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Long Beach’s best athletes put on a show at the Moore League track and field finals at the beginning of what all the city’s coaches are hoping is the first full postseason for the sport since 2019. Last year saw league finals return along with CIF Southern Section competition, but due to COVID-19 protocols there was no Masters or State meet. This year should see local athletes get the full schedule of competitions for the first time since seniors were freshmen.
As usual, it looks like that road to state will be well-traveled by Long Beach athletes, with dozens of competitors advancing through Friday’s league finals into next week’s CIF-SS prelims, which will be held at Moorpark High and Trabuco Hills (CIF-SS Finals will be May 14 at Moorpark). Poly and Wilson will compete for both the Division 1 boys and girls titles, and both will enter the meets ranked in the top three. The Jackrabbit girls won the league title this year while the boys title was shared by Poly, Wilson, and Jordan; the Panthers’ title is their first in any sport in more than a decade.
“It’s been a special year for us and we want to keep winning,” said Jordan sophomore sprinter Jordan Washington, who won the 100 league crown on Friday.
Washington wasn’t the only Panther with a gold medal, either, as teammates Jevon Brown (triple jump) and Jerman Simms, Jr. (high jump) also won events. Millikan won a pair of titles as school record-holder Jason Parra grabbed the 3200 title and Nasser Brown won the discus.
The rest of the league crowns, not surprisingly, were claimed by the Jackrabbits and Bruins, with both teams appearing to peak just in time for the postseason. Poly won the 4×100 relays and the girls’ 4×400 in a thriller, while Wilson’s boys’ 4×400 looks poised to push for a state title. Multiple event winners included Poly’s Lauren Reed (4×100, long jump, triple jump), Camille Lindsay (1600, 3200), Jalen Knox (4×100, 200), Aniyah Wyche (4×100, 100), Mai Ricks (shot put, discus) as well as Wilson’s Isaac Lewis (110 hurdles, 300 hurdles, 400, 4×400), Aujane Luckey (400, 200), and Marcel Francis-Mitchell (800, 4×400).
“I think we’re at our best right now getting ready for the postseason, we want to prove some people wrong,” said Lewis.
“We have big goals and we’ve been working hard towards them all year,” said Reed. “We’re excited for CIF.”
Moore League Champions
Girls’ 4×100: Long Beach Poly (River Sampson, Taylor Johnson, Aniyah Wyche, Lauren Reed) 46.54
Boys’ 4×100: Long Beach Poly (Javon Hampton, Jaelen Knox, Jadyn Robinson, Daylen Austin) 42.33
Girls’ 1600: Camille Lindsay, Poly, 5:15.96
Boys’ 1600: Nico Colchico, Wilson, 4:13.49
Girls’ 100 Hurdles: Genesis Washington, Wilson, 15.01
Boys’ 110 Hurdles: Isaac Lewis, Wilson, 14.99
Girls’ 400: Aujane Luckey, Wilson, 55.04
Boys’ 400: Isaac Lewis, Wilson, 48.34
Girls’ 100: Aniyah Wyche, Poly, 11.9
Boys’ 100: Jordan Washington, Jordan, 10.45
Girls’ 800: Elisa Rodriguez, Wilson, 2:25.04
Boys’ 800: Marcel Francis-Mitchell, Wilson, 1:57.08
Girls’ 300 Hurdles: Kaylin Edwards, Wilson, 44.66
Boys’ 300 Hurdles: Isaac Lewis, Wilson, 38.60
Girls’ 200: Aujane Luckey, Wilson, 24.46
Boys’ 200: Jaelen Knox, Poly, 21.21
Girls’ 3200: Camille Lindsay, Poly, 11:35.47
Boys’ 3200: Jason Parra, Millikan, 9:13.04
Girls’ 4×400: Long Beach Poly (Kennedy Butler, Kennadi Reed, Jaylin Hunter, Taylor Johnson) 3:53.16
Boys’ 4×400: Wilson (Isaac Lewis, Leroy Crook, Marcel Francis-Mitchell, Diego Alvarado) 3:16.37
Girls’ Long Jump: Lauren Reed, Poly, 18-08.75
Boys’ Long Jump: Jadyn Robinson, Poly, 21-02
Girls’ Triple Jump: Lauren Reed, Poly, 37-08
Boys’ Triple Jump: Javon Brown, Jordan, 42-11
Girls’ High Jump: Jillene Wetteland, Poly, 5-6
Boys’ High Jump: Jerman Simms Jr., Jordan, 6-1
Girls’ Pole Vault: Audree Rios, Poly, 8-00
Boys’ Pole Vault: Ryan Carranza, Wilson, 9-06
Girls’ Shot Put: Mai Ricks, Poly, 36-03
Boys’ Shot Put: Robert Mooney, Wilson, 46-05
Girls’ Discus: Mai Ricks, Poly, 116-04.50
Boys’ Discus: Nasser Brown, Millikan, 134-10
