That the defending state champion Poly girls’ track team would have a good outing in their first league dual meet of the year, on Thursday at Wilson, shouldn’t have come as much of a surprise.  After all, the Trackrabbits lost just one runner to graduation from last year’s championship team; that they topped their best competition in league by a score of 100-39 is eye-opening though, taking first in every event except the long jump (won by Wilson’s Olivia Hudson).  The boys’ competition was closer, with Poly winning 82-55.

Tara Richmond, one of the best jumpers in the nation, took care of the triple jump and the high jump for Poly; Dynasty Gammage finished the 3200 in 11:40, a full 25 seconds ahead of the next runner (teammate Rachel Pavey), and 51 seconds ahead of Wilson’s Haley Kirk, the first Bruin finisher.  Melia Cox won both hurdle races for Poly, Carisma Lyday took the 100 and 200-meters, and NeAusha Logan, Tia Leake, and Akawkaw Ndipagbor swept the scoring positions in the 800-meter.  Volleyball player Litara Keil won the shot put for the Rabbits, with a heave of 32’10”.  The lone winner for the Bruins was Hudson, who soared on the long jump with a mark of 17’4″ (a foot beyond her next-closest competitor).

Wilson football player Josh Kocher got the Bruins a five-point win in the shot-put, winning by less than half an inch; Gustavo Plascencia won a tightly contested 1600-meter race with a time of 4:33, just a few seconds before Poly’s Sean Price.  The Rabbits pulled away in the sprints, sweeping the 100 and 200, and taking the top spot in both relays.  Wilson won both hurdle events and the pole vault.

“I’m always happy to run against these guys,” said Wilson coach Ed Hauck.  “I think it’s good that our kids aren’t intimidated; the gap on the boys’ side has shrunk.”

Poly coach Crystal Irving was happy with what she saw from her team, especially with the girls’ dominant performance.  “They’re very healthy competition,” she said of Wilson.  “And I was glad to see the boys’ team improve.”

Poly will have competitors in two meets this weekend, in Pasadena and at Azusa Pacific. 

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