The Poly track and field team ended the season with impressive streaks in CIF-SS Prelims although they fall short in advancing to CIF-SS Finals. Starting strong in the Prep League Prelims, junior Terrance McElrath took first place in the 400-meter dash and 200-meter dash, with junior Simon Zernicki-Glover and senior Sanjay Robles coming in sixth and ninth. In the 200-meter dash, sophomore Carolyn Wang, senior Bianca Howitt and junior Catie Sabbag came in seventh, eighth and twelfth place respectfully.
When Prep League Finals came around, McElrath achieved first place in both the 400-meter and 200-meter dashes while sophomore Catherine McFarlane came first in the triple jump and second in long jump; additionally, Zernicki-Glover placed second in the 400-meter dash. Subsequently, McElrath and McFarlane qualified for CIF-SS Prelims where they competed at Carpinteria High School on Saturday, May 4.
Unfortunately, despite immense efforts made by the athletes, the Panthers fell short at advancing to the CIF-SS Finals, putting an end to their season. The standout aspect of the track and field team is the incredible work ethic of every athlete. Sophomore Matteo Mazzie, who ran the 1600-meter and 3200-meter races, said, “It was a collective effort. I received guidance from not only coaches but also teammates who wanted to see everyone succeed.”
Through guidance and support from their teammates partnered with their own efforts, athletes saw huge improvements in their events. Mazzie shared, “One of my proudest moments was achieving a huge PR in the 1600m race, seeing all that work contribute to something real and measurable.”
The team’s success was buttressed by the supportive environment captains Sabbag and sophomore Hudson Yen cultivated. Freshman Eden Stern, who ran the 100 and 200-meter sprint as well as the 4×100 relay, stated, “Each of the team captains had roles they were all very good at, passing their knowledge to the freshman on the team. Team captain Hudson taught me his way of starting a sprint and helped me PR in my 100-meter sprint.”
This culture of mentorship and teamwork was crucial for the athletes’ development. Head coach Dwayne Miller expressed his satisfaction with the team’s performance as well as his hopes and aspirations for next year’s season. “Our team performed well.” Miller said. “There were a few stand-out athletes and a few even made it to CIF, which is awesome. I look forward to the 2025 season with high expectations of a larger team and getting the work in so we finish the season strong and healthy.”
As the track and field season comes to an end, both coaches and players are optimistic about the future. Looking forward to building on their current success with a bigger team next season, the Panthers are bound to break down standing obstacles.
