Blackhawks send eight to Los Angeles track and field meet

Nothing like spending spring break in the heat of Los Angeles.

For eight Cheney High School boys track athletes, that heat was the heat of competition April 6-7 at the prestigious Arcadia Invitational at Arcadia High School in the San Gabriel Valley area.

According to its website, the Arcadia — started in 1968 — is the largest prep track and field meet in the nation “as far as number of high schools that is sponsored and run by a high school.” The meet featured teams from throughout California as well as 27 other states — including Washington where local teams from Central Valley, Mead, Lewis and Clark and fellow Great Northern League opponent Pullman joined Cheney.

Cheney’s eight notched four top-10 finishes, including two by Charles Johnson. The senior was fourth in the Men’s Open division 200-meter dash in 21.87 seconds, 1.31 seconds back of winner Braden Lenzy of Tigard, Ore., who set a new season record of 21.58.

Johnson also finished seventh in the Men’s Invitational division 100-meter dash in 10.88.

Cheney’s highest finish went to junior Jacob McGourin, who finished second in the Men’s Open discus with a throw of 167 feet, 2 inches. McGourin was 4 feet, 2 inches behind of Arcadia senior Jorden Okyere, who set a personal record of 171-04.

Freshman Cole Omlin finished in an eight-way tie for 12th in the Men’s Open High jump with a leap of 6-01.

Cheney’s 4x400 Men’s Seeded relay team of Kevin Houndonougbo, Carson Brown, Isaiah Dunn and Johnson finished fourth with at time of 3:23.67, 3.61 seconds back of the winning team from Junipero Serra High School. The Blackhawks 4x100 Men’s Open team of McGourin, Johnson, Peyton Putney and Zach Jongeward was 36th in 43.74.

“Jacob threw well, but the 4 by 4 was the most impressive with a 3:23,” Blackhawks boys head coach Derek Slaughter said in an email. “Leading the state by two seconds in all classifications.”

Johnson is also tops in all Washington classifications in the 200, posting a time of 21.84 at the Riverside Invitational. He is also leading the 2A classification in the 100, with Brown second in the 400 and third in the 200.

McGourin is second in the 2A in the discus at 171-11 while Omlin’s PR of 6-05 against East Valley has him on top of the high jump list.

John McCallum can be reached at jmac@cheneyfreepress.com.