Centaur track teams feature two of the fastest in the state

For the first time in Culver City High School's track and field history the school has two runners that have recorded the fastest times in the state of California. Last weekend in the CIF Division 2 finals Morgan Maddox moved to the top of the list in the girls 400 meters and Duaine Mayrant is the number one 400-meter runner in the boys' division.

This all happened at Moorpark high school last Saturday when they both competed in the division finals. Maddox ran 53.50 and Mayrant was clocked in 47.09. Not only are their times the fastest in California but they are some of the fastest runners in the nation. Maddox also ran the second fastest time in the CIF Southern Section in the girls 200 meters when she ran 23.68 last Saturday.

Now they will try to duplicate their accomplishments in the one of the most competitive meets in the nation, the California CIF Southern Section Masters Meet on Saturday when they return to Moorpark high school. The top qualifiers will advance to the California State Meet the following Friday and Saturday, May 24th and 25th at Buchanan high school in Clovis.

Maddox and Mayrant are not the only Centaurs competing on Saturday in the Masters Meet. The girls 400X1 relay team will be on the track and the boys 4X400 meter relay team will also be trying to make to the state meet. The girls placed nineth out of 36 teams in the relay when they ran 47.41 and the boys had one of the fastest times out of 36 teams when they ran 3:16.8.

Running on the girls' relay team will be Maddox, Savanna Mullins, Saana Belleard and Zakiya Ugorsi. The boys relay team will consist of Duaine Mayrant, his twin brother Dontay Mayrant, Asher Samuel and Kingston Waring.

Injuries and other mishaps have not derailed these Centaur track and field teams in 2024. One of the main reasons is their coaching staff, led by head coaches Jahmal Wright and LaShinda Demus. They have refused to let these talented athletes except failure.

"I don't except anything else but hard work and I don't except no for an answer," said Demus last Monday during track practice. Demus, who was an Olympic Gold Medalist in the women's 400-meter hurdles demands perfection and after replacing another former world class track star as a Centaur coach two years ago the track and field the kids have continue run and jump at an elite level.

"Hard work not only helps kids that are already good athletes, but it also helps develop other athletes," said Demus. "We are proud that we work hard to develop all of our track and field athletes."

Last Saturday four CIF Southern Section divisions competed to see who would make it to the Masters Meet. Those four divisions consist of 580 high schools. Every year for the past 40 years Culver City High School has competed at a high level in track and field.