W. Track & Field: Falcons win state championship on final event

The Cerritos women's track team captured their fifth state title in school history
The Cerritos women's track team captured their fifth state title in school history

With the CCCAA State Championships down to the final event of the day, the Cerritos College women's track and field team needed to finish in at least fourth place in the 1600-meter relay to secure the title. Looking to hold off both Mt. San Antonio College and Riverside City College, the Falcons recorded a fourth place time of 3:53.62 to finish with 68 team points, while the Mounties concluded with 67 points after winning the race. Riverside edged Cerritos in the race by less than a second, but their 65 team points were only good for third place.

The championship was the fifth in school history, with three coming in the last seven years. They also won the title in 2013. 2009, 2008, 2006 and 1981.

The quartet of Nylia Hudspeth (Kennedy HS), Breanna Curry (University, San Diego), Montana Deavila (La Mirada HS) and Shukura Tyler (Warren HS) recorded their fastest time of the season and saw three of the top four finishers in the relay race come from South Coast Conference schools.

Over the weekend, Cerritos won just one event, but had four second place finishers. Curry won the high jump on the first day when she cleared 1.66 meters in less attempts than second place finisher Mahogany Stitt of Merced College. Curry also earned the team eight more points with her second place finish in the heptathlon, as she amassed 4375 points. She won the Southern California Championship, but trailed Fullerton College's Jasmine Williams, who finished with 4620 points at the state championships.

In other field events, Sisilia Puaka recorded a personal best throw of 13.36 meters to earn second place. The toss came on her first attempt and was leading the event until Lovina Akauola of Sacramento City College launched a shot put that traveled 14.36 meters on her last throw. Ariel Thomas (Warren HS) earned a second place finish in the triple jump with a distance of 11.28 meters. She trailed Chantal Dunston of Long Beach City College, who won the event at 11.59 meters.

The 400-meter relay team of Tyler, Najia Hudspeth (Kennedy HS), Brandy Navarro (Montebello HS) and Lauryn Ballard (Narbonne HS) entered with the second fastest time in the state (behind Laney College). They finished with a time of 47.46 and trailed Mt. SAC, while Laney did not finish the race after dropping the baton. A strong showing by Laney in the race could have dropped the Falcons to third place, while would have given them one less team point and sole possession of the state title.

Below is a list of Cerritos athletes that competed in the CCCAA State Championships:

EVENT NAME TIME/DISTANCE PLACE
200 Meters Najia Hudspeth 25.26 5th Place
800 Meters Jocelyn Orozco 2:15.48 5th Place
1500 Meters Ariel Melendez 4:41.75 6th Place
1500 Meters Maria Orosco 4:47.08 10th Place
10,000 Meters Stephanie Ruiz 40:17.28 10th Place
10,000 Meters Stephanie Perea 42:22.16 12th Place
100-Meter HH Jenai Vickers 14:27 4th Place
100-Meter HH Breanna Curry 15.07 9th Place
400-Meter Relay   47.46 2nd Place
1600-Meter Relay   3:53.62 4th Place
High Jump Breanna Curry 1.66 Meters 1st Place
High Jump Brandy Navarro No Height  
Long Jump Ariel Thomas 4.88 Meters 12th Place
Triple Jump Ariel Thomas 11.28 Meters 2nd Place
Triple Jump Raiven Ellis 10.90 Meters 4th Place
Shot Put Sisilia Puaka 13.36 Meters 2nd Place
Discus Sisilia Puaka 39.23 Meters 11th Place
Heptathlon Breanna Curry 4375 Points 2nd Place
Heptathlon Raiven Ellis 2934 Points 11th Place