Tri-School Track Meet Returns to Newly Refurbushed Memorial Field

John Muir Middle School won the meet for the 10th time in 11 years in the first ever sporting event at the new Memorial Field. After the event some members of the public stuck around to set foot on the surface of the new field for the first time.

The Mustangs scored a total of 493.5 points, topping Luther (410.5) and Jordan (312) for bragging rights in the city for another year.

“Once again we are proud of the kids at Muir” Mustangs’ Coach Doug Nicol said, “But more than anything else we are proud to be able to be able to bring all of the kids together for an event like this in the new stadium.”

The three middle schools renewed the longstanding tradition in 2001 after a hiatus since 1984, when the sites had been 7^th through 9^th grade and were still junior highs. Many Physical Education teachers at the middle schools are former Burbank Unified School District alumni and were thrilled to bring the event back eleven years ago.

“We have memories of it and wanted our students to have the same type of memories,” said Branko Sevic, also a PE coach at Muir.

Muir placed first in the overall boys’ totals with a mark of 272.5 and the overall girls’ totals with a mark of 221. Luther finished second in both areas with scores of 194.5 and 216. Muir also won both the boys and girls for both the 7^th and 8^thgrades while Luther placed first for both the boys and girls results in the 6^th grade.

Jordan’s Elizabeth Switzer was the 6^th grade girls’ MVP finishing second in the 4×100 relay and the long jump and second in the 60 and 100 meter dash. Luther’sJacob Calderon won the 6^th grade boys’ MVP taking first in four events – the 60M, 400M, the 4×100 relay and the 4×400 relay. The performance in the 400M (65.40) was a meet record as was his team’s 4×400 relay performance ( 4:47).Drew Gorsuch, Christian Valles and Alex Carvajal were his teammates in the later.

Muir’s Khalid Taylor and Jordan’s Izzy Funes with the MVPs of the 7^th grade – each set three records on the day. Taylor won the 60 M, 100 M, 4×100 relay (with John Atherton, Dillon Rosen and Joey Miller) and finished second in the hurdles. Funes won the 400M, the long jump and the 100M. She also was a part of the Cougars’ 4×400 relay team alongside Dominique Silva, Emma Bartam and Bella Nava.

Muir’s 8^th grade tandem of Josh Cantong and Candela Fernandez were MVPs for the Mustangs – each took first place in three events. Cantong won the 800M, 4×400 relay, 4×100 relay and finished second in the 400M race. Fernandez won the 800M, 400<, 4×400 relay and the 100M. Cantong’s record setting teammates in the 4×400 included Niko Guerrero, Connor Garden and Adam Navar with a time of 4:08.7. Fernandez was joined by Paige Pauff, Dalia Farazdaghi and Erin McGuire in the 4×400 relay. She also broke a record in the 800M with a time of 2:44.