Monrovia Builds Momentum In Final Stretch Of Season

Head Coach Michael Knowles and the Monrovia track and field team prep for CIF competition after another solid showing at the Rio Hondo League Prelims at South Pasadena High School on Tuesday.
– Photo by Aaron Valdez

By Aaron Valdez

In on of their better seasons in recent memory, the Monrovia track and field seeks to make its mark in CIF after competing in the Rio Hondo League Prelims on Tuesday at South Pasadena High School.

Despite being a young and somewhat inexperienced squad, Head Coach Michael Knowles and the rest of the Wildcats came into their 2018 campaign hungry to break personal and school records.

Thankfully for Monrovia, the team’s overall lack of experience had no effect as the Wildcats not only adapted to the high school competition, but also started to dominate.

“Our kids are really coming along nicely this year and they’re starting to learn what track is really all about,” Knowles said. “ They’re starting to gel and by next year, I’m really thinking that we should have a solid foundation.”

The Monrovia boys’ 4×400 relay squad has shown to be one of the best in the area and is primed to make some big noise during CIF competitions. Having already won three since his freshman year, senior Michael Washington only needs one more 100-meter league championship to break the school’s record for most all time.

For the girls, sophomore Raneim Gadala put together an impressive outing at the league prelims on Tuesday. She took first in the long jump, first in the triple jump, second in pole vault and broke the freshman/sophomore league record in the high jump. Her jump was marked at 5-foot-0, smashing the previous record of 4-foot-8.

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