Girls Seniors-Only SJS Division Finals Highlights
100 Dash
Gabrielle Spencer (Franklin Stockton) got the last laugh in 2019. She finished 2nd in the D2 final and 2nd in the Masters meet, but then she was the only Sac Joaquin athlete to make the state meet final in this event. After busting out an 11.81 in the summer and following that with a 2020 season in which she consistently broke 12, she is able to cruise through today's division race. Her chief competition could come from a pair of Division 1 athletes who have rebounded from difficult junior seasons. Imani Dupree (Sheldon) barely got to race at all in 2019, but you may recall that she broke 12 three times in 2019 (including an 11.73 at nationals). She defeated Josalynn Bennett (Cosumnes Oaks), who rebounded from a 2019 season that ended in April, to win the Division 1 title today as both return to Masters after an unfortunate year's hiatus. Their return to the top shouldn't overshadow a strong season from Gianna Scruggs (Folsom), who could be a sleeper to make the podium next week. Nylah Hassaan (El Capitan) emerged as the Division 3 winner, giving her at least one more race to try to threaten the 12 second barrier. McKenzie Blair (Bret Harte) claimed the Division 5 crown, while the Lathrop duo of Ashley Gaspar and Isis Siga went 1-2 in D4.
200 Dash
This could very well be the most exciting event at Masters, with three sprinters closing in on the 24-second mark. In addition to Spencer and Dupree, who both came into the season with PR's in the 24.3's, Ceonna Pipion (Vista Del Lago) returns from a 2019 season where she finished 9th in the state final. All three advanced easily in their respective divisions and will cruise through the Masters prelims, and then we should be treated to an outstanding race in the final. Dupree's teammate Tatumn Lachapelle has cracked 25, but that still leaves her a half-second behind the top three. Sarah Aanenson (Bear River) won over Blair in Division 5, and she could become the fifth athlete in the 24's next week. Hassan also advanced from D3, while Gaspar and Siga reprised their sweep of Division 4.
400 Dash
This is Pipion's better event and you can expect her to pour maximum effort into it at the state meet, although she will face a bigger challenge in the 200 at Masters. On the heels of finishing 3rd in the state in 2019, she is a legitimate championship contender this time - we're looking forward to seeing her drop into the 53's in the upcoming weeks. Division 2 winner Kylie Burton (Antelope) leads the rest of the field, although she has been close to 2 seconds behind Pipion all spring; the exact same thing applies to D1 champ Lachapelle. Danielle Bacon (Tracy) and Jessica Willis (Oak Ridge) are the closest to that group and could sneak onto the podium with strong races next week. Victoria Groen (Modesto Christian) won convincingly in Division 5, the only athlete to come out of the D4/D5 meet sub-60.
800 Run
After freshman and sophomore years that both brought significant missed time, Isabella Fauria (St. Francis) had a completely healthy junior season, resulting in a 4th-place finish at the state meet. She is ahead of last year's pace and on target to drop under 2:10 in the coming weeks, but today she was able to conserve energy while still taking the Division 1 title over teammate Hailey Silva. Amber Jackson (Forest Lake Christian) dominated as expected in Division 5, giving her a chance to improve her season best of 2:14 next week. Kelli Vierra (Elk Grove) looks like the only other runner with the potential to break up that top 3. Sarah Conine (River Valley) and Maia Campos (Kennedy) went toe-to-toe all race in Division 2, with Campos edging ahead right at the line to take the win.
1600 Run
Last year Fauria stayed in the 1600 through Masters before dropping it at the state meet. This time, she sits out the 1600 as Silva takes up the mantle, advancing to Masters as the Division 1 champ after breaking 5 during the regular season. Sophia Karperos (Rio Americano) has also been under 5; she wins handily in Division 3 and will present quite a challenge for Silvia next week. Jackson cruised through the D5 race to put herself in a good position for her attempt to break 5 next week. Madison Hutchings (El Dorado) is the Division 4 winner, while Molly Dreher (McClatchy) claimed victory in D2.
3200 Run
As good as Karperos is in the 1600, this is her better race. She has been under 11 a few times this spring, and now she hunts for a Masters title and a spot in the state meet. It wasn't an easy race for Karperos with Kayden Legan (Oakdale) also under 11 this season, although neither went all-out today as they simply looked to advance. Those two may separate from the rest of the field when they dial it up next week, leaving Division 2 champ Lisa Irvine (Woodcreek) and D4 winner Hutchings at the front of the next group battling for third. Sophie Pelletier is capable of getting Vista Del Lago on the podium next week. Sara Sabra (Western Sierra) defends her Division 5 crown, holding off Elizette Ysais (Hughson) for the second straight year. Dreher is the wild card in this race: she didn't run the 3200 at all until her senior season, but after clocking 18:41 for 5K in her first cross country season she appears to have the potential to crack the top 3 with a good race.
