Otherwise, the sprinters took center stage in their other individual races and on relays at the annual Ventura County Championships, leading the Lions to a record-breaking night at Moorpark High.
Alakija, a sophomore, won the 400 in a school-record 55.32 seconds and edged the UCLA-bound Courtnall -- the 100 champion in a wind-legal 12.27 -- in the 200 showdown by a 25.22 to 25.25 margin.
The duo joined forces with freshmen Asha Culhane and Abby King to set a school-record 48.71 in the 4 x 100 relay, then closed the meet with a victory in the 4 x 400 (3:58.91), giving Oaks Christian eight county titles, setting five program records in the process.
"We're nowhere near where we were at this time last year. The transition we've made as individuals and as relays has been incredible," Courtnall said. "I wasn't sure how well I was going to do (Friday) because I've ran in more meets than practices after coming out late from soccer and dealing with injuries and being on spring break. I know I haven't been very consistent so far, but I feel like I can get there and break 12 seconds."
Although she fell short of the 1991 meet record of 54.53 set by Marion Jones, Alakija delivered one of the most impressive performances of the night in the 400, producing a two-second personal best to hold off Newbury Park's Morgan Thompson (55.50).
"I was really excited to have her in the race because I really wanted to beat her," said Alakija, who met her personal goal of capturing four gold medals after returning from a meet last week in Fiji.
"At the 300 mark is when she usually makes her move, so I knew it was time to make my move. The last 50 was just a push. I told myself `I could die after the race, just don't die during it."'
The Lions' success wasn't just limited to the girls' sprint corps, with the 4 x 800 relay winning for a fourth consecutive year in a meet-record 9:55.36. Cristina Garcia took third in the girls' 3,200 in a school-record 11:05.21.
Oaks Christian also secured a victory in the boys' 100 with Ishmael Adams (10.99) and boys' high jump with Allen Stevens, who cleared 6 feet, 4 inches.
The Lions hung with state-leader Rio Mesa through the first 150 meters of the boys' 4 x 100 relay, before 400 champion LaDarrin Roach (48.97), 200 winner Blake Selig (21.89) and Marcus Alford pulled away to help the Spartans run a meet-record 41.18, with Oaks Christian second in 42.18. Rio Mesa later eclipsed a 12-year-old county standard in the 4 x 400 by clocking 3:20.16.
"We just wanted to be really smart and not get anyone hurt. We still have a lot of races left to run," said Selig, who added a third-place finish in the long jump (21 feet, 6 3/4 inches). "Our first two passes weren't good at all, which probably cost us a half-second, but we got it done and that's all that matters ... Winning that 200 gave me a lot of confidence, especially since we were running into the wind."
Agoura's Johnathan Cabral lowered his own meet record in the 110 hurdles by a half-second to run a wind-legal 13.46. Cabral, an Oregon signee, broke Charles Brown's 1988 meet standard by more than a second to win the 300 hurdles (37.23).
"It's great to know those past races weren't just flukes. It shows I can still run fast, even with a slow start," Cabral said. "It helps me mentally being at a bigger meet where I have to push myself a little more. The audience is bigger here and I love it."
Oak Park's Connor Stark set a meet record by clearing 16 feet in the boys' pole vault, with Oaks Christian's Kim Sanchez and Ventura's Holly Tokar both clearing 11-6 in the girls' flight and Tokar prevailing on fewer attempts.
Camarillo's Raquel Lambdin (5:00.37) and Erik Pinuelas (4:16.14) swept the 1,600 titles, with Megan Thompson (2:17.80) and Sean Grumney (1:56.18) winning the 800 crowns for Newbury Park, which also captured the boys' 4x800 relay crown (8:23.03).
Simi Valley's Sarah Baxter led wire to wire in the girls' 3,200 (10:30.46), followed by Oak Park's Kaycee Holcomb (10:59.91), who also took second in the 1,600 (5:00.64). Camarillo's Heyden Wooff, an Arizona State signee, captured the boys' 3,200 title in 9:22.60.
Thousand Oaks' Karsen Sper took the girls' 100 hurdles (15.33), along with finishing tied for second with teammate Angelyn Caldwell in the high jump by clearing 5-4, trailing Rio Mesa's Raegan Nizdil (5-6).
Simi Valley's Amanda Hamilton captured the 300 hurdles (45.90) and was second in the triple jump (36-6 1/4).
Moorpark swept the long jump titles with Quinn Harris (22-1 3/4) and Nikoletta Georgalis (17-6 3/4). Harris also won the shot put (45-7 1/2).
