[img]2595|right|Ashley Curenton||no_popup[/img]Five student-athletes from the West Los Angeles College’s track and field team, including two who earned state champion titles, were named to the U. S. Community College Track Coaches Assn. All-American team for community colleges. Earlier this season, the Wildcats men’s and women’s teams finished second in the competitive Western State Conference. Both West L.A. College programs have placed first or second every year since 2009. They have won seven team titles and 68 individualchampionships.
The All-Americans are Dylan Alexander, 5,000 meter state champion, and Ashlie Curenton, long jump state champ. Also honored were the women’s 4×100 relay team, Shadonna Hunter, Mariah Richards-Maynard, Taji McKinley and Ms. Curenton.
At the state meet at Mt. San Antonio College, Ms Curenton won the title with a school record leap of 20 feet, 6½ inches in the long jump. Not to be outdone, the men earned a state championship in the 5,000 meters. Mr. Alexander ran the 3.1 mile distance in 14:41.45, a school record. The two West stars were named Western State Conference female and male Athletes of the Year. They were among 20 student athletes named to the all-conference team.
The Women’s Side
The ladies 4×1 quartet, Western State Conference champs and SoCal runnersup, placed third at state. All four ladies were named to the all-conference team. Ms. Hunter (long jump, 100, triple jump), Ms. McKinley (400), and Ms. Curenton (long jump, 100, 200), teamed up with Keishonda Rose (400) to win the conference 4×400 relay title, taking conference top honors. In addition to the 4×100, sophomore Ms. Richards-Maynard was named all-conference team for the 100 hurdles, 400 hurdles, and triple jump along with Frances Barnes in the pole vault. Susana Usher was named to the second team in the 400 hurdles, and triple jump, as was Makenna Powell (pole vault).
Kailah Padgett (high jump) and Yaminah Edwards were named to the honorable mention team.
On the Men’s Side
All-conference first team selections for the West L.A. men, along with Mr. Alexander, included relay specialists Darien Richardson, Johnathan Douglas, Venzel Rucker, Terrynce Duke, Celestine Ikechi, Byran Lowery and Kenneth Beaumont-Russell. Mr. Duke (high jump and long jump), Mr. Lowery (400 hurdles), Mr. Richardson (110 hurdles), and Mr. Ikechi (long jump) as were also named first team as individuals, in addition to Adrian Galindo (pole vault) and SoCal champ DeAndre Miller (triple jump, 49 feet, ¾-inch).
The second team included Jude Olear (triple jump), Julio Romero and Issac Ortega (steeplechase), DeAnthony Evans (discus), and Lawrence Mendenhall (110 hurdles). Rounding out the Wildcat honorees with honorable mention all-conference honors were hurdler Jurnee Gibson, 400 meter runner Teyler Walker-Devine, vaulter Alex Sullivan, and multi-event athlete Tyler Bodison.
Twenty West L.A. College athletes earned all-conference honors.
Ms. Long-Coffee may be contacted at LongCofm@wlac.edu
