The Malibu girls 4×400 relay championship run was one of several highlights of team’s season
The Malibu High track and field team’s Hannah Kaloper was off to the races as soon as the starting gun went off in the 4×400 meter relay race in the Citrus Coast League Championships at Carpinteria High School on April 25.
Kaloper, a senior and the first leg of a fleet-footed Sharks foursome, sprinted faster than ever.
“I started off strong,” she remembered. “I surprised myself. I ran my fastest split of the season. It was the best I ever felt running a 400.”
She handed the baton to Joy Kim, another dashing senior, who maintained the lead in the race that Kaloper had gained. Kim then handed the baton to junior Malia Mosshart, who sprinted ahead to a waiting London Gould. Gould, a freshman, left the competition in her dust as she crossed the finish and the Sharks’ girls 4×400 squad claimed the league championship in the race.
The quartet’s time in the race was 4 minutes and 21.05 seconds, a personal record, which was 2.44 seconds ahead of second-place Carpinteria. Santa Paula finished third in the event, and Nordhoff finished fourth. Fillmore placed fifth.
Malibu head coach Mike Halualani said the foursome’s title run was unexpected.
“We thought they would finish in the top four,” he said. “To go out and beat some really good teams — they ran fantastic. It is a testament to Hannah and Joy, the two seniors, and Malia, who is fantastic. London is a really nice athlete. She has a really high ceiling.”
The Malibu girls 4×400 team’s championship run was one of several highlights of the Sharks track team’s season.
Sophomore Stevie Clarke won the boys frosh/soph 110m hurdles Citrus Coast League title in 19.23, and freshman Bridget Shanahan won the girls junior varsity 300m hurdles in 58.29 and the girls junior varsity 100m hurdles in 20.28. Sophomore Zoe Rhetts finished first in the girls junior varsity high jump with a leap of 4’2.
Junior Samantha Skuro’s leap of 8-01.00 placed her ninth in the CIF Southern Section Division IV finals on May 11 in Moorpark. Skuro’s classmate, Ranger Murphree, finished fourth in the boys 800 at the finals. His time was 1:59.69.
Ranger improved throughout the season, said Halualani.
“He is hyper athletic and will be a force to be reckoned with next year,” Halualani explained.
Ranger’s brother, Wiley, also a junior, placed seventh in the discuss throw at the Division IV finals. He had a toss of 128’8.
Halualani said the track and field team had a really good season. The coach noted that the girls 4×400 team’s championship victory, came at the end of an unorthodox track and field season for the group that featured Mosshart and Gould dealing with shin splits.
“They strung it all together for league championships,” he said. “They really ran well. It wasn’t even a close race.”
Kaloper said she and her running mates entered the race with fresh legs and motivation.
“The adrenaline of league finals can really get you to perform at your best,” she noted. “I didn’t know we were going to win until the fourth leg. I knew then that no one was going to catch up. It was exciting.”
The championship win, Kim said, was amazing.
“It was exciting,” she said. “Especially since we hadn’t performed that well all season. I knew we had the talent and ability to perform well.”
Mosshart, a first-year track athlete, said she, Kaloper, Kim, and Gould worked hard to win the league championship.
“A lot went into training,” said Mosshart. “It was so much fun. It was so fulfilling and so rewarding.”
Kim ran the second leg of the 4×400 each of her three seasons on the team. She noted how fast Kaloper started the Citrus Coast League title race.
“She came in super hot,” Kim recalled. “It felt like my best 400 of the entire season. I just took off.”
Mosshart said hearing her teammates cheer for her empowered her during the race.
“It gives you the last bit of energy you need to not let your legs collapse,” Mosshart explained. “You are almost running for your life.”
After Gould crossed the finish line, the four girls jumped up and down together and hugged.
Mosshart, who also plays soccer, noted that the winning a league title has her looking forward to her senior track season.
“Winning is the best part,” she said.