The best two track and field teams in the Ocean League will lock horns today when Culver City and Santa Monica battle for the Ocean League dual meet crown on the Culver City track at 2:45 p.m. Fast times on the track and top field marks in the field events will be on display.
“It’s going to be tough competition for the boys and girls teams,” said Culver City coach Jahmal Wright. “Santa Monica is the defending Ocean League champions so we will have to be at our best to win the meet. If we all come together and do what we need to do we have a fighting chance.”
The Centaurs can start the boys and girls running events off with a strong showing in the 4X100 meter relay carrying off their coming strong performance at the Arcadia Invitational last Saturday at Arcadia High School. Their time of 42.53 was good enough for second place in the open division against some of the best competition in Southern California.
The team of Cahlil Hooper, Cameron Hooper, Donovan Davis and Jerrett Anderson, will need to turn in another blazing performance against Santa Monica.
“I think we should do really well against them,” said Anderson after running a 22.28 in the 200 meters last week against Hawthorne and El Segundo.
Culver City has always had speed, but to beat Santa Monica their distance runners will have to come up big. Abraham Vasquez, Max Jordan and Max Flynn are capable of running some fast distance times according distance coach Tom Fitzius.
“We know Santa Monica is good but we have some pretty good runners at Culver City,” Fitzius said. “There are a lot of good, young runners in the Ocean League. So it’s going to be interesting.”
The girls, coached by former USC All-American Rayfield Beaton, are led by Joylyn Dailey, Veronica Mendez and Isis Golden; Amber Wacker in the sprints; Cedrinae Thompson, Nia Garcia in the hurdles and Garcia, as well as Golden and Natasha Bradley in the long jump.
“We have a lot of work to do,” said Beaton last week. “We have to understand that there is another level that we want to get to. Santa Monica is a big rival so we need to stay focused and be mentally, physically and socially ready to the challenge.”