Tri-Valley League Championships

The Lions concluded a highly successful League campaign by capturing a League Championship and qualifying 28 athletes for the CIF prelims - 15 boys and 13 girls.

Leading the way for the boys were Jules Sharpe, Hunter Hays and Charlie Petrie. Jules captured 1st's in the HJ (6-08 1/4 League Record), the Triple Jump (46-05 1/4 League and School records), a 2nd in the LJ and a 3rd in the 4x400 relay. Hunter won the 800 (2:00.45), barely missed 1st (by .5 seconds) in the 1600 (4:28.67) and was part of the 3rd place 4x400 relay. Charlie won a stirring 3200 (9:34.5) over nemesis James Goldstein of Oak Park (9:34.81) who had earlier edged Hunter in the 1600. Noteworthy in Hunter's race was his negative splitting the final 800 (2:21 first 800, 2:07 second 800). And Charlie - after dueling James for 7 laps it came down to who had the most left. Charlie proved himself with a final lap of 60 seconds coming from behind before surging to victory in the final meter to win over Goldstein. Anchored by these solid performances, the Varsity Boys finished 2nd with 119 points to Oak Park (147) for the Team Title.

Other notable marks were: Brian Owusu (100 3rd 11.29), Niko Dimartino (LJ 1st 22-05 1/2), Scott Arellano (LJ 4th 20-02), Paul Vozzo (PV 8th 11-06), and Erik Kohler (Discus 4th 129-09).

On the girls side, Ally Courtnall led the way for the 1st time TRI VALLEY LEAGUE CHAMPION Lions with a 1st in the 100 (12.55), a 1st in the 200 (breaking her own recently established school record with a 25.55) and being a part of the 2nd place 4x100 and 4x400 relays. Lauren Anderson won the TJ (33-04) and finished 2nd in the HJ (5-00). Brianna Barrett was 3rd in the 100 (12.70) and 200 (26.26) as well as being a part of the 2nd place 4x100 and 4x400 relays. Annalise Bachman was another multiple event contributor with her 2nd place finish in the TJ (32-09), her 3rd place in the HJ (5-00) and her 5th place tie with Hanna Packham in the PV (8-02). Niki MacWhirter was also a multiple event contributor with a 4th place finish in the 800 (setting a new personal best of 2:23.28) and being a part of the 4x400 relay. Senior Stephanie Armstrong closed out her OC career with a 2nd place finish (by 2 inches) in the discus (98-05). Every point was needed by the girls who edged out La Reina by 1/3 point (135.34 to 135) to capture OC's first TRI VALLEY LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP.

Other notable marks were: Megan Huning (400 2nd 1:02.82), Imogen Browder (PV 3rd 8-08), Hannah Packman (PV 5t 8-02), and Erin Triplett (PV 8th 8-02).

The FROSH/SOPH BOYS finished a respectable 3rd with 95 points in the race for the team title. Stephen Cooper set PR's in the 3200 (11:05) and the 1600 (5:00). Vince Colarossi ran under 5:00 for the 1st time with a 4:57.

The GIRLS FROSH/SOPH team finished 5th with 36 points.

OC could have a fine showing at CIF if our qualifiers make it through prelims and do well in the Finals. Our CIF qualifiers are:

BOYS

Scott Arellano LJ, alt 4x400
Austin Buccieri alt 4x100
Niko DiMartino LJ, 4x100, 4x400
Hunter Hays 1600, 800, 4x400
Erik Kohler Discus
Tyler McGrath 4x400
Nick Nugwynne 4x100
Brian Owusu 100, 4x100, 4x400
Charlie Petrie 3200
Jules Sharpe HJ, TJ
Mitchells Shelby alt 4x100
Trey Smith HJ, alt 4x400
Allen Stevens TJ
James Thomas alt 4x100
Paul Vozzo PV

GIRLS

Stephanie Armstrong Discus
Lauren Anderson TJ, HJ
Kim Andrews alt 4x100
Annalise Bachman TJ, HJ, PV
Brianna Barrett 100, 200, 4x100, 4x400
Imogen Browder PV
Ally Courtnall 100, 200, 4x100, 4x400
Megan Huning 400, 4x400
Niki MacWhirter 800, 4x400
Hannah Packman PV
Jennifer Philen 4x100, alt 4x400
Karli Postel 4x100, alt 4x400
Erin Triplett PV

Championship Season Begins

This is what it is all about...

