Golden Valley Grizzlies track and field picked up another Foothill League win on Thursday after a dual meet at Valencia.
The Golden Valley boys team won 70-37 while the Grizzlies’ girls won 75-33.
Sophomore Addae Ma’at finished first among all jumpers in the triple and high jump. Ma’at reached 38 feet, 7 inches in the triple, while clearing the 5-foot, 10-inch pole in the high jump.
Grizzlies sophomore Kamal Molake had the longest leap in the long jump with a mark of 19 feet, 2 inches.
The Golden Valley jumps team is full of sophomores, who already are taking the Foothill League by storm.
“Our boys’ jump squad is young and full of potential,” said Grizzlies head coach Megan Cooper via email. “We have sophomores Kamal Molake, Esaias Ellis and Addae Ma’at all excelling at the varsity level.”
Junior Antonio Moore hit new personal best times in the 110-meter and 300-meter hurdles. Moore has been consistently picking up big points for the Grizzlies in his first year of varsity. Moore finished the 110 in 18.43 seconds and topped the 300 in 45.94 seconds.
Valencia senior Tyler Thompson picked up a ton of points with wins in the 100- and 200-meter dash and the 4×100.
Thompson topped the 100 in 11.33 seconds and the 200 in 22.85 seconds. Thompson ran with Mateo Arambula, Symeon Wilkins and freshman Brian Bonner in the group’s 45.11-second first-place finish in the 4×100.
Junior Ayden Buchanan won the boys’ 800-meter run with a 2-minute, 2.03-second finish.
On the girls’ side, Golden Valley freshman Noa Prothais won the 400-meter dash with a new personal record of 59.06 seconds. Prothais also helped the 4×400-meter dash team secure first place, with a 4 minute, 20.52 second finish, running with Audrey Tait, Makaiya Cortinas and Katelyn Catu.
Tait also picked up a win in the 4×100, running with Nyah Fields, Stephanie Leyva and Breelyn Newsom.
“This girls 4×100 team has worked super hard,” Cooper said. “They communicate very well and that is key to being a successful relay. Very young but aren’t afraid of a challenge.”
Freshman Marley Scoggins again took first in both the 100 and 200. Scoggins finished the 100 in 12.42 seconds and the 200 in 26.12 seconds.
Sophomore Kiera Donovan didn’t crack her personal best in throws but still launched a 33-foot, 3-inch throw in shot put. Donovan is right in the heels of CIF champion Laura Brennan of Hart. The two will likely meet a handful of times in the postseason.
Valencia’s Kamryn Grossman won the girls’ 800 after a 2 minute and 26.18 second finish. Ava Francis also picked up a win in the 100-meter hurdles with an 18.11-second mark.
The Grizzlies return to league action on Thursday when the team hosts Canyon at 3 p.m. Valencia will also resume league play on Thursday when the Vikings head to West Ranch.
“It was a good meet,” Cooper said. “Our kids came out to compete. This team wants to work, wants to be competitive. They want to keep the school track history going and they won’t let anything stop them.”
