By Joe Snyder and Steve Finley
Culver City High School’s boys’ and girls’ track and field teams continued to have outstanding performances. The latest addition of outstanding performances happened last Friday and Saturday at the California Relays at Long Beach Wilson High.
Both varsity teams are in pursuit of winning multiple races and championships in the CIF Southern Section Division and CIF-State Meet. The Centaurs once again have enough talent to be able to compete with the top track and field teams in Southern California and in the state.
The Lady Centaurs finished first and third in the 400 meters with Joelle Trepagnier winning the race in one of the nation’s fastest times of 53.69 and Morgan Maddox placing third at 54.49. Both runners also helped the Lady Centaurs finish second, behind first place Long Beach Wilson, in the 4×400 relay that also included Savanna Mullins and anchor Zakiak Ugorsi, with a time of 3:47.58 seconds.
“I am very satisfied with my time because I just got back from a two week break because of my injury,” said Trepagnier, who is a junior. “This year I would like to get down to the 51s. That’s my main goal or close to that. My goal next year is to break the high school record. We have a lot of talent on the girls’ and boys’ teams this year.”
Culver City boys were able to outlast Long Beach Wilson in the 4×400 relay with a win in a blazing time of 3:17.01. That time is one of the fastest times in school history. The runners included Duaine Maygant, Dante Maygrant, Asher Samuel and Kingston Waring. Duaine Maygrant finished second in the 400 meters in 49.03 and his twin brother Dante finished fourth in 49.83. Waring placed third at 49.72.
Waring also had a fourth-place finish in the boys’ 300 hurdles clocking 39.28. Culver City high jumper Nolan Johnson placed second with a jump 5’6”. Joaquin Bell-Andrade took third in the 800 in a very fast time of 1:57.14. and he also placed third in the 1600 meters with a time 4:27.74
“I have a lot of work to do,” said Waring last week. “I am looking forward to the big meets like Arcadia (National Invitational). It’s a big deal to me. It means a lot to me when you have an opportunity to run against some of the best. I am looking forward to it.” The Arcadia meet will be held on April 6, at Arcadia High School.
Culver City girls 4×100 relay squad of Sanaxa Belard, Trepagnier, Mullins and Maddox placed fourth in 47.13. The Centaur boys 400 relay team of Dominic Baptiste, Waring, Donte Maygrant and Ceven Harris finished sixth clocking 43.17.
“I’m proud of our team,” said Culver City head coach Jamal Wright, who is also the Centaurs’ head football coach. “Coach Lashinda Demus (girls’ coach) has done a great job with the girls and the boys are also coming on strong.”
“We want to finish what we started last year,” said Maddox. “It’s the last time we will be running together because some of us are seniors. We want to win races and have fun because we have some really good people on the boys’ and girls’ teams.”