With additional reporting by George Laase.
The Culver City High School track and field teams capped a banner year last Saturday when senior Joylyn Daily set a school record in the girls 200 meter dash at the CIF Finals at Cerritos College, Norwalk.
Her time, 24.24, placed her third in the Division 2 of the finals. Of 36 runners in four division finals, Daily earned 14th overall. Only the top nine advanced to the Masters meet on Friday.
“It felt really good to set the school record,” said Daily, who transferred from Santa Monica last year. “And to compete against some of the best runners in California. I never doubted myself. I had great coaching. Everyone at Culver City was very nice to me.
“That’s why I have a bittersweet feeling. I am going to graduate and leave Culver City High School.”
Daily was undefeated in both the 100 and 200 meters through the regular season and the Ocean League finals.
“I trained hard,” she said. “I had a high tolerance for pain.
“Maybe that is why I never was injured.”
Daily hopes to be running next year for Arizona State or Cal State Long Beach.
The girls 4×100 relay team turned in a personal best performance at the finals, 48.38. The team of Destinee Augustus, Daily, Veronica Mendez and Amber Wacker took fifth in their division.
Augustus, a junior running for the first time in the finals, said she was proud of her teammates. “We put in a lot of hard work,” she said. “I hope to make the 200 finals next year.”
Mendez, a junior, was happy to be a Centaur. “I am so proud of myself and my teammates,” she said. “It was great compete against the best to see where you are. This team was close. We had a lot of love for each other. We will come back stronger next year.”
Centaur Coach Jahmal Wright is looking forward. “I like the way the season ended,” he said. Wright. “To run their best times makes me really happy. The future is bright for Culver City track and field.”
After the Centaurs captured three out of four divisions in the Ocean League finals, assistant coach Rayfield Beaton can’t wait for next season.
“We are only graduating two key boys and two key girls,” he said. “The sky is the limit.”
“Now it’s time for the coaches to put the pieces of the puzzle together.”