Long Beach Wilson girls three-peat to achieve sixth title in program history, Servite boys win first state track and field championship

CLOVIS – The boys and girls team champions Saturday at the CIF State Track and Field Championships were two programs that are in very different chronological points in their success.

First, there’s the Long Beach Wilson girls, who won the title for the third straight year relying on a team loaded with talented seniors.

And then there’s the Servite boys, who burst onto the scene this year with a team comprised primarily of freshmen who could be at the beginning of a dynasty.

Post-event interviews

Wilson won with 46 points, beating out Moore League rival Long Beach Poly as well as Corona Santiago, which tied for second place at 28 points.

The Bruins are the first girls program to win three straight titles since Long Beach Poly 2008-11. Berkeley (1981-83) is the only other program in the history of the girls state meet – which began in 1974 – to win three consecutive team championships.

Long Beach Wilson became the first girls program to win at least three consecutive state track and field titles since Long Beach Poly from 2008-11 | Greg Smotherman photo

The Bruins capped their team title in the same fashion they did last year by winning the 4×400-meter relay, this time in 3:36.75, their best mark this season and No. 6 all-time in the state. Only the 2001 lineup that clocked 3:35.72 and the 1998 quartet that ran 3:36.32 have posted faster 4×400 performances for the Bruins.

“It feels great, three years in a row,” said junior Brooke Blue, who ran the leadoff leg on the 4×400 relay. “To say that we did it is really a blessing.”

Long Beach Wilson secured its sixth girls state championship, second all-time in California prep history behind Long Beach Poly’s 15 titles.

“I think our team is very big on trusting each other,” senior Kaylin Edwards said. “We just know when we step out, our teammates are going to do their best. For us, it’s calming that not everything is put on one person.”

Two of the four members of the 4×400 relay are seniors: Edwards and Alene Washington. But freshman Brooklyn Fowler ran Edwards’ leg in Friday night’s prelims and the Bruins were still the top qualifier for finals.

Wilson also got points from Edwards in the 100 hurdles (third, 13.79) and 300 hurdles (second, 40.61), sophomore Shirayah Lewis-Williams in the 800 (fifth, 2:09.42), sophomore Saniah Varnado in the 300 hurdles (sixth, 41.84), the 4×800 relay (fourth, 8:59.02), with senior Loren Webster repeating as state champion in the long jump with a wind-legal effort of 21-0.25 (6.40m).

Saniah Varnado anchored Long Beach Wilson to back-to-back state titles in the 4×400-meter relay in 3:36.75 | Greg Smotherman photo

Servite, meanwhile, burst onto the scene with a 4×100 relay team that set a new state record with a 40.00 performance at the 57th Arcadia Invitational in April and started Saturday’s meet by clocking 40.27, just 0.03 seconds behind the state meet record set in 1989.

All four members of Servite’s championship 4×100 relay lineup are freshmen: Jace Wells, Jaelen Hunter, Kamil Pelovello and Jorden Wells.

The two races at the state meet, including Friday’s prelims, were the only occasions this year Servite used that exact lineup. 

“I’ve known all these boys since we were little kids,” said Pelovello, who ran the third leg. “So, I feel like we had the chemistry already, so even if we don’t have our legs, we have each other.”

Servite finished with 33 points to secure the first team championship in school history, edging out Clovis North, which had a combined three individual titles from McKay Madsen and Conor Lott to finish with 30 points.

Conor Lott won the 1,600 state title, with McKay Madsen repeating in the discus throw and shot put to help Clovis North place second as a boys team with 30 points | Photo courtesy of Clovis North

Other scorers for Servite included Hunter in the 400 (second, 46.65), sophomore Benjamin Harris in the 100 (second, 10.31), the 4×400 relay (third, 3:09.46) and Jace Wells in the 200 (eighth, 21.19). 

No one would be surprised with such a young, deep roster if Servite became the first back-to-back boys state champions since Vista Murrieta in 2015-16 with an encore performance next season.