Both Cerritos track and field teams have a combined 40 individuals athletes and three relay teams advancing to the state finals.

Saturday Cerritos College track and field competed at the Southern California Championship Preliminaries, in Antelope Valley.

Road to a repeat

As an individual team, the women’s team dominated, gaining 26 team points to place first in the competition.

“The young ladies did outstanding this [past weekend],” said women’s head coach Michael Allen, “We’re defending champs so everyone was taking a shot at us.”

At the end of the weekend, 22 individual women and two relay teams advanced to the Southern California Championships.

Director of Track and Field, Chris Richardson said, “With our women’s team being fairly young with a few strong seasoned returners, I could not be more proud.”

Out of the 22 athletes, Destiny Mack-Talalemotu and Najia Hudspeth both placed first in two separate events.

Mack-Talalemotu placed first in discus (46.17 meters) and shot put (13.33 meters.)

“I was not satisfied with my performance this weekend- I know I can do better,” said Mack- Talalemotu about her performance. “My main focus was just to make it to the next meet at the SoCal finals.”

Hudspeth took first in both the 100 meters (12.35 seconds) and 200 meters (25.26 seconds.)

After clinching a four-peat, as South Coast Conference Champions, the road to a state championship repeat is well underway.

Mack- Talalemotu had high confidence going to South Coast Conference Championship stating that in her opinion “the conference championship was already [the women’s] to begin with.”

However, Richardson stresses that “focusing on the task at hand,” and on each individual race, is the most important thing.

“Track and field in Southern California is extremely competitive and even though our ladies are talented, prepared and motivated anything can happen.

“Losing focus is the first and most critical mistake that can be made,” he said

Still, with a state championship repeat within reaching distance, the women have a target on their backs as they are definitely the team to beat.

“Our women’s team competes with a constant target on its back as returning state champions,” said Richardson.

If the team wins at the SoCal Championships this coming weekend, it would be its third first place win in five seasons.

“I’m asking each young lady this weekend to step it up a notch. What we did last week was good, and it has already served his purpose,” said Allen.

“This week we have a new challenge in front of us, and we’re expecting all of our young ladies to rise to the occasion.”

Reaching for a championship

Coming off a second place win in conference, Cerritos men’s track and field were unable to obtain high placement in the preliminary events this past weekend.

The team had 18 individuals and one relay team advance to the SoCal Championships.

First place winners included: high jumper Vincent Calhoun (1.92 meters), pole vaulters Nicholas Mendoza and Andrew Hladek who tied with a finishing height of 4.37 meters.

Richardson was both proud and impressed with the men stating, “There were only a couple of spots that did not advance that I expected to move on.”

Moving on to this weekend, the men will be reaching to improve their championship standing.

The men have placed third three times in the last four seasons and fourth in the 2012-13 season.

If the team advances through this weekend it will strive to obtain its first state championship.

The team has come close to doing so placing fifth in the 2011-12 season, third in 2013-14 season and seventh last season.

Head coach Morris Jones said, “We are really excited about those moving on.”

He feels that the men performed and represented the school well.

Richardson continued to express his enthusiasm of the men’s performance this past meet.

“I felt that our men’s team performed extremely well,” said Richardson, “The intensity and motivation of our men this past weekend was impressive.”

On-Field

Accomplishments

This past year for track was riddled with record setting performances and recognitions.

Mack-Talalemotu had a big season breaking three records in throwing events.

She was also awarded Field Athlete of the Meet during SoCal Conference Finals after clinching her three conference titles.

“I am honored to be named the field athlete for that meet, it feels amazing to be able to help out my team,” she said.

Yearly Awards

Najia Hudspeth also broke three records this season and was awarded SCC Running Athlete of the Year.

SCC Field Athlete of the Year was given to Juanita Webster who broke a significant number of Cerritos College track and field records this year. She now holds places in the top five in five events.

The final recognition went to Maria Orosco who was awarded Co-Running Athlete of the Meet at SCC Championship.

It was also a good year for relay teams with both breaking into the top five this year.

Members of the 1600 meter relay team include: Nylia Hudspeth, Rabia Hawes, Bria Palmer and Najia Hudspeth.

The members of the 400 meter relay team are: Lilian Ebanks, Najia Hudspeth, Nylia Hudspeth and Meka Story.

Other record breakers this season included Erica Davis and Lilian Ebanks.

“There is a lot of pride that goes into being a Cerritos College student athlete. The team is known all over the state […]” said Allen.

“The college and the coach expect excellence. The young ladies from the track program do an excellent job of representing the college as lady Falcons.”

The men also had plenty of record breaking moments this year.

Hurdler, Dario Robinson improved his mark and is now second over all in the 110 meter HH with a time of 14.22 seconds.

Alejandro Rios, Tristan Escobar and Vincent Calhoun also broke records this season earning their spot in the Cerritos College men’s track and field top five marks.

Coaches were not left out of the recognitions.

Michael Allen was award women’s coach of the year for the seventh time and Lloyd Higgins was awarded assistant coach of the year for the sixth time.