A Catch Up Post: Top 8 2018 Recap
by
kirk on
May 9, 2018 •
5:01 pm •
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(A note from your coach-bloggers: Often we get behind on posts and sometimes we let things go entirely. But we did not think Top 8 2018 should recede into the past without acknowledgment. So, as the 2018 post-season…better late than never! Our Top 8 recap.)
There was a buzz in the air as the Monta Vista girls warmed up for the 4×100 at the CCS Top 8 Invitational on Saturday, April 21st. The meet’s first event was billed as one of the marquee contests of the night. All eight of the top ranked teams in CCS would be lined up for the start. When the starter’s gun released the athletes from their blocks, Monta Vista’s Evelyn How was off and running. Evelyn quickly made up the stagger on the other teams. A beautiful baton pass to Brooke Young had MV in the lead heading down the backstretch, and Brooke connected with Nanda Nayak on another clean pass to maintain MV’s advantage. Bianca Young received the baton and lead the anchors to the finish line for the win in 47.95 seconds – the top time in CCS in 2018 and a new all-time, Monta Vista School Record! The girls’ time replaces the old record of 48.21, set in 2007. Monta Vista has several big meets coming up to provide opportunities to continue shaving time off their mark.
Watch the record-setting 4x100m run here! MV is in lane 7:
Monta Vista moved next to the individual events and Sarah Feng led us off with a season best in the 1600 of 5:19.90. Nitin Subramanian followed it up with a season best of his own, clocking 4:44.98. Bianca Young found herself in the Top Heat of the 400 and answered the call with a gutsy race, finishing 5th in a new PR of 58.75 seconds. Bianca’s time places her #11 in CCS! Along with several others, Bianca has her eye set on the postseason.
Next up were the 100m runners. Evelyn and Brooke both ran strong races that had them finish 4th and 12th; Evelyn just missing her second medal of the evening with an excellent 12.43 effort. Pranav Pata continue his lightning-fast sophomore season as he ran 11.91 to go sub-12 again. Sanjana Borle has been on a tear this season and that continued as she notched another PR in the 3200m, finishing the 8 lap race in 11:40.77, a 5 second jump from her old best! Jeffrey Xu was just off his 3200 PR with his time of 9:55.97 and Brooke dipped under 26 seconds in the 200 for the first time finishing in 25.98.
As the sun set and the lights came on it was time for the meet’s final event, and a Monta Vista favorite, the 4×400 meter relay. On the girls side six of the top eight teams lined up and Monta Vista found itself among the favorites. Brooke started the team off with a strong effort, handing off to Evelyn after a 59.7 lap. Evelyn kept the team in the race as she held onto the leaders then turned on the jets down the homestretch, splitting 61.5. Reema Apte ran the third leg and, after a smart first turn, she flew past two teams and brought MV up to third as she split 62.9 and handed off to Bianca Young. As per her style, Bianca took the pace out quick and made strides closing on the lead teams. When all was said and done Monta Vista finished 4th in 4:03.60 – setting a second school record in the same meet! For the second time in the night the team broke a record held by the 2007 squad, besting the old mark of 4:04.11. For Evelyn and Reema, this was an accomplishment three years in the making, a journey that started when Kelly Bishop jumped in and ran a 4×400 with them at SCVAL their freshman year. The excitement on their faces as they realized this long sought after goal brought a big smile to their coach!
The team is ready for the postseason and looks to continue their stellar year!
