Dolphins Back on Track at City Finals

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

Lucas Schriver spent most of the spring wondering if he would even have an opportunity to win a City title his last year at Palisades.

Turns out, he pulled off one of the toughest doubles there is, winnng the 1600 and 3200 meter races in last Wednesday’s City Track and Field Championships at Birmingham High in Lake Balboa.

Schriver let Marshall’s Clark Reynolds set the pace in the 1600 before making his move coming out of the final turn and winning  by one second in 4:26.29.

“I usually go out fast and die in the third or fourth lap so this time I played it more strategically,” said Schriver, who is headed to UC Santa Cruz. “I didn’t want to get get boxed in. I could hear Coach Rob [Hockley] yelling “Push now!” on the last lap and I thought this is my chance. I wanted to win at least one of my races so getting the first one allowed me to relax a little more in the second one.” 

Ninety minutes later Schriver led for all eight laps in the 3200  and won in 9:51.42. Four seconds behind was Pali High teammate Max Fields, a freshman who was also fourth in the 1600 and aspires to fill Schriver’s shoes in the distance events the next few years.

Palisades’ 4×100 relay opened the meet by taking third, then sophomore Amari Yolas, who also played baseball, won the 100-meter dash in a personal-best 11.29 seconds to edge Carson’s Lavell Sowell (11.34) and Palisades teammate Joseph Thornton (11.36).   

“This was one of my best get-outs so far,” said Yolas, whose previous PR was 11.31 on May 25. It helped having Joseph by my side. I wanted to win, whatever my time.”

Thornton took second in the 200-meter dash (22.53) and third in the long jump (21-1), Thomas Kuc was fourth in the triple jump (37-5) and the Dolphins ran fourth in the 4×400 relay in 3:40.47.  

In the girls finals the next night Miranda Schriver sought to match what her twin brother did 24 hours earlier. She came up short in the 1600, finishing second to Santee’s Norma Alvarez in 5:18.20, but she ended her prep career on a strong note, leading from start to finish in the 3200 and winning in 11:54.60.

“I miss not having her (Sarah Bentley, now at MIT) to pace off and run with,’ aid Schriver, who will run at Penn next year. “I’m sure I’ll hear it from my brother for the 16, but I’m glad I redeemed myself in the 32.”

Gabrielle Ligon (15.99) was third in the 100 hurdles and second in the 300 hurdles (47.35), Eva Walker was fourth in the 400 (2:26.08) and the 4×400 relay was third in 4:16.78.