W. Track & Field: Falcons win eight individual state titles

Amber Hart won three state titles
Amber Hart won three state titles

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Although their three-year streak of CCCAA State Championships came to an end, the Cerritos College women's track and field team won eight individual state titles. The Falcons finished in second place with 154 team points and trailed South Coast Conference rival Mt. San Antonio College, who won the title with 169.5 team points. Their point total was actually more than last year (149.50) when they won the championship, with the top two schools out-distancing their closest competition this season by 100 points.

The Falcons won championships in eight events, including seven of the nine field events, with the Mounties capturing just six first place finishes. But it was the sheer volume of athletes by Mt. SAC than enabled them to break the three-year streak for Cerritos.

Sophomore thrower Amber Hart (Narbonne HS) earned a clean sweep in her three events, as she walked away a three-time state championships (four in her career), which included a personal best distance in the hammer (50.79 meters), which moved her to second on the school's all-time list. She also captured titles in the shot put - for the second year in a row - and in the discus, while easily winning all three events. Hart's three state championships in one season were one shy of tying the all-time school record of four, set by Juanita Webster last year.

Setting a school record in the 800 meters was sophomore Tyler Simpson (Dominguez HS), who recorded a time of 2:11.26, which eclipsed the previous record she set earlier in the season. She held off Santa Monica College's Maria Freji, who posted a second place time of 2:11.70.

Winning her second consecutive state championship in the javelin was sophomore Mystasia Alexander (Lynwood HS), who finished with a distance of 43.64 meters, which was well ahead of second place finisher Senna Forkner of Mt. SAC, who turned in a distance of 37.91 meters. Sophomore Michaela Banyi (Valencia HS) also competed in the javelin, but did not score any points. She made up for that with a state championship performance in the heptathlon, as she recorded a personal best 4589 points. The Falcons dominated the seven-event heptathlon, as they took four of the top five spots. Joining Banyi were Kymberlynn Jackson (University Prep HS), who finished in second place with a personal best 4411 points, with Amani Briggs (Lakewood HS) posting a fourth place finish with 4241 points. Sophomore Davina Pham (Fountain Valley HS) placed fifth with 4017 points. Banyi also scored points for the Falcons in the 100-meter HH (6th place) and competed in the 400-meter IH.

Freshman Keirra King (Long Beach Wilson HS) and Jackson took the top two places in the long jump, with King winning the event with a distance of 5.93 meters. Jackson placed second with a leap of 5.73 meters, with the Falcons also earning two of the top three places in the triple jump. Freshman Imani Jones (Mater Dei HS) won the triple jump with her leap of 11.83 meters, while sophomore Jelani Minix (Carson HS) took third place at 11.28 meters. King also qualified in the 100 meters, but was charged with a false start. Jackson earned more points for the Falcons with her third place in the 200 meters (24.79) and fifth place in the 400 meters (56.80).

NAME EVENT TIME/DISTANCE PLACE
Keirra King 100 Meters False Start  
Kymberlynn Jackson 200 Meters 24.79 3rd Place
Kymberlynn Jackson 400 Meters 56.80 5th Place
Tyler Simpson 800 Meters 2:11.26 (School Record) 1st Place
Michaela Banyi 100-Meter HH 15.46 6th Place
Amani Briggs 100-Meter HH 15.73 7th Place
Davina Pham 400-Meter IH 1:07.69 7th Place
Michaela Banyi 400-Meter IH 1:10.45 9th Place
Glenn Nance, Sicily Moore, Kymberlynn Jackson, Tyler Simpson 4x400-Meter Relay 3:52.89 2nd Place
Jelani Minix High Jump 1:60 Meters Tied 2nd Place
Amani Briggs High Jump 1.50 Meters Tied 9th Place
Keirra King Long Jump 5.93 Meters 1st Place
Kymberlynn Jackson Long Jump 5.73 Meters 2nd Place
Imani Jones Triple Jump 11.83 Meters 1st Place
Jelani Minix Triple Jump 11.28 Meters 3rd Place
Amani Briggs Triple Jump 10.87 Meters 9th Place
Amber Hart Shot Put 13.51 Meters 1st Place
Nanati Alailefaleula Shot Put 12.44 Meters 6th Place
Mystasia Alexander Shot Put 12.22 Meters 7th Place
Tanya Reyes Shot Put 10.46 Meters 12th Place
Amber Hart Discus 48.05 Meters 1st Place
Mystasia Alexander Discus 42.09 Meters 3rd Place
Amber Hart Hammer 50.79 Meters 1st Place
Tanya Reyes Hammer 7.74 Meters 12th Place
Mystasia Alexander Javelin 43.64 Meters 1st Place
Michaela Banyi Javelin 31.51 Meters 10th Place
Michaela Banyi Heptathlon 4589 Points 1st Place
Kymberlynn Jackson Heptathlon 4411 Points 2nd Place
Amani Briggs Heptathlon 4241 Points 4th Place
Davina Pham Heptathlon 4017 Points 5th Place
Darlena Robinson Heptathlon 1203 Points 12th Place