Top track and field talent to compete at Camarillo Classic
Thirty-one teams will make the trek to ACHS
By Thomas Gase tgase@theacorn.com

WENDY PIERRO/Acorn Newspapers AIRBORNE- Camarillo High senior Tyler Brown takes flight during a boys' varsity long jump competition Wednesday at Rio Mesa High. Athletes from Los Angeles and Ventura counties will compete today and Saturday at the Camarillo Classic at ACHS.

Some of the best track and field athletes around will compete at Camarillo High this weekend when the school hosts its 14th annual Camarillo Classic Invitational Track and Field Meet and Distance Relays.

The meet will feature a total of 31 schools, including locals Camarillo, Rio Mesa, Thousand Oaks, Moorpark, Newbury Park and Simi Valley. Strong outoftown schools such as Arroyo Grande, Foothill and Santa Barbara will also be in attendance. Approximately 2,500 athletes will compete.

"The Invitational is good because it features strong competition from all over Southern California," Rio Mesa head coach Brian Fitzgerald said. "After a while you get sick of competing against the same schools. This meet offers more than that.

"We also compete in the event because the people that put it together do a very good job, and the meet always runs very smoothly."

The meet is different from Royal's Twilight Invitational that was held last week in that not everyone gets a chance to compete.

"This meet is strictly for the top athletes," Camarillo head track and field coach and meet director Mike Smith said. "Teams will be trying to get fast early times so they can go on and qualify for meets in Arcadia and Mt. SAC later in the year."

Some of the top squads that will compete include Rio Mesa's 4x100 relay teams. The girls' team, consisting of juniors Takiyah Cotton, Mariyah Lee and Saraina Hedgepeth along with freshman Valexia Droughn, ran a 48:61 in the Spartans' league meet against Camarillo on Wednesday.

"Our girls' team is one of the fastest we've ever had," Fitzgerald said. "Droughn is only a freshman, but already she's been an impact newcomer and one of the fastest runners in the county."

The RMHS boys' 4x100 team, consisting of seniors Jerell Thomas, Quentin Greenlaw and Sean Alfino along with sophomore Steven Richards, should be one to watch as well.

The defending girls' champ in the Marmonte League, Moorpark High, will also be attending. New head coach Mark Jaeckel said he's thrilled for Moorpark to finally have a chance to take part.

"This is the first time in a while that we've had this week open," Jaeckel said.

"This is mainly an early season meet for us just to see where we're at. We have a large number of girls that are just now joining the team since the soccer squad went far into the postseason. So this will give us a chance to see who else can shine for us this year."

One of the girls Jaeckel is looking forward to watching is Rachel Olinyk.

"I'm really excited to see where Olinyk's at," Jaeckel said. "She had a good year last season, and I'm expecting big things from her this year. Olinyk will run in the 100-meter dash, the high jump and triple jump.

"Our hurdles runners, Rachel Burns, Max Dyce and Cole Hunter, should be a thrill to watch, also."

The distance relays will begin at 5 p.m. today, while the Invitational starts Saturday at 9 a.m.