On the way there, Saugus made a welcome pit stop.

The Centurion girls won their fifth straight league championship by defeating Valencia 91-45, while the boys clinched second place with a 94-42 victory Thursday at Saugus High School.

The Canyon boys won the league title with a 103-33 victory over West Ranch.

Thursday was also the last home meet for several standout Saugus athletes, including Amber Murakami, who's been a varsity runner during all four years of her career.

Murakami won the 1,600-meter run with a time of 5:12.81 and bolstered Saugus' ever-dominant distance team.

"Having three league titles under your belt (coming into Thursday) is something," she said. "It's the last chance to contribute to the team, something else to put in the record book."

Saugus (6-0, 5-0) also put victories in the books in nine other events, including a win by Stephanie Bulder in the 3,200 on her birthday. Bulder ran the race in 11:27.04, .12 seconds ahead of teammate Karis Frankian and .27 seconds ahead of Murakami.

Fellow Centurion Jenna Vincej won the 400 a week after she smashed the school record with a time of 56.69 seconds.

Vincej's time on Thursday was a bit slower, as were many due to the windy conditions, but she still clocked an impressive time of 57.03 seconds.

"It feels amazing to do that," she said.

Vincej also ran the anchor leg of Saugus' victorious 4x400 relay team that also included Amber Wright, Alex Hampton and Nicole Penick. Together, the group ran the race in 3:58.13.

Hampton won the 800 in 2:27.51, while Alex Ecsedy was a double winner in the throws with a toss of 109 feet, 4 inches in the discus and 40-1 1/2 in the shot put.

Monica Allen won the high jump by clearing 5-0 and Chelsea Alpern won the 300-meter hurdles in 48.42 seconds.

Wright was part of a pair of thrilling sprints against Valencia's Jasmine Hall. Wright, the defending league champion in the 100, leaned further at the end and won the race in 12.33 seconds, just .01 seconds ahead of Hall.

The Valencia junior earned a measure of revenge in the 200, in which she is the defending league champion. Hall ran the race in 25.01 seconds, edging Wright by .03.

Also for Valencia (5-2, 3-2), Faith Anumba swept the triple jump at 32-2 1/2 and the long jump at 16-8. Quinn Walker won the 100 hurdles in 16.83 seconds, Karlie Gross won the pole vault by clearing 7-6 and the 4x100 relay team of Anumba, Walker, Emily Tuffey and Hall ran the race in 49.88 seconds.

"We had some young people perform well, which is a really good sign," said Valencia head coach Jeff Gilkey.

On the boys side, Saugus (5-1, 4-1) got two victories apiece from Daniel Whitham, Ian Engle and Jawhar Purdy.

Whitham won the discus with a toss of 147-1 and the shot at 53-7, while Engle leapt 39-5 3/4 to win the triple jump and 19-9 to win the long jump.

Purdy, meanwhile, finally broke through in the sprints after taking several close losses earlier this season. He ran the 100 in 11.26 seconds to win the race and he also won the 200 at 23.38.

"It means a lot, especially after losing races early on in the season," Purdy said. "I thought the team did well. Winning this meet means a lot."

Saugus' A.J. Hebert used an impressive kick to win the 800 in 2:05.12, edging Valencia's Jack Kowal by less than a half second.

Robert Pion won the 1,600 for Saugus in 9:57.19, Corey Linder won the high jump by clearing 6-0 and Aaron Kellog won the 300 hurdles in 44.68.

The Centurions' 4x100 team of Ozzie McCowan, Jeremy Gatewood, Demetrious Cisneros and Purdy won that race in 44.83 seconds.

There was a tie in the pole vault, with Saugus' Landon Shaw and Valencia's Colton Berkery each cleared 12-6 ahead of the rest of the vaulters.

For Valencia (0-7, 0-5), Falco Digiallonardo prepared to defend his league title in the 1,600 by winning the race in 4:32.83, while defending league 400 champion Malcolm Flowers won that race in 51.07 seconds.

Both Digiallonardo and Flowers teamed with Kowal and Andrew Mayeda to win the 4x400 relay in 3:36.33. Keith Carlton won the 110 high hurdles in 17.02 seconds.

"Right before prelims and Monday's meet, we're really focusing on individual stuff for next week and to have a good showing at league finals," Gilkey said.