Sights Set to State Championship After SoCal Finals

by Cerwin D Haynes

East LA College sophomore track star Marbella Flores clocked in qualifying times at last week's SoCal Finals in both the women's 1500m and 5000m to advance to the 3C2A State Championships next Saturday at Saddleback College.

She didn't have her expected A-game last week: Flores finished fifth in the 1500m (4:52.08) and third in the 5000m (17:56.36). She came into last week ranked third in the state in the 1500m and first in the 5000m, so the results were a bit of a letdown for the East LA native. But head coach Milton Browne saw her results as giving her something to work on going into this Saturday at Saddleback. 

"In the 1500m, she (Flores) said she couldn't run her race at her pace," observed Browne. "She then overcompensated at the start of the 5000m - her first lap was way too fast."

Indeed, the East LA native and Schurr HS product shot out like a cannonball at the start of the 5000m, taking a wide lead for the first two-thirds of the race. But around the third to last lap, Sequoia Gonzales of El Camino gained ground on her. During the second to last lap, Gonzales caught Flores and passed her. And Gonzales' teammate Ami Jacobson passed Flores during the final lap. Gonzales and Jacobson finished 1-2 in the race.

Despite her disppointment, Flores' coaches and teammates encouraged her, reminding that she still qualified for next week. Coach Browne also believes the dissappointment will fuel her preparation for State this week.

"Now she's got something to really work towards."