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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 |