Fri, May 1,2009

Moorpark HS - Every high school season can be broken down in to different seasons. The winter season is primarily conditioning practices. Then the regular season where the dual meets and invitationals take place. But most important is the championship season. For some athletes the championship season may only be a week long for some it stretches 6-10 weeks. The Ventura County Championships acts as a prologue or opening ceremonies to the championships. After the VCC comes the Tri-Valley League Championships, CIF Southern Section Div 4 Championships, the Southern Section Master's Championships, the California State Championships and for some the National Championships. Each successive meet more important the the one before all the while facing elimination which would bring a conclusion to the season.

If the Ventura County Championships acts as a prologue then the OC Lions looks poised for a successful run in the championships. 1 Ventura County record, 3 Ventura County Titles, 8 OC school records, 24 personal best marks (plus 5 season best marks) in 36 events contested.

Jules Sharpe has made a habit of stealing the show and he made no exception at the VCC. winning 2 Ventura County Titles. Jules won the high jump for the second year in a row then added a triple jump title to his resume and then took second in the long jump runner up setting the OC record in the process. Jules' triple jump mark of 44-9.75 was a personal best by more than 2 ft and ranks him as the county leader. He also is the county leader in the high jump.

Before Jules got to work the VCC began with the girls invitational 4x800m. OC toed the line with three of last year's defending championship team. Junior Fallon Cislo led off with the second fastest 800 of her career and seasonal best time of 2:28. Sophomore Cristina Garcia took the baton and ran straight into the led with a second best lifetime and season best 2:31. Junior Niki MacWhirter extended the team's lead with her second best lifetime and seasonal mark of 2:26. Freshman Megan Huning anchored the effort with a 9 second personal best 2:34 improving on her previous best mark set two days earlier. The girls ran an official time of 10:00.38 to break their own Ventura County record and OC school record from last year's championship.

The boys invitational 4x800m was the next race on the track and OC fielded 2 freshmen and 2 sophomores who took down the OC BFS record taking 18 seconds off the old record held by Charlie Petrie, Hunter Hays, Ethan Long and Justin Sullivan.

The next race for the Lions was the girls invitational 4x100m. Senior Jennifer Philen, sophomore Ally Courtnall, senior Karli Postel and freshman Brianna Barrett became the first team in OC history to go under the 50 second barrier placing 3rd at the VCC's which was also a OC best. The girls set the OC record at 49.54 to earn All Ventura County Honors and are ranked 3rd in the county.

Hunter Hays was next to perform and set an OC record when he posted a 4:26 in the boys invitational 1600m. Hunter later ran a season best 2:03.30 on the 800m

The girls seeded 100IH featured the next OC performer where senior Lindsay Cooper ran away with the heat victory and the OC record posting a 16.38. The old record of 16.51 was held by Amanda Lompart.

The sixth consecutive OC race run resulted itself in the sixth consecutive OC record broken. In the invitational 100m both Ally Courtnall and Brianna Barrett dipped under the existing OC record. Ally's 12.25 replaces Whitney Acton's former record of 12.63. Brianna moves into the #2 spot in OC history with a 12.62. Brianna also set a personal best in the long jump at 16-3.

Later in the evening Ally would take down another OC record (third of the night) with a 25.12 in the invitational 200m. This mark ranks her in the top 30 in the state of California and she is ranked 5th in the 100m and 7th in the 200m among sophomores in the state.

Other performers include Charlie Petrie, winner of the seeded 3200m in a season best 9:47, Allen Stevens (HJ, TJ, LJ), Trey Smith (HJ), Scott Arellano (SP), Brian Owusu running lifetime best 11.19, James Thomas (200m), Niki MacWhirter (800m), Fallon Cislo (800m), Cristina Garcia (3200m 12:05 SB), Emily Fuld (3200m 11:53.63 PR), Lauren Anderson (TJ), Annalise Bachman (HJ, TJ), Brittany Tayloe (PV, LJ), Erin Triplett, Pauls Vozzo and Imogen Browder in the pole vault, Kennedy Holt (SP), Stephenie Armstrong (SP, DT).

Tyler McGrath, Hunter Hays, Mitchell Shelby and James Thomas joined forces for the boys 4x400 while Ally, Brianna, Niki and Megan joined forces for the girls 4x400m.