Oaks Christian and Oak Park will bring athletes with some of the top marks in the state to the 92nd Russell Cup track and field meet at Carpinteria’s Memorial Stadium on Saturday.
The meet features schools in CIF Division 4. One of the many Olympic champions who competed in the meet in recent years is Allyson Felix, who ran for L.A. Baptist in 2003.
The first event is at 9:30 a.m.
Oak Park, the defending boys and girls sweepstakes champion, has one of the top pole vaulters in Connor Stark. He ranks third in the state at 16-1. Cameron Lewis has clocked 22.40 in the 200.
On the girls side for the Eagles, Sydney Lewis has a 12.4 100 meters, ranking her 11th in the state.
The weather is expected to be warm for the meet, which is good news for sprinters.
Oaks Christian comes to the Russell Cup with stable of fast runners, who are coached by former 100-meter world record holder Maurice Greene.
Sophomore Vinnie Saucer is a threat to break the meet (10.84) and stadium (10.59) records in the 100 meter His season-best time of 10.69 is the sixth fastest in the state. He won the 100 at the Santa Barbara Easter Relays.
Niko DiMartino has clocked 49.60 in the 400. He set the meet record in the 200 last year at 21.89. Oaks Christian’s 4×100 relay team has a best time of 42.20, ranking it 10th in the state. The Russell Cup record is 43.54 set by Carpinteria in 1970.
The Oaks Christian girls include Danni Alakija, who’s run 24.98 in the 200, and Lauren Anderson, who’s gone 36-1.25 in the triple jump. The Lions’ relay teams are listed in the top 25 in the state.
Locally, Santa Ynez and St. Joseph have athletes with marks among the state’s best. The Pirates’ Connor Reck has run 1:55.89 in the 800 and the 4×400 relay team has a best time of 3:24.73. A showdown with Oaks Christian (3:26.33) should be a highlight of the meet.
St. Joseph basketball star Allie Beebe is one of the top high jumps in Division 4 with a season-best of 5-4. The Knights also have an outstanding triple jumper in Kelly Jarrett, whose gone 40-2.75.
Carpinteria athletes expected to challenge for Russell Cup titles are hurdlers Shelby Dunlap and David Cornejo and pole vaulter Kelsey Drain.
