The562’s cross country and track & field coverage is sponsored by Joe Carlson & Debbie Hughes.
The562’s coverage of Long Beach Wilson Athletics is sponsored by Joel Bitonio, Class of 2009.
It was a lighter meet than what we’ve come to expect from the Wilson track and field team at Arcadia this past weekend, but the Bruins still managed a pair of wins as they focus on a busy month ahead while managing their health before CIF and State meets.
“We’re very happy with the result, and we saw some things today where we had to put people in different places,” said Wilson coach Neil Nelson. “My thing is we want to be healthy at the end of the year, so we’re making decisions now to make that happen. We didn’t win everything, but it’s not always about winning, especially at this point. We’re trying to win at the end.”
The Bruins opened the weekend on Friday with a win in the boys’ invitational 1600m sprint medley relay, as Jaylen Fenderson, Kyle Harris, Kaedyn Burroughs and Jordan Kincherlow ran a 3:26.62. The time ranks as the third-best in school history, edging Wilson’s 2024 team that also ran at Arcadia.
Wilson had just one other win, as North Salinas transfer Clara Adams continued her dominance in the girls’ 400m with a 53.51 mark for first place after running the fastest time at the CIF State Finals last year. The time is her season best and sits just three-tenths behind her mark from State last year as the postseason approaches.
“I knew this year’s meet was a lot more competitive than last year’s Arcadia, so I came in knowing I couldn’t just bring what I did last year,” Adams said. “The girls next to me were there for a reason, and I knew I had to get a very good start. We were all together on the backstretch, but I just ran my own race. Around the 250, I made my move, and that was it.”
On the girls’ side, Wilson competed in four different relays over the weekend but scratched the closing 4x400m to preserve its runners’ legs, according to Nelson. The Bruins’ top result came from their 4x200m team on Friday, as Brooke Blue, Brooklyn Fowler, Clara Adams and Saniah Vanardo ran a 1:34.52 to place second behind Rosary.
Wilson also had some medium distance runners run in the girls’ 4x800m relay on Friday, where Kennedy Bryant, Riley Jones, Kimani Tindal and Shirayah Lewis Williams ran a 9:03.81 for fourth place. Lewis Williams also ran in the seeded 800m, placing fifth with a 2:10.73.
The Bruins had a handful of other encouraging individual performances across the board, including in the open 400m, where Brooklyn Fowler ran a personal-best 54.65 to place fourth. Nelson was also pleased with Brooke Blue’s outing in lane nine of the 400m invitational, where she ran a 55.30 to finish sixth.
For the boys, Wilson’s top runner and reigning 800m state champion Wyland Obando did not compete Saturday as the Bruins continue to manage his workload after the Oregon Relays last week with Mt. SAC ahead this week.
Of the remaining results, Nelson said he was pleased with Kyle Harris’ leg in the boys’ 4x400m invitational, where Harris, Dillon Varnado, Kaedyn Burroughs and Jordan Kincherlow ran a 3:16.05 to place fifth. Burroughs also competed in the 400m invitational, where he placed fifth with a 47.84.
Wilson’s Full Results:
Friday:
Girls’ 4x200m Invitational: 2nd, 1:34.52, (B. Blue, B. Fowler, C. Adams, S. Vanardo)
Girls’ 4x800m Relay Invitational: 4th, 9:03.81, (K. Bryant, R. Jones, K. Tindal, S. Lewis Williams)
Boys’ 4x800m Rated: 22nd, 8:17.99, (A. Cansaco, W. Wang, D. Mendez, R. Hollister)
Boys’ 4x800m Invitational: 17th, 7:57.06, (J. Pitre, M. Searles, J. Kincherlow, A. Kelly)
Girls’ 800m Sprint Medley Relay Invitational: 7th, 1:47.86, (J. Hill, K. Brown, A. Islam, L. Welch)
Boys’ 800m Sprint Medley Relay Invitational: 6th, 1:33.40, (D.Lone Beaver, C. Davis, Z. Surles, D. Varnado)
Girls’ 1600m Sprint Medley Relay Invitational: 2nd, 4:04.06, (B. Blue, L. Welch, S. Vanardo, S. Lewis Williams)
Boys’ 1600m Sprint Medley Relay Invitational: 1st, 3:26.62, (J. Fenderson, K. Harris, K. Burroughs, J. Kincherlow)
Girls’ 3200m Seeded: Nadia Mejia, 21st, 10:48.08
Girls’ Long Jump Rising Stars: Journii Spencer, 10th, 17' 5¾”
Saturday:
Girls’ 4x100 Relay Open: 9th, 47.96, (J. Cigar Dingle, B. Fowler, A. Islam, K. Brown)
Boys’ 4x100 Relay Open: 18th, 42.36, (J. Fenderson, K. Burroughs, J. Murphy, K. Harris)
Girls’ 800m Open: Riley Jones, 15th, 2:13.38
Boys’ 800m Open: Jordan Kincherlow, 11th, 1:53.46
Girls’ 400m Open: Brooklyn Fowler, 4th, 54.65
Boys’ 300m Hurdles Open: Kaleb Coombs, 21st, 39.27
Boys’ 300m Hurdles Open: Zakye Surles, 36th, 40.41
Girls’ 800m Seeded: Shirayah Lewis Williams, 5th, 2:10.73
Girls’ 400m Invitational: Clara Adams, 1st, 53.51
Girls’ 400m Invitational: Brooke Blue, 6th, 55.30
Boys’ 400m Invitational: Kaedyn Burroughs, 5th, 47.84
Girls’ 300m Hurdles Invitational: Saniah Vanardo, 6th, 43.10
Girls’ 200m Invitational: Clara Adams, 8th, 24.36
Girls’ Triple Jump Invitational: Journii Spencer, 18th, 37' 2½"
Boys’ 4x400m Relay Invitational: 5th, 3:16.05, (D. Varnado, K. Burroughs, K. Harris, J. Kincherlow)
