Great Oak sweeps boys and girls sweepstakes championships for third time in four years after capturing both DMR titles

By Landon Negri for DyeStat

There were four giant carrots out there for qualifying high school track athletes Saturday. Perhaps, actually, apples would be more appropriate, given the locale.

Among the many highlights Saturday in the 60th Mt. San Antonio College Relays in Torrance, Calif., were the four Brooks Invitational high school races, where the winner received a berth in the Brooks PR Invitational June 8 in Shoreline, Wash.

WATCH ALL THE RACES | INTERVIEWS

Three of those races went according to plan at El Camino College due to ongoing construction at Mt SAC. Stockton St. Mary’s sophomore Jamar Marshall offered the surprise.

Marshall won the Brooks 110-meter hurdles race in 14.10 seconds, defeating Upland’s Caleb Roberson (14.15), Carson’s Andre Butt (14.17) and Clayton Valley’s Aidan Jackman (14.27) – the state leader in the event – to join Yucaipa senior Asani Hampton, Upland’s Jada Hicks and Long Beach Poly’s Ariyonna Augustine in earning tickets to Washington with victories.

Great Oak swept the team competitions Saturday, as the Southwestern League went 1-2 on the boys side with the Wolfpack’s 119.5 points winning and Murrieta Mesa’s 70 placing second. Great Oak’s girls won with 92 points to Long Beach Poly’s 58.

It marked the fifth year in a row Great Oak won the boys grand sweepstakes, with the Wolfpack rebounding from last year’s loss to Centennial NV in the girls competition to capture a third title in four years.

Marshall’s tight win was a turnabout from last week, when Clovis’ Jake Woods edged him by one-hundredth of a second in the 110 hurdles final during the West Coast Relays at Buchanan High.

“I just worked on being strong in between my race and my finish,” Marshall said. “We did a lot of block starts. We just did a lot the last couple of weeks.”

He said he also worked on specific technique to endure a race versus Jackman, who has four invitational victories this year in the event.

“The biggest difference is staying on my side of the hurdle,” Marshall said. “I just know that Aidan Jackman – he’s a left-handed hurdler. I’m right-handed, so if we both go over the hurdle at the same time, I might clip him.”

Hampton’s 100 win came against the fast-emerging Christian Shakir-Ricks from Murrieta Mesa. Hampton ran strong, leading nearly wire to wire to win in 10.51, just off his state-leading 10.47 time.

“I felt it was strong,” Hampton said. “The time could’ve been a little better, of course – as always. That was a great race and a great start.”

Shakir-Ricks still had plenty to be pleased about. His surge in the last 25 meters of the anchor leg gave the Rams a 4x100 relay victory (41.65) over Great Oak (41.71) and Long Beach Poly (41.76). He also helped the Rams’ 4x400  relay win in 3:16.22 and won the 200 in 21.35.

That made Hampton’s 100 win even more impressive.

“I just wanted to come back in the 100 meters,” Hampton added, “and make sure I represent Yucaipa well and the I.E. well.”

Hicks continued her week-in, week-out fending off of Temecula Valley senior Danae Dayer in the 100 hurdles. The duo entered Mt. SAC with the Nos. 1 and 2 times in the state, respectively, and that’s how they finished Saturday, with Hicks tying her season-best of 13.54 and Dyer running 13.82.

Hicks also helped Upland’s 4x100 relay team to a win in 45.71.

“As soon as that gun goes off, it’s a shootout,” she said. “I get to the finish line as soon as I can.”

In the 100, Augustine had to rally furiously to earn her Brooks PR berth, winning in 11.67, as runner-up Chinyere Okoro of Amador Valley ran 11.75.

Augustine wasn’t pleased with her start, but…

“Whether I’m the first one out of the blocks,” she said, “or the last one out of the blocks, I’m going to get there.”
There were inspiring performances outside of the Brooks races, too. Great Oak’s victories were paced by tremendous distance medley performances.

The Wolfpack boys, thanks to a fast final lap by senior Carlos Carvajal, won a tight race in 10:10.85 over Bellarmine Prep (10:12.70), Long Beach Poly (10:13.78) and Great Oak’s own ‘B’ team (10:15.83).

The girls completed a sweep of all three distance relays for the first time at the Mt. SAC Relays by prevailing in the DMR, as Fatima Cortes stayed far enough ahead of Saugus’ Mariah Castillo on the anchor leg for the victory in 11:53.83. Saugus finished in 11:56.38.

Serra ran a state-leading 1:38.76 in the girls 4x200 relay, with Long Beach Poly securing victory in 1:27.91 in the boys 4x200. Dana Hills added another state leader in the girls 4x400, clocking 3:47.68.

Plenty of personal bests were secured by the girls with victories Saturday, such as Calabasas’ De’Anna Nowling in the 200 (24.03), El Toro’s Maliyah Medley in the 400 (54.71), and Coronado’s Alysah Hickey (5-10) in the high jump.

Trabuco Hills senior Sean Lee cleared 7-2 (2.18m) on the third attempt, his third clearance at the height this season.

But perhaps no PR was as startling as Ayala’s Mikaela Ramirez, who took a full 4.5 seconds off her personal best and held off Los Alamitos senior Delaney Sanacore to win the 800 in 2:11.50.

That, Ramirez said, even surprised her a bit, despite running 4:50.00 in the mile Friday.

“You can’t doubt yourself,” she said. “You have to just push throughout. It’s only 800 – you’ve got two laps to do the best you can.”

The day’s only double individual winner was Fowler’s Jocelynn Budwig, who took the shot put 45-5.25 (13.85m) and the discus 152-11 (46.60m). Carson’s Jonon Young was second in the long jump with a leap of 19-2.25 (5.84m) behind teammate Indiah Turner at 19-5.25 (5.92m), then capped the meet by winning the triple jump with a 38-7.50 (11.77m) effort.