Athletes sparkle at 3 meets

Estancia High senior Ashley Rodriguez won the girls’ 400 meters and also ran a leg on the Eagles’ winning 1,600 relay team at the Cerritos Invitational on Saturday at Cerritos College.

Rodriguez teamed with Jennifer Thomas, Korina Rios and Alexa Aquilar for a time of 4 minutes, 32 seconds in the relay. Rodriguez’s winning time in the 400 was 1:03.41.

Estancia senior Ryan Whites won the boys’ 300 intermediate hurdles (40.6) and was second in the 110 high hurdles (15.4) at the same meet.

At the Irvine Invitational on Saturday at Irvine High, Newport Harbor High’s Taylor Bryson topped the field in the girls’ 1,600. Her time of 5:09.74 was a personal record. Bryson was also second in the 800 in 2:23.40.

Melissa Mead was second in the girls’ 1,600 in 5:13.86, while senior Kenny Rakestraw was second in the boys 3,200, clocking a PR of 9:34.3. Rakestraw was also fifth in the 1,600 in 4:26.8.

Also at the Cerritos Invitational, Estancia’s Thomas added strong showings in three individual events to her winning relay contribution. Thomas was second in the 400 in 1:05.37, second in the 300 hurdles (51.74) and third in the 100 hurdles (20.01).

Aguilar was second in the 800 and 1,600, posting times of 2:30.89 and 5:34, respectively.

Rios was seventh in the 3,200 and eighth in the 1,600. Her times were 12:46.14 and 5:58, respectively.

In additional competition at the Arcadia Invitational on Saturday at Arcadia High, Corona del Mar’s Nichole Slykhous was 11th in the girls’ open mile. Her time was 5:11.85.

Corona del Mar’s Allison Damon was 18th in the girls’ open 800. Her time was 2:20.45.

The CdM boys’ distance medley relay team of Tommy Hutcheson, Max Page, Brian Licorsh and Tim Scott combined for a time of 10:50.45, which was good for ninth place.

On Friday night at Arcadia, Newport Harbor’s Jessica Robson finished eight in the school division long jump with a mark of 16-6 3/4 .