Story by Harriet Godson
Staff Writer
Photo courtesy of Track and Field
On Wednesday, March 25 the South Pasadena Tigers took on the La Cañada Spartans in what turned out to be an exciting, neck-and-neck competition. The girls’ varsity team won in a landslide at 82-40, while the boys narrowly lost 64-63.
The girls’ team performed exceptionally well, with many sprinters and distance runners placing top three in their respective events.
During the 200-meter dash, three Tigers raced new personal records, including senior Naya Holden who ran 25.79 to take first place, junior Kara Wang, with a time of 26.42 for third, and senior Zen Williams, who ran a 27.91 for eighth place. Holden also ran a PR in the 100 meter dash with a time of 12.39 seconds.
Sophomore Emerson Schreiner took second in the 800 meter dash with a new PR of 2:27.51. In the 300 meter hurdles, senior Anna Kowal took first place with a PR of 49.73.
The girls’ 4×100-meter relay team, seniors Sophia Allen, Williams, Holden, and Kowal took first place with a collective personal record of 48.98. Meanwhile, the girls’ 4×400-meter relay team raced unopposed and enjoyed hearing La Cañada cheer them on as they ran.
The boys’ side of the meet was much closer. The score went back and forth between both teams constantly, setting everyone on edge. Runners on the field and parents in the stands could be seen checking the score throughout the meet and chattering about the importance of the next race and their competitors’ statistics.
It was evident that both teams had put extreme thought into each entry, ensuring that they had their best foot forward in every event and statistically had the best chance of pulling out with a victory.
After a series of incredible performances by the Tigers, including a 10.9 second 100-meter dash by senior Aidan Chavez, and a personal record throw of 55’2’’ by junior Gavin Wernberg, the score was still as close as ever by the last event. The Tigers were ahead with 63 points, and the Spartans were close behind with 59 points. The result of the meet between rivals came down to the last event of the day, the 4×400-meter relay.
The crowd quieted down as the runners got into their blocks. The infield was filled with runners from both schools, with everyone ready to cheer their team to victory. The lead switched several times throughout the race. Finally, the last two runners were handed the baton. In the last 100 meters of the race, a runner from La Cañada was able to take the lead and secure the win for the Spartans. Less than a second divided the teams; the Spartans ran a 3:23.87 and the Tigers ran a 3:24.33.
The meet closed with the anything-but-a-baton relay, an annual track and field tradition where teams are able to get creative with what they use as a baton. Many teams competed in the lighthearted event, including one Tiger team whose baton of choice was an athlete in a dolly cart holding a selfie stick while one Spartan team raced with a pink American flag.
The Tigers’ quickly recovered for the Downey Invitational and, more notably, the TEN, featuring professional runners, Olympians, and top-tier high school distance athletes, on Saturday, March 28.