Orlando Landa-Wells won first place in the triple jump; Elena Marlow won first place in the 300 hurdles. (Photos courtesy of John Hernandez)
Santa Rosa Academy students, athletes and fans are celebrating this week after the boys and girls track teams won the first league championships in the program’s history.
In the second of three “cluster” meets bringing together all South Valley League teams on Wednesday, the Rangers girls team compiled 225 points to second-place CMI’s 73. The SRA boys team compiled 148 points to second-place Temecula Valley’s 130.
Santa Rosa also won both the boys and girls Cluster 1 meets, which means they are automatically league champions, no matter happens in the Cluster 3 meet. The fourth league meet is to help qualify athletes for the CIF prelims and is not counted in the league standings.
“In just two years here at SRA, our staff and athletes have been able to turn this program into a champion, when it was an afterthought for so many years before,” said coach John Hernandez. “Kids did not even know there was a track and field program here, and last year, no one wanted to even coach at this program. What a remarkable accomplishment for some amazing kids and coaches.”
Highlights of the Cluster 2 meet include:
— The girls 4x100m relay team won first place with a time of 53.47. The team was composed of Evangeline Aitchson, Cambria Dierks, Elena Marlow, and Blakely Chatman.
— The boys 4x100m relay team won first place with a time of 45.66. The team consisted of Aaron Quesada, Blake Lovell, Chris Ramirez, and Ian Taylor.
— Scarlett Oakley won first place in the 1600m with a time of 5:54
— Scarlett Oakley won first place in the 800m with a time of 2:35
— Scarlett Oakley won first place in the 3200m with a time of 13:47
— Elena Marlow won first place in the 300m hurdles with a time of 52.74
— Orlando Landa-Wells won first place in the 200m with a time of 24.04
— Orlando Landa-Wells won first place in the triple jump with a jump of 39-5
— LaNijah Burris won first place in the triple jump with a jump of 31-6
— Alena Gibas won first place in the discus with a throw of 99-2
— Anthony Sullivan won first place in the discus with a throw of 127-8
— The girls 4x400m relay team won first place with a time of 4:43. The team consisted of Aubrey Layton, Evangeline Aitchson, Giselle Martinez, and Scarlett Oakley.
Scarlett Oakley carries the baton in the girls 4×400 relay.
Ian Taylor carries the baton in the boys 4×100 relay.
Blakely Chatman competes in a hurdles race.
