Baxter runs 2nd-best time in 3,200 in county history

• By From staff reports
• Posted April 7, 2012 at 10:17 p.m.

On her third consecutive day of racing, Sarah Baxter showed no signs of slowing down.

In fact, the Simi Valley High sophomore ran faster than ever.

The two-time state cross country champion won the invitational girls 3,200 Saturday at the Arcadia Invitational with a nation-leading time of 10 minutes, 8.11 seconds. It was the second-fastest time in Ventura County history and No. 8 on the all-time state list.

Kim Mortensen of Thousand Oaks set the county record in 1996 with a time of 9:48.59.

Baxter broke away from Marina's Laura Hollander (10:10.51) at the start of the final lap and held on.

Recording the fastest time in the state wasn't good enough for Oaks Christian.

The Lions placed second to Brophy Prep of Utah, 41.15-41.48, in the invitational boys 4x100 relay. Oaks Christian is the defending state champion in the event. Rio Mesa was third in 41.62, which ranks No. 2 in the state.

In the invitational girls 4x100 relay, Oaks Christian (47.52) and Westlake (48.04) were third and fifth with season-best times. Oaks Christian also finished third in the seeded girls 4x400 relay in 3:54.62.

Karsen Sper of Thousand Oaks was fourth in the seeded girls 100 hurdles in 14.48. Maya Aviezer of Agoura was fourth in in her 100 hurdles heat in 15.60 and third in the 300 hurdles in 45.90.

Taking seventh in the invitational girls 400 was Oaks Christian's Danni Alakija in 58.42.

Oaks Christian's Vinnie Saucer had a strong day, winning the seeded boys 100 by .01 of a second, clocking a season-best 10.60, and the seeded 200 in 21.75. In the invitational boys 100, Blake Selig of Rio Mesa placed sixth in 10.75.

Ventura was 17th in the invitational girls distance medley in 12:23.38. Holly Tokar of Ventura was eighth in the girls pole vault at 10 feet, 7 inches. In the girls discus, Ventura's Katelynn Homb was second in 131-10. Shane Ryan of Ventura cleared 6-3 1/4 to finish fifth in the boys high jump.Erinn Beattie of Buena won the girls high jump at 5-5.

Christian McNair of Rio Mesa placed third in the boys discus at 168-8. Grace Brethren's Sullivan Wall (154-10) and Ventura's Devon Walker (149-9) were 10th and 14th. Darion Zimmerman of Rio Mesa was second in the boys 400 in 48.90.

Newbury Park freshman Kendall Madar was fifth in the shot put at 38-8 1/2. Placing 11th was Tiara Umu of Channel Islands at 37-1.

In the girls triple jump, Simi Valley's Amanda Hamilton placed second at 37-4 1/4.

Sydney Lewis of Oak Park was fourth in the girls 200 in 24.83.

Newbury Park won its boys 4x400 heat in 3:23.84, while Ventura (3:25.71) was fourth. Agoura was sixth in its heat of the girls 4x400 relay in 4:08.68.

Jonathan Byrne of Newbury Park was fifth in the boys Rising Stars mile run in 4:25.77.

In one heat of the mile run, Ventura's Kyle Medina (4:20.98) and Thousand Oaks' Tommy Lopez (4:22.51) were first and second in their heat, while Camarillo's Adam Lucero was fourth (4:23.41). Ian Roberts of Ventura was eighth in his mile run race in 4:26.56.

Lopez had a season-best time of 1:55.61 to finish seventh in his 800 heat.

Moorpark's Brandon Hughes was fourth in his 110 hurdles heat in 15.07, while Oaks Christian's Jordan Pitcher (15.33) was seventh in another heat.

Placing in their boys 100 heats were Rio Mesa's Cameron Roach (11.00), Oaks Christian's Ishmael Adams (11.15) and Terry Johnson (11.27).

Caitlin Turner of Thousand Oaks won her 800 heat in 2:15.26.

Westlake (12:43.88) and La Reina (12:46.70) were 10th and 13th in the girls distance medley.In a late final on Friday, Simi Valley placed second in the invitational girls 4x1,600 relay in 20:28.71. La Costa Canyon won in 20:23.88.