Centaurs’ teams have busy spring break

Photo by George Laase ACCESS DENIED: Senior Price Campbell blocks the plate as he tags out JB Guytow of South Torrance during a recent game at Culver City.

While the rest of the students at Culver City High School are on spring break, several of the athletic teams continue to compete. Boys and girls’ track and field, boys’ baseball, girls’ softball and girls’ lacrosse will all be playing games during the next two weeks.

The track and field teams will compete at the Mira Costa Mustang Relays Saturday at Mira Costa High School.  The all day meet starts at 9 a.m.

“The track and field teams are improving every week,” said Centaur head coach Jahmal Wright.  “Some of our runners are doing an excellent job.”

Two of those runners are Cahlil Hooper, who runs the boys’ 100-, 200-meters and both sprint relays, and Joylyn Dailey, who competes in the girls 100-, 200-meters and both sprint relays.  They both have recorded some of the fastest times in the state in the 200 meters.  Last Saturday at the California Relays at Cerritos College in Norwalk, Hooper ran 22.03 and Dailey ran 24.84, which placed them near the top of the list in California. Both runners are also part of their very fast 4×100 and 4×400 relay teams.

Hooper and Dailey will lead a strong contingent of Culver City runners and jumpers at the Mustang Relays. Other Centaurs to watch on the boys’ team is Jarrett Anderson in the 100-meters and relays; Frederick Pondexter in the long jump and triple jump and freshman Samuel Robert in the 100- and 300-meter hurdles.

“Samuel has a lot of heart and he will do everything he can to help his team,” said Wright.

Nia Garcia, who won four events at the Culver City Relays two weeks ago, will be another girl to watch at the Mustang Relays.  Garcia will compete in the 100 and 300-meter hurdles, the long jump and the triple jump.

The 4-6 baseball team will host the 6-3 West Torrance Warriors on Friday at 3 p.m.  West Torrance is coached by Juan Cueva, who is the older brother of three former Culver City football and baseball stars, Vince, Alex and Chris.

On Saturday the Centaurs travel to Oxnard for an 11 a.m. contest and they continue on the road next week when they battle Warren High of Downey on Monday at 3 p.m. and Downey High on Tuesday at 3 p.m.

The girls’ softball team will travel to Beverly Hills on Saturday. On Wednesday April 1, the girls’ lacrosse team will travel to Beverly Hills for a 4:30 p.m. game. When spring break is over the boys’ lacrosse team will host Palos Verdes Peninsula on April 8 and the boys’ volleyball team will travel to Lawndale for a 3 p.m. match in its second Ocean League game on April 9. Game times for the softball and the boys’ lacrosse games were not available at press time.