2A girls track and field: Omofoma sisters lead Dayspring Christian to first state title
LAKEWOOD – Without the Omofoma sisters, Dayspring Christian wouldn’t be the Class 2A girls state track and field champions.
Junior Eboselulu Omofoma wasn’t about to let her and older sister, Odone, take all the credit, though.
“Two people can’t do it,” Omofoma said. “It’s going to be everybody who does their best in everything. (It’s) so exciting. Everyone’s thrilled.”
Dayspring Christian finished with 90 points to narrowly get past Heritage Christian (82) for the first team title in program history. Cedaredge was third, with 66 points.
Several Eagles contributed to that total, but it was, without question, the Omofoma sisters leading the charge.
Eboselulu Omofoma completed a 4-for-4 weekend by winning the 100 hurdles and the 300 hurdles on Saturday. She won the high jump and triple jump on Thursday.
“It’s a lot easier with my teammates and my coaches who put me in events that I can thrive in, but it’s a blessing, really,” said Eboselulu, a three-time champ in the 100 hurdles who now has eight individual titles in her career.
In the 100 hurdles, she cruised to the finish line in 14.81 seconds and in the 300 hurdles, she finished in 44.46 seconds. Kaitlyn Pearson of Swallows Charter was second in both races (15.92 in the 100, 45.24 in the 300).
Odone Omofoma won the 100 and 200 sprints after finishing as runner-up in both last year. She clocked in at 12.18 seconds in the 100 to beat defending champion Kylee Terry of Cedaredge (12.44). In the 200, Odone finished in 25.11 seconds to beat Pearson (25.40) and Terry (25.55), who was the defending champ in that event, too.
“I felt like I was set up for success in the 100,” Odone said. “The 200 was a bit more iffy. (It took) lots of prayer, lots of prayer. And there was support from everywhere.”
That includes from her sister, who was happy to see Odone atop the podium.
“This is her last year, so it was really great to be able to cheer her on,” Eboselulu said.
Odone added, “It’s great to finally catch up to my sister, even if it’s my last year. I think it’s really awesome to see her doing so great and I’m excited to see what she can do next year.”
Both sisters said the team title would be special for all the Eagles, but especially coach Joan Jackson, who is in her 13th year with the team.
“We want to make that happen for her,” Odone said.
Although she was runner-up in three events on the track, Pearson took home the state title in the long jump with a season-best leap of 17 feet, 6.5 inches. Kristin Osborne of Heritage Christian was second, at 16-7.75.
One day after coming up just short in the discus, Elizabeth Brooks of Cedaredge won the shot put and she left no doubt about it. She had a winning throw of 38 feet, 9.25 inches to beat Aliya McClanahan of Dayspring (36-4.25).
In the 1,600 meters, Keira King of Lake County won her first state title, crossing the finish line in 5 minutes, 20.36 seconds, while Byers’ Quincy Bowling was second (5:23.37).
Peighton Marrero of Strasburg won the 400 meters in 57.11 seconds, while Wiggins’ Kealy Langford was second (57.77). Langford capped her day, however, by helping Wiggins to a victory in the 1,600 relay. The Tigers finished in 4:05.48 to get past second-place Timnath (4:06.75).
Highland took home a relay title, as well, winning the 400 relay in 50.63 seconds. Sedgwick County was second, in 51.12.
