Trevor Ponsen | Writer
May 16, 2024
With four new school records and a string of personal bests, the boys’ varsity track team wrapped up their season on a high note, showcasing the hard work and dedication that propelled them through each meet and earned them the title of being one of the most successful track teams in the history of our high school.
The tireless effort and exceptional talent accumulated on the team were a success. Distance runners can be seen running up to 12 miles a day for a workout, while many others double up on practice by working with private coaches after regular exercise.
This season saw the 200-meter dash, pole vault, the 4 by 100-meter relay, and the 4 by 400-meter relay have new records set for each event. It’s been a historical season that will have left its mark on our campus.
“3.23.11” is all Jackson Borwnwell had to say about the relay team’s new record, while Taj Pierce commented, “School record down and we up.”
Jacob Prayer told me, “They better not make it so easy next time,” in regards to him beating the 200-meter record as a sophomore.
These outstanding feats led to a second-place finish in the South Coast Division 1 league, one of the best leagues in the state, as San Clemente went 99 to Trabuco Hills’ 102 points scored. Despite the loss, many went on to CIF and continued their success.
Dan Johnson, the head coach of the team, told us, “11 people went to CIF, which is the most I’ve seen as a coach. Many are going for 2 or more events, and it’s definitely something to be proud of.”
The CIF Finals had San Clemente ranked 5th place out of 102 schools in California, with many of the team’s members going onto Masters, including Dexter Brice for pole vault, Andre Jones for triple jump, Luke Sidhu, Jackson Brownwell, Brett Ephraim, Taj Clarke, and Pierce Clarke for the 4 by 400-meter relay and their separate events with all of them having a chance at ranking in the top tens for the state.
With such a successful season behind them, many of the team’s athletes are attracting attention from top college programs. As they prepare for the next chapter in their athletic careers, the future looks bright for San Clemente’s track stars.
Dexter Brice, another record holder, had this to say: “The heights only get higher, and the competition only gets harder.”
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