With just a few weeks left to go in what has been a turbulent and emotional school year for everyone in Long Beach, Friday’s Moore League track and field championships at Wilson High felt like a celebration for the entire city. Athletes from all over Long Beach and Compton came together for a huge gathering of the league’s best, and dozens not only excelled but also qualified for next weekend’s CIF Southern Section Division 1 prelims, which will be held at Trabuco Hills. The CIF-SS Division 1 finals will be the following weekend, June 12, back at Trabuco as well.
As has been the case for the last several years, the meet was dominated by Long Beach Poly and Wilson, who combined for 26 of the event’s 32 individual titles. The Jackrabbits had a strong showing with 14 titles with Wilson winning 12, including all four relays.
“We’re really pleased, we were able to get almost everyone through that we were hoping to with the exception of a few injuries,” said Poly track coach Crystal Irving.
“We’re feeling good, we got everyone out,” said Wilson coach Neil Nelson. “CIF should be fun.”
Click here to see the full performance list for next weekend’s CIF-SS prelims.
Girls’ Champions
The Jackrabbits had a pair of sensational performances from Camille Lindsay and Jade McDonald.
Lindsay is believed to be the first girl in league history to win the 800 (2:21.45), the 1600 (5:09.31) and the 3200 (11:47.64) at one league finals, a feat so ridiculous that it wasn’t even in the plans.
“I was entered in all three to give us flexibility,” said Lindsay, a sophomore. “But after the second race I told my coaches I was feeling good and I wanted to try all three.”
Lindsay won all three races comfortably, and is planning on continuing on to CIF-SS competition in the mile.
“I’m happy for her because this is really her first track season,” said Irving. “She’s had two cross country seasons but last year’s track season was taken away from her—she’s coming for everything this year.”
Not to be outdone, Iowa signee Jade McDonald is trying to end her career with a bang. She won both hurdles races, the long jump and the triple jump.
“It’s exciting because today was really about just trying to get qualifying marks to move on,” she said. “I haven’t run the 300 hurdles in a long time, but I felt good out there.”
Both Poly and Wilson showcased some impressive young talent, and there’s no doubt that Wilson’s Aujane Luckey is going to be an athlete to watch for the next three years. The sophomore won the 400 in 54.87 and was an impressive leg on Wilson’s winning 4x100 and 4x400 relays.
“She’s going to be really special,” said Nelson. “The sky is the limit for Aujane.”
Wilson’s Sadia Green, also a sophomore, won the 200 (24.91) and was also on both Bruins relays.
The other multiple-winner was Lakewood senior Cherish Washington, who’s been a throws star all season and is one of the top throwers in the state. She pulled off an impressive shot put/discus double with heaves of 42-05 in the shot and 138-01 in the discus.
Boys’ Champions
There were a few multiple event-winners on the boys’ side, but none logged more steps on his FitBit than Wilson’s Nico Colchico, who won the 800 (1:57.01) and the 1600 (4:20.43) before jogging out of the stadium to immediately suit up for Wilson’s playoff basketball game, which began a little more than a half hour after his win in the mile.
It’s part of a trend across the city of more multi-sport athletes returning to league track and field programs.
“We push our kids to those other sports, we want guys playing football and basketball too,” said Nelson.
Wilson, Poly, and Millikan all featured multiple football standouts and all-league players on Friday afternoon, and Jordan standout football player Xavier Heard, who signed with Lane College, won the shot put with a heave of 51-09.
Heard also took third in the discus (Millikan’s Nasser Brown won) and qualified for CIF-SS in that event as well.
“I came to Jordan to leave another part of our family legacy, my mom, my dad, my cousins, my uncles all went here,” said Heard. “I wanted to leave a good mark on Jordan and I think I did.”
Poly’s Malik Harness was the other athlete besides Colchico to win multiple individual events, pulling off the sprints double winning the 100 in 11.02 and the 200 in 21.72.
Wilson’s PJ Jefferson won the 300 hurdles and was on both Wilson relays that won as well.
“I’m tired,” he said with a laugh. “But I’ll be back on Monday ready to work again. We’re treating every single meet like the state meet, because you never know what’s going to happen.”
Moore League Champions
Girls’ 100: Aniyah Wyche (Poly) 12.16
Girls’ 200: Sadia Green (Wilson) 24.91
Girls’ 400: Aujane Luckey (Wilson) 54.87
Girls’ 800: Camille Lindsay (Poly) 2:21.45
Girls’ 1600: Camille Lindsay (Poly) 5:09.31
Girls’ 3200: Camille Lindsay (Poly) 11:47.64
Girls’ 100 Hurdles: Jade McDonald (Poly) 14.77
Girls’ 300 Hurdles: Jade McDonald (Poly) 45.92
Girls’ 4x100: Wilson (Maya Bryson, Aujane Luckey, Trinity Moseby, Sadia Green) 47.48
Girls’ 4x400: Wilson (Green, Bryson, Luckey, Moseby) 3:56.08
Girls’ High Jump: Zharia Taylor (Poly) 5-3
Girls’ Pole Vault: Audree Rios (Poly) 7-00
Girls’ Long Jump: Jade McDonald (Poly) 18-04
Girls’ Triple Jump: Jade McDonald (Poly) 39-00
Girls’ Shot Put: Cherish Washington (Lakewood) 42-05
Girls’ Discus: Cherish Washington (Lakewood) 138-01
Boys’ 100: Malik Harness (Poly) 11.02
Boys’ 200: Malik Harness (Poly) 21.72
Boys’ 400: Leroy Crook (Wilson) 48.90
Boys’ 800: Nico Colchico (Wilson) 1:57.01
Boys’ 1600: Nico Colchico (Wilson) 4:20.43
Boys’ 3200: Jason Parra (Millikan) 9:38.32
Boys’ 110 Hurdles: Keylen Dickens (Poly) 14.73
Boys’ 300 Hurdles: PJ Jefferson (Wilson) 38.60
Boys’ 4x100: Wilson (Saadite Green Jr., Johnell Gray, PJ Jefferson, Michael Bruner) 42.27
Boys’ 4x400: Wilson (Isaac Lewis, Leroy Crook, PJ Jefferson, Marcel Francis Mitchell) 3:18.97
Boys’ High Jump: Wesley Easter (Wilson) 5-00
Boys’ Pole Vault: Adam Widmann (Lakewood) 11-03
Boys’ Long Jump: Javon Hampton (Poly) 21-11
Boys’ Triple Jump: Jaylan Theus (Wilson) 42-00
Boys’ Shot Put: Xavier Heard (Jordan) 51-09
Boys’ Discus: Nasser Brown (Millikan) 148-08
