On Saturday morning, while most kids were still sleeping, 34 youth athletes from Santa Barbara drove down to their first track and field meet against three other youth clubs at Rio Mesa High School.
The Santa Barbara Running Association Island Foxes Track Club started training this spring in all track and field events at San Marcos High School.
Not only did the Island Foxes make friends with the other athletes from Ojai, Oxnard, and Conejo Valley, they also had their first chance to compete against these other clubs.
Saturday’s meet included approximately 200 youth athletes from four Ventura County Youth Track Conference clubs. The Santa Barbara Island Foxes is the newest Conference club member.
In the Gremlin division, Riley Vernon won the girls 100m in a time of 19.07 and won the 200m in a time of 42.24. Leo Schultheis won the boys 100m in a time of 20.24 and the boys 400m in a time of 1:39.60.
In the Bantam division, Cody Vernon secured a second place finish for the Island Foxes in the boys 400m in a time of 1:24.40 and was part of the second place 4x100m relay team along with his teammates Carter Gustason, Jayden Jacobs, and Owen Kizor.
In the Juniors division, Robbie Fitzgibbons won the 3200m in an astounding time of 10:57. On the girls side, Georgia Smith won the 1600m with an impressive time of 7:09 with her sister, Ivy Smith, close behind for second place at 7:10.
The Island Foxes brought home a first place finish in the 4x100m Junior Girls Relays with a team comprised of Ivy Smith, Catalina Frierson, Georgia Smith and Keylee Papac with a time of 67.74.
The Island Foxes had another pair of first place winners in both the 100m and 200m events in the Juniors division, where Keylee Papac ran a blazing 14.09 to win the girls 100m and 31.27 to win the 200m, and Elijah Briner won the boys 100m in 13.96 and the 200m in 29.07.
The Foxes continued its success in the Youth/Intermediate division, with Tadhg Abbott winning the 400m with a time of 63.70.
Island Fox Coach Evan Covell reflected “We had so many great results with our young athletes bravely trying new events, practicing sportsmanship and learning how to work hard!”
Next up the Island Foxes will send their athletes in grades 5-8 to compete next weekend in Lompoc at the Tournament of Champions.
All area youth are invited to join in track and field fun at the All County Youth Track and Field meet to be held at Santa Barbara City College on May 3, 2025 hosted by Club West and the Island Foxes, go to SBRUNNING.ORG for more information!