The most accomplished athlete on the Culver City High School track and field team only wanted to skip and a jump as a freshman. Lucas Nozick said he would run the 110 meter high hurdles only, and he did so in a pedestrian best of 20.71.
But, in his sophomore year he had a breakthrough, running 15.67 and winning the Ocean League frosh/soph title, according to Centaur distance run and hurdle coach Tom Fritzius, who has mentored Nozick the past four years.
Nozick lowered his personal record to 15.04 in his junior campaign, winning the Ocean League varsity title, the Nike/Redondo Invitational, the South Bay Championships and the Mustang relays.
This past season Lucas became the complete athlete, branching out to the 300 meter hurdles, the 400 meter dash, and the 4×400 meter relay. He repeated his league championship in the 110 meter high hurdles and also won the championship in the 300 meter hurdles. He ran on the league champion 4×400 meter relay team. And, in the 400 meter dash at the Ocean League prelims he set a personal best, running 49.60, the fastest qualifying time of the meet.
Lucas set Culver City High School records in the 100 meter high hurdlers (14.52), and in the 300 meter hurdles (38.18).
In the 4×400 meter really he ran his leg in a personal record 48.7 at the Mt Sac Invitational and 48.80 on at the CIF finals where the relay team won the division 2 title.
Nozick will attend Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, but may halt his athletic career, according to Fritzius. He has been accepted into an accelerated program in engineering.
Freshman Esmeralda Sandoval and sophomore Lauren Kelly exchanged record-setting performances in the 3200 meters.
Sandoval, who is the daughter of Venice High School track and cross country coach Vidal Sandoval, ran 12:57 in the 3200 meters at the Nike/Redondo Invitational which at that time was the fastest 3200 meters run by any lady Centaur since Anniya Louis broke the mark with a time of 13:04 in 2004. Kelly surpassed this time running 12:52 in the South Bay Championships at West Torrance High School. Sandoval recaptured the title a few days later, running 12:35 in the Ocean League finals at Beverly Hills High School, taking second in the frosh/soph girls division. Sandoval ran a personal best 5:51 that day in the 1600 meters finishing fifth in the frosh/soph division. In that same meet, sophomore rookie Sage Sim-Bleser ran the 800 meters in a personal best 2:35 in the prelims and 2:36 in the finals finishing sixth in the frosh/soph girls division.
“Those three first year runners, Esmeralda, Lauren and Sage, had excellent seasons and they are just learning,” said Fritizius.
Seniors Jeffrey Asai and Cody Lewis led the way for the distance running boys, noted Fritzius.
Asai, a 4 year letterman, set a personal mark in the 1600 (4:57) at Santa Monica, then surpassed that two weeks later with a new record (4:56) in the Ocean League Finals. Lewis, who last year a year as a junior ran a personal best in the 1600 of 4:37, focused on the 800 meters, running a sub 2:05 six times during the year including a personal best 2:00 in the Ocean League Finals. He finished second in the varsity race.
Asai is going to the University of Colorada, and will sideline his running career. Cody Lewis plans on attending Santa Monica College and participate on an athletic team, noted Fritzius.
Freshman Chris Goodwin ran the 3200 meters in a personal record 11:47 in the South Bay Championships.
The biggest surprise was junior Jonathan Moniz who until mid year had been running the 800 and 1600 meters in good, but mid pack times. Halfway through the season, Centaur coaches converted him to the 200 meters, 400 meters, and the 4×400 meter relay and the results were impressive.
He won the open 400 meters (50.77) in the South Bay Championships. In his leg of the 4×400 meter relay he had three sub 50 second runs including a personal record 49.09 in the CIF Finals at Mt. Sac. He finished third in the 200 and 400 meters at the Ocean League finals. His time of 22.55 in the 200 meters at the CIF prelims was a personal best.
Sprinters Anthony Luckett and Kenia Bonilla, mentored by head coach Jahmal Wright, had excellent seasons.
Inez Alverez is going to attend Santa Monica College and will be a member of its cross country and track program
Sho Harikawa is going to UC Santa Barbara. Valedictorian Sam Cappoli is going to Cal Berkeley.
