Men's Track & Field Team Sets Strong Foundation for Future at League Championship Meet

Akil Jones in the 400 meters

A young Warriors squad competed valiantly in the WCAL Championship Friday resulting in a school record and multiple season bests. 

Akil Jones was busy competing in four events on the day.  After anchoring the 4 x 100 meter relay team to a third place finish he won his heat in the 400 with a personal best time 53.79.  Later in the evening he followed that up with a second place finish in the 200 (23.37) and finished the day as anchor of the 4 x 400 team. 

The hurdles were a strong point for the Warriors this season led by Ben Staub and Leighton James.  Staub finished second in the 65 high hurdles in a school record 9.57.  Leighton James who also was a top qualifier in the final finished fourth in the WCAL race in 9.81.  Hit time places him #2 all-time for the Warriors.  Staub was also a favorite in the 300 hurdles but took a spill on the third hurdle about 100 meters into the race but after an acrobatic roll he recovered and kept pushing to finish in 46.02.

Jason Li in the 800 meters

Jason Li led a strong contingent of distance runers in the frosh-soph division.  He pushed the pace in the final at 1600 meters.  Despite cramping over the lat 100 meters he held on to finish seventh in 4:45.55.  He came back later that day to qualify in the 800 meter final where he finished seventh once again in 2:07.02.  Li also had a solid second leg in the 4 x 400 relay.

Eyobed Mesfun was the lone veteran runner in the Varsity race and put the team on the score sheet with his 5^th place finish.

“The WCAL is the most competitive league in the section and the our athletes stepped up and competed admirably,” Coach Small said in reflection of the Warriors effort.  “We are excited to build on this foundation and grow as a team in the years to come.”

Additional Meet Highlights:

• It was a perfect seven for seven in the boys 3200 meters.  Eyobed Mesfun, Alex Ascencio, Nathan Lynch, Jeremy Dong, Dean DeMoss, Peter Enfantino, and Sam Han all ran personal best.
• The 4 x 100 meter relay team of Morian Walker, Brandon Peters, Blair Ewers and Akil Jones finished 3rd in 45.45, their second fastest time this season. 
•  4 x 400 meter relay team had their hands full after a runner from another team and collided with Jason Li after an exchange killing the momentum.  Still the team managed to hold on to finish in 3:45.37.