The Culver City High School track and field teams proved once again they have one of the best programs in Southern California with a strong showing at the Mira Costa Mustang Relays last Saturday.

The 30-team invitational meet featured outstanding team and individual performances, ending with a super competitive 1600 meter relay when Mira Costa edged the Centaurs at the finish line.

Culver City posted its fastest time of the year, 3:31.98, in the 1600 meter relay.  Despite that loss, Centaur head coach Jahmal Wright was pleased with his teams’ performances.  “There was a lot of stiff competition, and we were right there in the mix.  Now we are fine-tuning for the regular season.”

Coach Wright said that the Centaurs want to stay healthy while winning meets this month so that “we can deliver our best performances in May.”

This coming Saturday, Culver City will be sending competitors to the prestigious Arcadia Invitational, among them sprinter Cahlil Hooper.

He placed second in the 100 meters at the Mustang Relays and ran on several relay teams.  His 100 time was 11.09, good for early season. Hooper wants to run faster.

“I want to improve each week and be ready for the CIF meets in May,” he said.  Hooper and his twin brother Cameron have been running track since they were in the eighth grade.

“Some Culver City coaches ran track at the Division 1 college level, so they have a lot of experience,” said Hooper.  “The coaches are also good motivators. They expect big things from us.  It’s good to have coaches who have your back and who believe in you.”

He plans to remain “humble and hungry.”

The Centaurs’ Jarrett Anderson placed third in the 100 meters with a time of 11.20, and freshman hurdler Samuel Robert was sixth in the 300 meter hurdles with a time of 42.56.

The boys’ 4×100 meter relay team placed third with a time of 44.14 and they won the 4×200 relay in 1:31.74.  In the boys’ freshman/sophomore division four Culver City relay teams finished in the top nine in two different relays.  In the 4×100 they took second and ninth, second and fourth in the 4×400.

Culver City’s next home meet is Thursday at 2:45 against El Segundo and Hawthorne.

Lady Centaurs

In the girls division, Joylyn Dailey of Culver City ran second in the 100 meters at 12.18 and Veronica Mendez was ninth at 12.95.

All-purpose performer Nia Garcia came up with two seventh-place finishes in the 100 meter hurdles and the long jump.  Cerrinae Thompson was ninth in the 300 meter hurdles.

In the varsity girls relays, Culver City was fourth in the 4×100, at 48.66, second in the 4×200 in 1:42.6,9 and fourth in the 4×400 in 4:09.51.

The freshman/sophomore 4×100 relay team came in fifth place with a time of 52.59.

The freshman/sophomore girls were led by freshman sensation Jasmine Marrero,  unbeaten in the 100 and 300 meter hurdles.  She won both hurdle races in the Culver City and Mustang Relays.

At the Mustang Relays, Marrero was the only girl out of 29 to break the 18-second barrier. She won the 100 hurdles in 17.46.  In the 300 hurdles, she was the only runner, at 49.64, to break the 50- second mark.

Marrero also runs legs on both the 4×100 and 4×400 meter relays.

“It feels good to win both hurdles. but I want to make sure my technique is good,” Marrero said “I also want to improve on my speed.”

“Coach B (Rayfield Beaton) pushes me and he is really funny.”

Mr. Finley may be contacted at sfinley50@aol.com