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South Surrey, Cloverdale athletes could score big at track provincials

Athletes from Elgin Park, Earl Marriott, Semiahmoo and Lord Tweedsmuir secondaries among medal contenders at Burnaby meet
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Elgin Park’s Jake Hanna will be among medal contenders in this weekend's Grade 8/9 provincial championships.

If all goes well for south-end athletes this weekend at BC High School Track and Field Championships, a bushelful of medals could be headed back to South Surrey and Cloverdale schools.

The two-day event, which is to be held at Burnaby’s Swangard Stadium, begins Friday with preliminary heats and a handful of medal finals, and wraps up Saturday with a day full of final races and medal presentations.

And longtime Semiahmoo Secondary track and field coach Maureen de St. Croix – who retired from teaching this year but is still involved with the school’s track team – expects big things from local athletes, both from her squad and others.

“It could be a very, very big year for South Surrey and Cloverdale schools,” she predicted, adding that Langley’s Walnut Grove Gators – which such a large roster of athletes – are still the likely favourite for the overall team title.

Among the local favourites are Semiahmoo’s Meghan Palesch, who is coming off an injury but still among the contenders for a podium finish in the senior girls 100-m and 400-m hurdles, and Alison Williams, who won silver in the 800-m last year, could very well end up on top this time around.

Elgin Park’s Lexi Reimer will also run the 100-m and 200-m races, and teammate Reta Dobie will compete in senior girls high jump and 1,500-m. Max Hanna will also compete in javelin.

Earl Marriott Secondary’s Deon Clifford could also leave Swangard with a medal or two around his neck; he’ll run the 3,000-m and the 2,000-m steeplechase.

At Fraser Valleys earlier this month, he won the steeple event and took home silver in the 3,000.

High jumper Taylor Neveu will also compete for EMS.

A handful of Lord Tweedsmuir athletes will also be in the medal mix, de St. Croix predicted, led by Liam McKay, who will run the 800-m, and Ben Ingvaldson, who will compete in the hammer, shotput and discus throws in the Grade 8/9 championship.

Also in the Grade 8/9 championship, Elgin Park’s Jake Hanna will run the 100-m and 400-m hurdles.

“All these kids, they’re top-eight for sure – at least,” de St. Croix said of the Peninsula contingent.