles, both programs still boast a couple individual Pacific League champions.

Bulldogs junior Camara Blount enters this season as the 200 (26.60) champion and is the league-leading 100 runner heading into this season. On the boys’ side, Tarus Stepney was runner-up in the 200 (22.97) last season.

The Mustangs have a contender on the girls’ side in sophomore Tierra Adams, who finished second in the shot put (29-8),

Senior Tevin Polk returns as the Muir’s lone champion, having won the high jump in 6-2 and finished second in the long jump (20-11 1/2).

La Salle’s Fred Riley knows that 2012 is going to be a tough year for his Lancers.

Nevertheless, Riley said his goal “was to advance as many runners as he could to CIF prelims.”

Those who stand the best chance of advancing are junior Daniel De La Torre, an All-Area cross-country runner, who missed track season last year with an injury.

De La Torre is slated to compete in the 1,600 and 3,200.

“He has a competitive fire and is a real perfectionist,” Riley said of De La Torre said. “Sometimes, you have to hold him back.”

The girls have a few aspirants in 100 runner Alessandra Gonzales and freshman sprinters Carolann Dyson and Makenzie La Porte.

Sophomore Jaya Banks may also be a surprise in the throws, while boys’ discus thrower Bryce Shaw is turning into “an explosive thrower,” according to Riley.

Marshall Coach Audrey Green is hoping for a little more balance this season between her boys’ and girls’ team.

She has three returning Alpha League champs in senior Andrew Luymes, who captured the 110-meter hurdles in 17.32, senior Derrick Shepherd, who owns the 100 title (11.28), and senior high jumper Jordan Matthews (5-11).

The Eagles have no girls champions, but have a hopeful in senior Kylie Green, who earned second in the 100-meter hurdles (17.68).

Blair’s Danny Harris and St. Monica Academy’s Colleen Smith are both first-year coaches and both hoping to be competitive in the Rio Hondo and International leagues, respectively.