Eight Pirates Qualify for So Cal Finals

Ventura College enters into the penultimate competition of the 2016 Track and Field season sending eight individuals and two relays to the Southern California Regional Finals, held at Antelope Valley College. This meet serves as the prelude to the year ending State Championships to be held on the campus of Mesa College, May 20-21st. Alisha Greenlaw qualified for her second consecutive 100 meter hurdle final running second in her heat with the second fastest time of the nine women advancing.

Greenlaw also advanced in the 100 meters, placing second in her heat and ranking sixth fastest on the day. Danielle Colvin, not to be outdone, made her second SoCal long jump final and added the triple jump for good measure. Marissa Tobin tied for the highest qualifying mark in the pole vault to make her first SoCal final after an injury kept her out of this competition in 2015. Tiara Litonjua took first in her heat of the 400 hurdles and will join Greenlaw, Tobin, and Colvin on the 4x400 relay team.

Aizabelle Sarmiento, Colvin, Greelaw and Tobin make up the 4x100 relay crew that has a chance to make the top five in the state. Sedona Williams also made the women's long jump final by leaping to a new PR and out-dueling six women with better qualifying marks to make the horizontal jump final. Alyssa Carrillo made her first SoCal Discus final placing eighth overall needing a few more feet to hit the 'A' standard should she place in the top six next week.

Sam Boyle made the best of his at-large berth in the 1500 meters by scoring an automatic qualifying spot in the metric mile making his first regional final. Isabella Ironhill joined Tobin as one of only 9 women moving on to next week's pole vault final.

Tristan Griffith rounded out the Pirates moving on with a second place finish in his heat of the 400 meters in a lifetime best, increasing his chances for a trip to San Diego.

"We traveled 15 young people to the prelims and nine will get another stab at the state meet," commented head coach, Tony Veney. "Justin Coert, Gabriella Ramirez, Maria Villalobos, Aiyana Brown and Dejahnae Brown did not make the regional final, but distinguished themselves by getting to the SoCal preliminaries."

The So Cal Finals are on Sat. May 14 with field events to start at 9:00 am and the first running event beginning at 12:30 pm.

https://www.directathletics.com/results/track/46517.html