It took a star performance to help carry both the women’s and men’s track and field team to a seventh and 12th place finish at the state finals in Sacramento last weekend.

Star Thurman capped a strong weekend of the final meet of the season for the Warriors by capturing first place in the triple jump, leaping 38 feet, 6 3/4 inches; this was her personal best, which landed her eighth all-time in EC triple jump history.

“It is very satisfying to know that all the hard work I have done throughout the season has paid off,” Thurman said. “I am just so happy for myself at this very moment.”

Thurman also competed in the long jump in which she did fairly well, but not enough to be placed in the top three.

“I kind of knew that I was not going to finish in the top three because the long jump was not my specialty,” Thurman said. “But I was very satisfied with my jump.”

This was the final installment for the Warriors track and field team this season; it will now begin to prepare for next season.

“We want to take all the experience we had this season and follow it into next season in order for success,” coach Dean Lofgren said. “We are very proud of all the accomplishments we have had.”

At the state finals last weekend, the team finished seventh place with 37 points.

The women finished behind top seeds Sacramento, with 87 points; Cerritos with 83 points; Mt. San Antonio College and Fresno tied with 70.5 points; Long Beach with 57.5, and Orange Coast finished sixth with 54.5 points.

In the 400-meter relay, the team, composed of Thurman, Shammeer Dawson, Gabrielle Meniefield and Danyelle Meniefield finished in fifth place overall with a time of 48.34 seconds.

Lindsey Brown finished fourth place in the 800-meter with a time of 2.16.33.

Brown, along with Dawson, Gabrielle Meniefield and Danyelle Meniefield finished fifth in the 1,600-meter relay with a time of 3.54.75.

Stephanie Robbins and Angela Morales competed in the shot put.

Robbins finished fourth place overall with a throw of 42 feet, 6inches, while Morales finished respectively in eighth place with a throw of 40 feet 2 inches.

This caps off a strong season for the women’s track and field team, which finished in the top five in its conference and in Southern California. The team also finished seventh overall in California.

“Seventh in the state is very admirable and we are very proud that all of our hard work has showed,” Lofgren said. “Even though we lacked a bit of depth we still did very well; that shows what a great team we have.”

As for the men, there will be a long rest before the team resumes its workouts in early September in preparation for the cross country season in the fall.

“Our men’s track and field team was fairly young and inexperienced, except for a couple a guys,” Lofgren said.

Despite the inexperience of some of its members, the team saw the growth and development of some of its athletes.

“Some athletes developed very well including Roy, but the guys came a long way and I am proud of what they accomplished,” Lofgren said.

Alugbue had the strongest performance for the Warriors.

In the 100-meters he finished with a time of 10.81, putting him in fourth place.

During the 200-meters, Alugbue nearly pulled off the upset, but finished second with a time of 21.50.

“Roy ran very tremendous first one hundred meter curve during the two-hundred meters and nearly stole the race,” Lofgren said.

“He was point two seconds from pulling off a huge upset,” Lofgren said.

Despite being unable to capture first place, Alugbue walks away from the season satisfied with how he performed not only at state but throughout the season.

“I am very proud in what I have accomplished this season,” Alugbue said.

“I didn’t know I was capable of doing this well.”

“I did very well in the two-hundred meters and that was very surprising for me,” Alugbue said.

In the field events Amir Fisher recorded a jump of 6 feet 8 inches, which was enough for him to finish in fourth place.

Fisher’s jump was also a personal best record and a 10th all time EC record.

Besides competing in the individual events, Alugbue also ran in the 400-meter relay with the team made up of Emmit Karlay, Lamar Taylor and Marcus Davison.

The men managed to finish in seventh placed with a time of 41.83.

“We could have done much better; we do not know what happened,” Alugbue said. “We are very disappointed in our finished, but in a way we knew the other athletes were stronger and better then us.”

The team also placed in the top five within its conference, and in the top 20 throughout the state.

“It is nice to see that all the hard work we have done has paid off,” Lofgren said. “It is nice to be in the top five in our conference; it is a nice feeling.”

After having a very succesful season, Alugbue is debating whether or not to return to EC.

Another option for him is to transfer to either Cal State Northridge or to USC.

“I am leaning toward going to USC, but I am not hundred percent sure if I am,” Alugbue said.

“It is a very hard decision, but I want to make the best decision for me,” Alugbue said. “Even if it means coming back for one more year here at EC.”