The562’s cross country and track & field coverage is sponsored by Joe Carlson & Debbie Hughes.
The Long Beach Wilson girls’ track and field program will need to make some room in their trophy case after winning the CIF Southern Section Division 1 championship on Saturday at Moorpark High School.
The Bruins have become a beacon of success over the last few years and their title on Saturday marked their sixth championship plaque in four years and second straight CIF-SS Division 1 title as Wilson scored early and often placing and winning in multiple events throughout the day.
Clara Adams won individual titles in the 200-meter and 400-meter races while also anchoring the Bruins’ victory in the 4×400 meter relay. The junior was joined by Saniah Varnado, who also is a part of the 4×400 win, and took gold in the 300m hurdles and Journii Spencer who took gold in the triple jump.
“That’s five first-place finishes, which obviously helps a lot,” Wilson coach Shannon Fisher said. “Then you pick up additional points in events like the 4×800 relay and the 100 hurdles. Overall, it was a really good day. We accomplished everything we wanted to accomplish, and the athletes performed very well.”
With an already stacked girls’ team, the addition of Adams this season has lifted the Bruins to even higher heights and she is happy to contribute where she can to help Wilson reach its goals.
“ I moved here in January, and that was probably the best thing I’ve ever done for my track career,” Adams said. “As for Wilson as a team, they’ve won three titles, and I hope I can be part of their fourth one. I’m excited for what’s ahead.”
The most impressive finish for the Bruins on the day won’t surprise anyone as Adams, Varnado, Brooklyn Fowler and Brooke Blue took the top four spots in the 400m – earning 29 points in one event that put Wilson in first place and they’d stay in front for the rest of the afternoon.
After finishing fourth in the 100m hurdles, Varnado ran a personal best 41.27 to win the 300m hurdles, running the second fastest time in California this season and ninth in the nation.
Spencer gave the Bruins the gold medal in the triple jump as she made the most of her final jump with a 38-03.25 that was enough to put her at the top of the podium. It was a bit of relief for the senior after fouling in her first two jumps.
“I try not to be too hard on myself, when I don’t perform in the ways that I want to,” Spencer said. “But I’m so happy that, you know, I came out, I still got my team those points that they needed so that they could win. And, you know, I just have to put a little bit more practice in for next week and make sure that I can hit the mark that I actually want.”
In the 800m, Shirayah Lewis-Williams finished fourth with a 2:10.90 and Riley Jones finished eighth with a 2:12.73.
Wilson took second in the 4x100m as London Welch, Brooklyn Fowler, Jayda Cigar-Dingle and Kayla Brown finished with a 46.49 behind Long Beach Poly. The Bruins continued their really success as Kimani Tindal, Kennedy Bryant, Riley Jones and Shirayah Lewis-Williams finished second with a 9:07.63.
On the boys’ side, Wilson finished ninth overall. Kaedyn Burroughs finished second in the 400m with a 46.90 and Jordan Kincherlow finished sixth in the 800m with a 1:55.01.
Moore League champion Jeremiah Murphy took eighth in the long jump with a 20-08.75. Wilson had some impressive finishes in the relays as Kaleb Coombs, Murphy, Burroughs and Kyle Harris took fourth in the 4x100m and Dillon Varnado, Wyland Oblando, AJ Caseno and Burroughs took third in the 4x400m.
In the 4x800m, the Bruins took fifth with AJ Kelley, Matthew Searles, Wyland Oblando and Jordan Kincherlow.
Girls Results
1st Place
Clara Adams – 200m – 23.53
Saniah Varnado – 300m Hurdles – 41.27
Clara Adams – 400m – 52.98
Journii Spencer – Triple Jump – 38-03.25
4x400m Relay – 3:42.42
2nd Place
Saniah Varnado – 400m – 53.53
4x100m Relay – 46.49
4x800m Relay – 9:07.63
3rd Place
Brooklyn Fowler – 400m – 54.57
4th Place
Saniah Varnado – 100m Hurdles – 14.23
Brooke Blue – 400m – 54.98
Shirayah Lewis-Williams – 800m – 2:10.90
8th Place
Riley Jones – 800m – 2:12.73
Boys Results
2nd Place
Kaedyn Burroughs – 400m – 46.90
3rd Place
4x400m Relay – 3:14.86
4th Place
4x100m Relay – 41.53
5th Place
Jordan Kincherlow – 800m – 1:55.01
4x800m Relay – 7:47.70
8th Place
Jeremiah Murphy – Long Jump – 20-08.75
