W. Track: Falcons win fourth SoCal Championship in last five years

Cerritos W. Track wins SoCal Championships
Cerritos W. Track wins SoCal Championships

Complete Results

In winning their fourth Southern California Championship in the last five years, the Cerritos College women's track and field team broke three school records at Antelope Valley College on Saturday. The Falcons, who are also the defending CCCAA State Champions, compiled 161 team points, with their closest competition coming from Riverside City College, who finished in second place with 128.5 team points. They were able to earn the championship by winning eight events and placed second in two others.

The team will defend their CCCAA State Championship with 18 entries at San Diego Mesa College next weekend. There are 15 listed below, but the trio of Juanita Webster (Redlands HS), Lilian Ebanks (Valencia HS) and Giselle Burgos (El Rancho HS) in the heptathlon.

One of the records broken came from sophomore sprinter Najia Hudspeth (Kennedy HS), who won two individual events and ran a leg of both relay teams that came in first place. After posting a winning time of 11.64 in the 100 meters, which put her third on the school's top five list, her blazing time of 23.67 easily won the 200 meters. In posting that time, she broke the old record time of 23.84, set by Ariana Wright in 2012.

Hudspeth also ran the second leg of the 1600-meter relay team that posted a new school record. The quartet of freshman Rabia Hawes (Long Beach Wilson HS), Hudspeth, Nylia Hudspeth (Kennedy HS) and freshman Tyler Simpson (Dominguez HS) recorded a time of 3:45.71, which eclipsed the time of 3:45.97 set in 2004 by Dominique White, Kimiah Hudson, Tiffany Wright and Tyrene Webb.

Sophomore thrower Destiny Talalemotu (Long Beach Millikan HS) won three events and set a new school record in the hammer along the way. She beat all of her competition with a toss of 56.51 meters, while she easily won the shot put (13.91 meters) and discus (46.95 meters). For good measure, Talalemotu placed third in the javelin (38.01 meters), as the Falcons finished the event in third through sixth place.

Below is a list of Falcons who competed at the Southern California Championships. Those listed in BOLD have qualifed for the state championships. There might be more athletes added after scratches are submitted, while those who have state-qualifying marks are automatically added.

NAME EVENT TIME/DISTANCE PLACE
Najia Hudspeth 100 Meters 11.64 1st Place
Meka Story 100 Meters 12.17 6th Place
Najia Hudspeth 200 Meters 23.67 1st Place
Nylia Hudspeth 400 Meters 55.79 2nd Place
Rabia Hawes 400 Meters False Start  
Maria Orosco 800 Meters 2:21.31 7th Place
Maria Orosco 1500 Meters 4:49.00 3rd Place
Stephanie Perea 5000 Meters 20:40.99 17th Place
Hawes, Na. Hudspeth, Ny. Hudspeth, Story 400 Meter Relay 46.24 1st Place
Hawes, Na. Hudspeth, Ny. Hudspeth, Simpson 1600 Meter Relay 3:45.71 1st Place
Bria Palmer High Jump 1.66 Meters 1st Place
Erica Davis Pole Vault 3.44 Meters 2nd Place
Suyan Carcedo Long Jump 4.81 Meters 12th Place
Michannai Wright Triple Jump 10.60 Meters 9th Place
Miranda Valentin Triple Jump 9.60 Meters 12th Place
Destiny Talalemotu Shot Put 13.91 Meters 1st Place
Destiny Talalemotu Discus 46.95 Meters 1st Place
Jessica Tobias Discus 37.01 Meters 7th Place
Destiny Talalemotu Hammer 56.51 Meters 1st Place
Jessica Tobias Hammer 47.26 Meters 3rd Place
Crystal Rodriguez Hammer 42.95 Meters 7th Place
Destiny Talalemotu Javelin 38.01 Meters 3rd Place
Ashley Flores Javelin 36.72 Meters 4th Place
Sarah Baker Javelin 35.52 Meters 5th Place
Crystal Rodriguez Javelin 33.88 Meters 6th Place