By Leonard COUTIN

The fifth annual Burbank relays were held on Saturday at Memorial Stadium on the campus of Burroughs High School. Athletes from across Southern California area performed well in competition, both in the relays and individual running events. Schools with well-established running programs, like Agoura Hills, Saugus, Canyon, South Pasadena, as well as many from the Pacific League, were included. Both varsity and frosh-soph races were run throughout the day. Coaches Darin Wolf of Burbank High School and John Peebles of Burroughs High School were co-directors of the meet. Despite it being so early in the season, there were records that were set.

“I am very pleased with our performances in the first meet of the season,” said CVHS head coach Mark Evans. “For the boys, Roy Choe won the high jump at 6-2 and the long jump with a jump of 20-2. Both are big PRs [personal records] for him. Clair Schlueter had a second [place] in the long jump with a good early season mark of 17-0 and a second [place] in the 100 with a time of 13.10 into a strong head wind. Artin Allahverdian had a strong performance with a personal best 9:57.69 in the 3200 for second place. Overall a very good day.”

Allahverdian ran against Burroughs’ top runner Alexander Hirsch who ran 9:33.07.

The varsity girls took second in the 4 x 400 relay running 4:33.05.

The younger frosh-soph runners also performed well in the first meet of the season. Eliza Clark took the win in her heat of the 100H running 18.42 and also placed second in her heat of the 300H running 53.37. Jennifer Saengsri took second place in her heat of the 300H running 49.24, with teammate Kristina Carrillo capturing third (50.03). Vince Lieberman took third running for the first time in the 300H in 19:57. Jasmine Chin placed second in the girls’ 3200 running 13.28.30. Grant Lauterback placed third in the 3200 running 10:57.23. Eileen Walker faced her first high jump competition and won clearing 4’ 8” as well as taking third in the hurdles 100H running 19.84. Trinidy Charles placed second in the girls’ triple jump posting 30-10.

Record book entries came from superstar Tara Davis from Agoura High, who has repeatedly won the state competition in long jump, hitting her lifetime best mark outdoors (21-01). Already jumping a distance of 21-11 early this month in Texas in an indoor meet, Davis looks to be outstanding this year.

Burroughs’ Christian Valles and West Torrance’s Ryan Ausland tied with the same height in the pole vault at 14-3. Placement of win came down to least attempts at any height. Muir’s Micah Fulton made her way into the record books with a triple jump of 37-10.

CV will face Golden Valley High School in Santa Clarita today, Thursday at 3:15 p.m. and on Thursday, March 9 CV will host Pasadena and Hoover at 3:30 p.m.

  Leonard Coutin