On Saturday, the school hosted the 31st annual Falcon Relays, bringing together 20 Division I and Division II schools from across San Diego to compete. The school emerged as the Division I team champion with 120 points, while Westview High School won Division II with 102 points.
Falcon Relays is not only unique for having a team score component, it also features “some of the more unique relays,” according to track and field head coach Ryan Bath, including the full mile and shuttle hurdle relay.
Varsity sprinter Sophie Galione (10) competed in the open 400-meter race and co-ed 4×4, hitting a season best of 1:02. Galione described the meet as a “good jump” that helped her “get out of [her] pre-season funk and into the fast pace of the track season.”
“My biggest challenge was finishing my 400-meter race,” Galione said. “At meets, I often feel anxious for my upcoming events. So when I cross that finish line, I always feel proud of making it through, and the pressure of performing well is lifted off my shoulders.”
In another of the many highlights of the meet, Jake Chontos (10) set a personal record of 52.23 seconds in the 400-meter race “while also fighting a cold,” according to Galione.
“There are always so many stand-out performances by Torrey Pines track,” Galione said. “Jake is the true definition of hard work and dedication.”
Bath agreed.
“Shuttle hurdles did really well,” Bath said. “The boys [Distance Medley Relay] did well. Our girls distance runners did well. Individually, we had some really good times in the 1,500 [meters].”
Athletes who did not compete, including jumps team captain Sydney Tsai (12), volunteered to help run the events.
“The atmosphere was super fun; it was like organized chaos,” Tsai said. “You would look at one part of the track and see athletes warming up from end zone to end zone. You would look at the lanes, and see hurdle races in both directions, but at the same time jumpers leaping through the sand pits and over bars and pole vaulters soaring through the air. There was something going on everywhere and there was never a dull moment.”
Tsai helped score the Division I and II girls’ long and triple jump events.
“Being at the event as a volunteer gave me a sense of responsibility,” Tsai said. “Unlike being an athlete with individual events or relays to worry about, my efficiency in my role affected all the female jumpers of all the schools all day. The goal was to make the meet run as smoothly as possible so the athletes could perform at their bests with no delays in the program.”
Tsai also highlighted growing talent among the schools’ athletes, including Baylin Tsai (10), a new jumper who made it to finals in the Division I long jump and “had a huge long jump PR.”
Falcon Relays serves as the track and field’s largest fundraiser and biggest team event of the season, providing financial support.
“For the team, it’s a really cool experience to see so many schools come together and to compete at such a high level early in the season,” Bath said. “If you get good weather, [the Falcon Relays are] usually one of the top invitationals. And, I think there were five or six events where we had athletes from different schools top times in the county. And even this year, we had a national leading time in one of the events, so that was pretty cool to see.”
For many seniors, it was their last time participating in the annual invitational.
“It’s bittersweet knowing those were the last Falcon Relays during my high school track career because I’ll definitely miss it,” Tsai said. “I hope to come back to still help out if I can after I graduate.”
As the season continues, athletes are already setting ambitious goals, ready to build on their performances. Galione hopes to improve by at least one minute later in the season.
“I would say my favorite moment from Falcon Relays was being able to watch all the athletes who work so hard be able to come together with good sportsmanship and compete,” Galione said. “It is so inspiring to watch exceptional athletes and to be able to meet them, as well as watch runners, throwers, hurdlers and jumps, from other schools become friends. Although we are all competitive, to be able to find respect for each other through the sport we all love is so special.”
