Rauth Caps Big Day With Comeback

Becky Rauth of Harvard-Westlake High had every reason to celebrate after a record-setting performance in the 100-meter hurdles and 300 low hurdles Friday at the Mission League track and field finals at the University of La Verne.

But the freckle-faced senior saved her exultation until she had completed perhaps her most impressive feat of the afternoon.

That was in the 1,600 relay, when she overcame about a 40-meter deficit starting the anchor leg to pass Natalie Elias of Louisville and give Harvard-Westlake the victory in 4:15.50. She ran her 400 split in 56.9.

As far as Rauth was concerned, that was her highlight of the meet. Never mind that she established meet records of 15.07 in the 100 hurdles and 44.18 in the 300 hurdles, winning the 300 by more than four seconds.

“[The 1600 relay] was exciting because I got a [personal record] by three or four seconds,” she said. “We weren’t that excited about running it at first, but that’s where my competitiveness comes in.”

If that wasn’t enough, Rauth also ran the second leg on Harvard-Westlake’s 400 relay team that won in 48.85.

Sophomore Sierra Hauser-Price of Notre Dame set meet records of 12.02 in the 100 and 24.42 in the 200, and Priscilla Reynado of Flintridge Sacred Heart established a league record of 10-1 in the pole vault.

Despite a slight hamstring injury, Hauser-Price had little difficulty in the 100 or 200.

“My hamstring started hurting in the four by 100 and it’s still a little sore,” Hauser-Price said.

The injury forced her to sit out the 1,600 relay--and a matchup against Rauth. But she expects to be at full strength for the Southern Section Division III prelims Friday at Long Beach City College.

Another top performer among the girls was Notre Dame’s Latoya Washington, who won the shotput and discus.

The Knights also excelled in the boys’ meet, led by sprinter Todd Fenton. The senior, who starred at wide receiver last season and will attend Brown University in the fall, won the 100 in 11.18 and the 200 in 22.27.

Other winners for Notre Dame were Kevin Lelles in the 1,600 (4:27.44), Travis Johnson in the shotput (55-6 1/2) and Cody Pearson in the triple jump (41-4 1/2).

Crespi’s Brandon Riedl won the high jump with a leap of 6-4 and Jeff Arnold of St. Francis captured the 3,200 in 9:51.37.