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Westlake’s Carrillo is a budding star in the decathlon



Kyle Carrillo

Kyle Carrillo

World’s Greatest Athlete is the unofficial title for an Olympic decathlete champion.

The decathlon is 10 events: the 100-meter dash, 400, 110 hurdles, 1,500, long jump, high jump, pole vault, discus, javelin and shot put. It is grueling, merciless and formidable.

Kyle Carrillo is a decathlete on the precipice of breaking out for the Westlake High boys’ track and field team. On top of that, Carrillo is also a sincere, gracious competitor. The honors student is polite, well-spoken and humble.

Carrillo, a sophomore, helped the Warriors capture the Marmonte League title, the team’s first since 2007. Carrillo has the second best discus throw in Ventura County this spring at 161 feet, 3 inches, which he unleashed on March 15 during Simi Valley’s Pioneer Invite.

He also established personal records this season in the 100 (11.28 seconds), 200 (23.10) and the long jump (19-8).

A hamstring injury will force Carrillo, 16, to sit out the decathlon at the Mt. SAC Invitational this weekend. He missed the Arcadia Invitational last weekend, and couldn’t compete in running events the past few weeks of the regular season. He still threw the discus, virtually flat-footed, to give Westlake valuable points during league meets.

“I’m pleased with this year,” Carrillo said. “I’m disappointed I could not compete in Arcadia, but it was an honor to be accepted.

“It’s definitely bittersweet.”

The Warrior says he improved in the discus with the help of Simi Valley throws coach Mike Torie.

“Mike Torie has helped me tremendously this year,” Carrillo said. “Every gain, I attribute to him.”

Torie, who is training for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, works with some of the best throwers in the area, including Newbury Park’s Kendall Mader and Moorpark’s Kevin Uebelhardt.

Carrillo has an elegant form on his discus throw, combining the elegance of a ballet dancer with the rugged strength of a fireman. The sophomore provided pointers to teammate Justin Martinez during a spring break practice earlier this week.

The Warrior also trains with Alexa Ashley and Noelle Schiller on the girls’ team. Ashley, the daughter of WHS baseball coach Billy Ashley, and Schiller, a freshman with a bright future, train for the heptathlon.

“They both have amazing ability,” Carrillo said of Ashley and Schiller.

Teammates and coaches enjoy Carrillo’s positive spirit.

“Kyle is really determined,” junior Jonathon Cantle said. “He’s really mentally strong. He’s diverse—he can do anything.”

“He always pushes us to go harder,” junior Michael Purdy said of Carrillo. “He brings the team up at the right time.”

Injuries are part of sports, but Carrillo hopes to put his physical setbacks in the past. He missed most of his freshman year with an injury. He wants to combat that by taking up yoga.

Carrillo joined the Simi Valley Running Rebels track club at age 7. He also grew up with football and taekwondo, and he suited up at cornerback as a freshman.

The son of Heather and Gil, Carrillo sports a 3.8 grade-point average. He enjoys performing and acting, and he was involved in a student production of William Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing.” Gil Carrillo is a Westlake track assistant coach. Kyle Carrillo’s 5-year-old sister, Keira, enjoys soccer and dancing.

His sister Isabella, who was born in 2007, lived for eight days before she died of complications from trisomy 18, a condition caused by an error in cell division.

“I have a better sense and appreciation for life,” Carrillo said. “You never know when it can be taken away.”

This polite, humble Warrior is looking forward to a bright future with the team.

“I want to keep having fun,” Carrillo said. “I love my team. I love this school.”

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THE WARRIORS

The Westlake High boys’ track and field team won its first Marmonte League title since 2007.

“It’s a team effort with the guys and coaching staff,” head coach Joe Snyder said.

The boys’ squad went 7-0 in Marmonte action.

Junior standouts Jonathon Cantle and Michael Purdy join forces on the 4×400 relay, which they completed in three minutes, 18.99 seconds at the Pasadena Invitational last month. That time is currently the best mark in Ventura County and the sixth-best figure in California, according to DyeStat.com.

Cantle helped Westlake win a cross country state championship as a sophomore and a runner-up finish this fall. He said the 4×400 relay team can make a dent this postseason.

“I think we can go really far, to state finals,” Cantle said.

He also competes in the 400 and 800.

Purdy, who thrives in the 200 (personal-record 23.3 seconds) and 400 (50.8 PR), took a moment to savor the league crown.

“It means a lot,” Purdy said. “We all worked really hard. It feels good to be a part of it.”

Mikey Giguere, a senior heading to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, guides the boys’ distance crew with Jimmy De Mello (800 and 1,600) and Graham Rigby (800, 1,600 and 3,200).

Andre Baccellia, a wide receiver for the football team, is a standout sprinter in the 100, 200 and 4×100 relay.

Ryan Finch has the fastest 400 mark in Ventura County this year at 48.22 seconds.

Clark Nelson, a basketball guard who led the Warriors to a section championship appearance, is a jumping specialist. Sean O’Bryan is another versatile athlete in the hurdles and 4×400 relay squad.

Jenny Giguere (1,600 and 3,200) and Katrina Jenkins (800 and 1,600) are top junior runners for the girls’ team, which went 5-2 in the Marmonte.

Abigail Smith, Brooke Edell, Sara Schwartz and Nicole Greenberg join forces in the 4×100— that quartet reached the state meet last spring. Freshman Noelle Schiller, who also thrives in the long jump, is a valuable alternate.

Lana Frazier excels in the shot put and discus. The junior’s father, John Frazier, is the men’s head coach/throws coach for the UCLA track and field team.

Sophomore twins Darya and Desireh Abbassi aid Westlake in the long jump and triple jump. Greer Nelson, Clark Nelson’s sister, is a junior high jumper. Alexa Ashley and Allison Mendoza compete in the 400.


TURN HIM LOOSE—Kyle Carrillo practices throwing the discus at Westlake High boys’ track andfield practice this week. Carrillo has the second-best discus throw in Ventura County this spring at 161-3

TURN HIM LOOSE—Kyle Carrillo practices throwing the discus at Westlake High boys’ track andfield practice this week. Carrillo has the second-best discus throw in Ventura County this spring at 161-3

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