The women’s track team is well on its way to defending its two-time state championship title advancing 38 athletes into the Southern California Regional Finals.

If the Falcons do come out on top at regionals, this will be the third time in three years that the team will have hoisted the trophy.

The women totaled nine first place finishes that earned them 23 team points, leaving them in first place at SoCal Preliminaries last Saturday.

Crystal Rodriguez, who currently holds the fourth mark overall in the hammer throw for Cerritos, took first place in shot put

She also got fourth place in javelin, second place in the hammer throw and second in the discus.

With these performances she said that she was not satisfied with them and knew there were things that she could improve on for the coming meet this weekend.

“I want to get into a repetitive routine this week,” she said, “so I can be confident in my next meet.”

However, she added the team has to keep doing what it has been doing all season.

Juanita Webster (high jump, 110 HH,) Skylin Harbin (400-meter IH,) Breanna Curry (high jump, 4×100 relay, 4×400 relay,) Amber Hart (discus,) and Mystasia Alexander (javelin) also claimed first place finishes.

The men only advanced 13 of 34 athletes that competed at regionals, which earned them only six team points holding them at a seventh place spot going into finals.

Sophomore Stacy Chukwumezie said, “It was a tough week, with a few unfortunate performances.”

Despite this, Director of Track and Field Christopher Richardson said that regardless of the caliber of athletes, mistakes will be made and, “that is part of the humbling experience of Track and Field.”

The men’s team only had two first place finishes on the day– each came from the 1,600-meter relay team and from sophomore Blair Robinson.

Chukwumezie commented that Robinson’s performances was “top-notch,” as he got first in the triple jump posting a distance of 14.96 meters. This distance would also mark a new personal best for him.

The 1,600-meter relay team was able to grab the top spot in the event by clocking a time of 3:16.8 minutes.

Sophomore Clay Green ran the third leg for the team and said the team works really well together.

“The team has been doing really good, there is still a lot we can do.”

He said the team is still trying to take a few seconds off its time because it is trying to go for the school record.

The men’s relay team was not the only relay team to snag a top spot, as both women’s relay teams placed first in their respective events.

The 400-meter relay team finished first with a time of 47.34 seconds, while the 1,600-meter relay team clocked a time of 3:53.35 minutes.

Richardson commented, “Our relay success simply shows the commitment these athletes have to one another and the program as a whole.”

Now both teams look to the finals which will take place Saturday.

“I could not ask for a better group to go into battle with. It has worked tirelessly to prepare for this moment,” Richardson finished.