Wilson seniors Kaylin Edwards and Loren Webster have been selected as the Dream Team girls track and field athletes of the year after leading the Bruins to a third consecutive state title on May 31.

“It just reminds me of how much hard work I’ve been putting into it,” Edwards said. “I’m just happy that Press-Telegram has chosen me.”

“It feels amazing,” Webster said. “I’m so honored to be recognized by the Press-Telegram. It means a lot.”

Webster, who signed with Oregon, scored 10 points when she won her second straight individual state title in the long jump with a personal best mark of 21 feet and 1/4 inch.

“I feel like my season ended very well,” Webster said. “The beginning and the middle was OK, but I’m glad I pulled through and did what I needed to do at the end.”

Webster’s winning mark was the No. 1 high school girls long jump in the nation.

“I think no other performer in the state performed better than Loren,” Wilson coach Neil Nelson said.

Meanwhile, Edwards scored 14 points by herself at the state meet across two events.

“I feel like this season was great,” Edwards said. “It was a whole lot of growth as an athlete and a person individually and I feel like winning a third state title was big.”

The Arkansas signee finished second in 40.61 in the 300 hurdles (eight points) and third in 13.79 in the 100 hurdles (six points).

“I think that I grew by just knowing how to be an athlete, how to win, how to lose and how to go back to the drawing board and go to my coaches and take what they say and implement it into my next race,” Edwards said. “I learned how to be patient and to trust God.”

“As far as Kaylin, 40.28 in the 300 hurdles is No. 3 on our all-time list,” Nelson added. “It’s top five in the state of California on the all-time list. That’s self-explanatory.”

Edwards also scored 10 points when she ran the fastest leg with a 52-second split on Wilson’s 4×400 relay, which won the state title.

“I would say having two big scorers on the track and also on the infield definitely helps contribute to a team title and the success that we’ve had,” Webster said. “(Kaylin’s) great. She worked hard so I’m happy to see that she’s getting acknowledged as well.”

Both athletes won individual Moore League and CIF-SS titles. Edwards and Webster both scored points individually at the state meet during their sophomore, junior and senior seasons.

“Coming from a freshman who was a walk-on right in the beginning of the season to now being who I am, I’m just blessed that I could do it at a historic school like Wilson,” Webster said.

NEIL NELSON, Wilson

Nelson coached the Bruins to a first-place finish at the CIF State meet. Nelson said it is an honor to again be recognized as coach of the year, especially after leading Wilson to a third straight state title. “It means a lot,” Nelson said. “We’re in good company. It’s only been two teams that have ever done it before so to get on that level, it means a lot.”

Nelson’s top athletes were Webster and Edwards, along with the Bruins’ state championship 4×400 relay team (Edwards, Brooke Blue, Alene Washington and Saniah Varnado).

“I’m happy because of how the kids performed,” Nelson said. “That helps and I think with me and (coach) Fisher, the kids were prepared. This was a tough title.

“It was a tough one to get but the way they performed at the state meet helped us and made me feel like a lot of burden was taken off my chest.”

Nelson said he already has his sights set on winning a fourth consecutive state title.

“We’re going to work hard and we’ll see,” he said. “We’re young even though we had some seniors graduate. We’re still young, so it’s going to be fun.”

All distances in meters

100: Leila Holland, Poly, Sr.; Amaya Rice, Lakewood, Sr.; Dylan Nelson, St. Pius X-St. Matthias, So.; Brooklyn Lee, Poly, Jr.

200: Aurya Beatty, Poly, So.; Amaya Rice, Lakewood, Sr., Dylan Nelson, St. Pius X-St. Matthias, So.; Jaylin Hunter, Poly, Sr.

400: Saniah Varnado, Wilson, So.; Aurya Beatty, Poly, So.; Brooke Blue, Wilson, Jr.; Jaylin Hunter, Poly, Sr.

800: Shirayah Lewis-Williams, Wilson, So.; Riley Jones, Wilson, So.

1,600: Natalie Gonzalez, Downey, Sr.

3,200: Nadia Mejia, Wilson, Jr.

100 hurdles: Kaylin Edwards, Wilson, Sr.; Kadence Bain, Poly, So.; Alene Washington, Wilson, Sr.; Saniah Varnado, Wilson, So.

300 hurdles: Kaylin Edwards, Wilson, Sr.; Saniah Varnado, Wilson, So.; Joy Anderson, Poly, Sr.; Kadence Bain, Poly, So.; Alene Washington, Wilson, Sr.; Jamiyah Sanders, Wilson, Sr.; Miyana Gramata-Massey, Poly, Sr.

4×100 relay: Poly; Wilson.

4×400 relay: Wilson; Poly.

4×800 relay: Wilson; Downey.

Long jump: Loren Webster, Wilson, Sr.

Triple jump: Journii Spencer, Wilson, Jr.

High jump: Jillene Wetteland, Poly, Sr.; Joy Anderson, Poly, Sr.

Shot put: Kirssy Reyes-Walters, Warren, Sr.; Lauren Farr, Cabrillo, Sr.

Discus: Kirssy Reyes-Walters, Warren, Sr.

Pole vault: Olivia Bettinger, Los Alamitos, Sr.; Celia Polk, Valley Christian, So.