W. Track & Field: Cerritos excels in field events to finish fifth as a team

Mackenzie Monson leads the way for the Falcons at the state championships with her state title, with Kyra Miedecke adding a second place result
Mackenzie Monson leads the way for the Falcons at the state championships with her state title, with Kyra Miedecke adding a second place result

Led by throwers Mackenzie Monson (South Torrance HS) and Kyra Miedecke (Ontario Christian HS/Mt. San Antonio College), the Cerritos College women's track and field team compiled 53 team points to come in fifth place at the 3C2A State Championships. Competing at San Mateo College over the weekend, Monson won the state championship in the hammer, while Miedecke finished in second place in the javelin. The Falcons were edged out of fourth place by South Coast Conference rival Mt. San Antonio College, who finished with 62 team points.

Cerritos had six All-Americans come out of the state championships, as the top four in each event were named as such. Monson, who entered the state championships with the second best hammer throw in the state (52.49 meters), was able to win the event with a toss of 51.72 meters, as state-leader Abigail Gavrilovic of Orange Coast College had to settle for fourth place with a toss of 42.81 meters. Joining Monson in scoring points for the Falcons in the event was Emily Ortiz (Tustin HS), who posted a third place toss of 43.57 meters. Monson also qualified for the state championships in the discus and placed third with a throw of 43.50 meters, while she settled for 11th place in the shot put at 11.30 meters.

Miedecke, a fourth place finisher in the state championships last season, also had the third best javelin throw in the state prior to the weekend. She recorded her second place distance of 42.27 meters on her first of six throws, with eventual state champion Maya Rus of Mt. SAC turned in her best distance with her fourth throw.

Thrower Tupouahau Tauaika (Orange Lutheran HS/UC Davis) also qualified in multiple events and took sixth place in the shot put at 11.98 meters, while her toss of 36.46 meters in the hammer put her in 12th place. Ortiz also competed in the discus and finished in 10th place with a throw of 39.33 meters.

In the running events, the 4x400-meter relay team of Jasmine Soto-Castro (Schurr HS), Angel Corral (El Rancho HS), Jayla Barnwell (Warren HS) and Deona Standifer (Mayfair HS) recorded a third place time of 3:55.63, while in the 4x100-meter relay, the foursome of Leeann Hong (Westminster HS), Corral, Camrynn Williams and De'Anjanae Reed placed fifth in a time of 48.87. Corral also earned the Falcons points in the 400 meters with her fourth place time of 56.76, as well as her eighth place result in the 200 meters at 25.68. Reed ran the 100 meters and posted a seventh place time of 12.07.

Distance runner Diana Raya Perez (Norwalk HS) competed in the 3000-meter steeplechase and saw her time of 11:52.77 put her in seventh place, with Kailah Usi (Cerritos HS) finishing in ninth place in the 100-meter HH with a time of 16.01.

NAME EVENT TIME/DISTANCE PLACE
De'Anjanae Reed 100 Meters 12.07 7th Place
Angel Corral 200 Meters 25.69 8th Place
Angel Corral 400 Meters 56.76 4th Place
Kailah Usi 100-Meter HH 16.01 9th Place
Diana Raya Perez 3000-Meter SC 11:52.27 7th Place
Leeann Hong, Angel Corral, Camrynn WilliamsDe'Anjanae Reed 4x100-Meter Relay 48.87 5th Place
Jasmine Soto-Castro, Angel Corral, Jayla Barnwell, Deona Standifer 4x400-Meter Relay 3:55.63 3rd Place
Tupouahau Tauaika Shot Put 11.98 Meters 6th Place
Mackenzie Monson Shot Put 11.30 Meters 11th Place
Mackenzie Monson Discus 43.50 Meters 3rd Place
Emily Ortiz Discus 39.33 Meters 10th Place
Mackenzie Monson Hammer 51.72 Meters 1st Place
Emily Ortiz Hammer 43.57 Meters 3rd Place
Tupouahau Tauaika Hammer 36.46 Meters 12th Place
Kyra Miedecke Javelin 42.27 Meters 2nd Place