The distance runners took charge for the Santa Barbara High boys track & field team in a close win over Lompoc in a double-dual meet that included Santa Ynez on Saturday at Peabody Stadium.
Santa Barbara’s boys edged Lompoc, 67-55, and beat Santa Ynez, 97-13. The girls won 94-25 over Santa Ynez and 100-29 against Lompoc.
“Our girls sprints and boys distance runners have been our strength all season and today was no different,” said coach Olivia Perdices.
The boys rode sweeps in the 3200 meters, 1600 and 800 to just edge Lompoc.
Oliver Levine (4:54.00), Alexander Tassos (4:54.98) and Colten McToldridge got things rolling with a sweep in the 1600. Blaise Snow (2:08.92), Andreas Dybdahl (2:09.68) and Colten McToldridge (2:31.09) followed in the 800.
In the 3200, Alexander Tassos (10:51.91), Levine (10:53.66) and Joseph Andrualitis (10:58.47) went 1-2-3.
“We were down going into the 3200 meters and that sweep flipped the score for us,” said Perdices. “We came in short a couple of big-point scoring guys who are quarantined with the basketball team, so I kinda put it on the boys distance squad to find us all the points they could. They really came through.”
Jack Ransdell added a pair of hurdle wins taking the 110-meter hurdles in 20.66 and 300-meter hurdles in 49.04. Drew DeLozier was another double winner with a personal best 55.66 in the 400 meters and ran the lead-off leg on the winning 4×400-meter relay (4:01.800. Andreas Dybdahl, Luke Fenton and Blaise Snow were the other members of team.
McToldridge picked up some key points with thirds in the 800 and 1600 and a second in the high jump.
The girls left no doubt, winning both relays and getting four wins from Mila Speer, three each from Zia Frausto, Anne Knecht and Clara Aviani and two each from Madison Tuckman and Arielle Feinberg.
The 4×100 relay quartet of Frausto, Speer, Knecht and Feinberg opened the day with a season best of 51.78. The 4×400 relay of Mackenna Show, Aviani, Feinberg and Knecht posted a time of 4:25.35.
“Our girls relays are doing a phenomenal job for us this year,” said Perdices.
Speer swept the jumps with a 4-7 high jump, 15-4 long jump and 32-7 triple jump. Frausto won the 100 and 200 meters (13.41 and 28.29) for the fourth straight dual and took second in the high jump at 4-5.
Aviani won the 800 (2:25.28) and 1600 (5:50.15) for the third straight meet, and Knecht made it four straight wins in the 400 meters in 1:02.68. Madison Tuckman took the 100 hurdles in 20.58 and 300 hurdles in 55.94.
“This group of girls just keeps coming through and winning races,” said Perdices. “They really understand how to compete and come into races with the attitude that they’re going to leave it all on the track.
“Both teams are unbeaten on their home track this year, which is a pretty nice way to open a new stadium.”
Santa Barbara is at Santa Ynez with Dos Pueblos and Santa Ynez next Saturday, May 1