Godin secures three golds to lead Mater Dei to first girls title since 2014, Dana Hills gets 32 points in distance events plus discus win from McKhann to secure first boys crown since 2011

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

The Mater Dei CA girls relied on sprints and jumps. The Dana Hills CA boys leaned on their distance runners and throwers.

Both groups added a relay victory for good measure and following a long day at Mission Viejo High, they shared the spotlight as team champions at the ASICS Orange County Championships.

Both teams had won four in a row during stretches in the past 11 years, but Mater Dei and Dana Hills also ended droughts with their titles Saturday.

Mater Dei leaned on senior Kelli Godin to prevail against Mission Viejo by a 69-60.5 margin and capture its first girls championship since winning four straight from 2011-14.

Dana Hills secured its boys title with a victory in the 4x400-meter relay in a meet-record 3 minutes, 16.80 seconds to clinch its first crown since a four-year streak from 2008-11 by defeating Mission Viejo 68-59.

INTERVIEWS | PHOTOS

Godin won the girls 100 in 12.02, the 200 in 24.88 and contributed to a 4x100 victory for the Monarchs in 47.74. She also added valuable points with a fourth-place finish in the long jump with a leap of 18-1.75 (5.53m), accounting for 27.5 toward Mater Dei’s team total.

Freshman Jade McDonald won the triple jump for the Monarchs with a leap of 39-4 (11.98m).

Despite Dana Hills winning the girls 4x400 in a meet-record 3:52.59, Mater Dei had already wrapped up the championship.

Capistrano Valley senior Haley Herberg and Santa Margarita senior Nikki Merritt were the only other female athletes besides Godin to win a pair of individual events,

Herberg doubled in the seeded 1,600 in 4:57.81 and 3,200 in 10:48.33. Merritt swept the 100 hurdles (14.48) and 300 hurdles (42.36), along with taking second to Godin in the 100 in 12.08.

Senior throwers Faimalie Sale of Los Alamitos and Felicia Crenshaw had a split decision in the discus throw and shot put. Sale won the shot put with a mark of 43-11 (13.38m), ahead of Crenshaw at 42-3 (12.87m).

Crenshaw captured the discus title with a throw of 146-5 (44.62m), ahead of Sale at 142-5 (43.40m).

Mission Viejo sophomore Ashley Johnson prevailed over Orange County Heat club teammate and Santa Margarita senior Gwynn George in an exciting 800 by a 2:13.67 to 2:13.87 margin.

Aliso Niguel secured a pair of field event victories, with sophomore Morgan Flynn clearing 12-4 (3.75m) and junior Lauren Battle producing a 5-4 (1.62m) clearance on her third attempt in the high jump.

Woodbridge junior Milana Malec won the 400 in 56.30 and Bolsa Grande senior Janel Nguyen captured the long jump with a leap of 18-10.75 (5.75m).

Dana Hills accumulated 32 points toward its team total in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200, highlighted by 22 in the 3,200 from Jack Landgraf (9:26.27), Caleb Niednagel (9:26.82) and Simon Fuller (9:34.79) placing first, second and fifth.

Garrett Hough and Carrick Denker scored in the seeded 1,600, with Josh Dowdy and Caden Denker adding important points for the Dolphins in the 800.

Senior Max McKhann also gave Dana Hills a significant boost by winning the discus with a throw of 179-9 (54.78m).

Santa Margarita senior Sean Byrne delivered one of the biggest highlights of the meet with his narrow seeded 1,600 victory over Woodbridge senior Omar Adel by a 4:16.40 to 4:16.46 margin. The Eagles also received a win in the 300 hurdles from senior Blake Hennesay in 38.67.

JSerra senior Kelley Stephens won the 200 in 21.99 and was edged in the 100 by Servite senior Julius Irvin, 10.94 to 10.98. Mission Viejo won the 4x100 relay in 42.71.

The remaining winners were spread among several schools, with Aliso Niguel senior Michael Phillippy taking the 400 in 48.50, Mater Dei senior Sam VanDorpe clocking 1:53.58 in the 800 and Tesoro senior Michael Robbins capturing the title in the 110 hurdles in 14.64.

Marina junior Skyler Magula cleared 15-8 (4.77m) in the pole vault, Esperanza sophomore Jeff Duensing won the shot put with a mark of 57-5 (17.50m) and Los Alamitos senior Kevin Schmitt prevailed on fewer misses in the high jump against Santa Ana Valley senior Malcom Wesley after both athletes had 6-4 (1.93m) clearances.

Mater Dei junior Titan Ruotolo captured the triple jump with a leap of 45-6.50 (13.87m) and Anaheim Canyon senior Travion Phillips secured the long jump title with a 22-5.50 (6.84m) effort.