100 Hurdles
Last year's Division 3 winner, Sameerah Evans, changed sections in the offseason, leaving Alexis Hinojosa (Lincoln) as the clear favorite. She made good on the opportunity to claim the crown, creeping closer to breaking 14.5 for the first time. Grace Bliss (Colfax) had a frustrating end to 2019 in this event, falling short of the Masters meet that she made it to in 2018. This year she is back on track and looks poised to join Evans and Hinojosa under 15 seconds. Division 2 champ India Collins (Monterey Trail) could also be a candidate to break into the 14's next week. Likewise for Isabella Palchak (St. Francis), who returns to Masters, this time as the D1 winner.
300 Hurdles
Doubling in the 400 and 300 Hurdles is a tough road, but Kylie Burton handled it well in 2019, finishing 4th at Masters in both races. It will be interesting to see if she stays in both the rest of the way this year, or perhaps adjusts based on her chances at the state meet. Burton has broken 44 this spring and finishes today's race just ahead of Collins, who is close to achieving that time goal - but it was Collins that edged out Burton in both the Division 2 final and the Masters meet last spring, so expect another good race next week. Bliss earns the double win in Division 5, inching closer to the 44's in the process. Hinojosa and Sarah Perdue (Kimball) battled all the way to the line in D3, with Purdue emerging as the victor. Division 1 was wide open coming into the season and the final lived up to that billing, with Jordin Abdur-Rahim (Sheldon) barely holding off Marit Mulders (Granite Bay), Bailee Nicolet (Davis Senior), and Sydney Williams (Oak Ridge) to take the win.
Shot Put
Melisa Toilolo (Merrill West) dominated this meet last year, and she does the same today while repeating as Division 1 champion. She finished 7th in the 2019 state final, so you can bet she is looking for a podium finish this year after improving into the 44's during the regular season. D3 winner Angelica Lowry (Oakdale) has thrown beyond 40 feet this year, putting her clearly at the front of the group of challengers but still quite a bit behind Toilolo. Markayla Billings (Cosumnes Oaks) and Brandy Ieremia (Lincoln) also advanced from D1 as the next contenders to try to break 40 feet. Pele Toele keeps the Division 4 title in the Cordova family after finishing 2nd to a teammate in 2019, while Farida Mbarack (Woodcreek) claims the D5 win.
Discus
Toilolo is not as consistent in this event as she is in the shot, and she isn't the favorite - that title belongs to Billings, although it's close between the two 140-foot throwers. Billings defends her Division 1 win today, and the rivalry continues for a few more weeks. The Pitman duo if Khaiya Simpson and Caitlyn Bell go 1-2 in D2, putting them at the top of the group competing for third next week. They are joined in that battle (and in the mid-120's) by double Division 4 champ Toele, as well as D3 winner Valerie Osborne (Oakdale) and Aminah Manning (Johansen). Rebecca Hampton (Venture Academy) is the victor in Division 5.
Long Jump
Sarah Aaneneson (Bear River) finished 2nd in the Division 5 final last year, but won the Masters meet the next week and ended up 7th in the state meet. This year she takes the D5 title with relative ease, and with several 19-foot jumps on her resume she will be a factor for two more weeks. Gellica Cruz (Lincoln) takes the Division 1 win, breaking 18 feet while holding off a pair of challengers - Delaney Gates (Pleasant Grove) and Jada Harper (Granite Bay) are both capable of making the podium at Masters. So is Naomi Chappell (Gregori), who wins Division 2 today over Kennedy's Kaylyn Yu. Other contenders in this deep field include D3 winner Leila Walton (Armijo) and D5 champ Grace Bliss (Colfax). This is shaping up to be a very competitive event next week!
Triple Jump
Once again, Evans was the top returner before moving and leaving a vacancy for some intrepid challenger to fill. In Division 3 it's Haley Wilson (Vista Del Lago) stepping up to claim the title, but in the section overall it has been D5 champ Aanenson that has jumped consistently better than anyone else. She has a handful of 38's to go with several upper 37's this season, enough to stay just a hair ahead of Blessings Norwood (Cordova), who won in Division 4. Abby Lo (Davis Senior) and Megan Ellis (Granite Bay) have gone back and forth atop Division 1 all season and today was no exception; Ellis emerges victorious, but the order could certainly switch next week. Chappell and Yu clashed for a second time in D2, and for a second time Chappell took the title.
High Jump
If you like a wide open event where many athletes could make the top three, then this is the one for you next week at Masters. Isabella Palchak (St. Francis) has cleared 5-5 a few times this spring, making her the favorite. Behind her, however, comes a fleet of contenders that all have similar profiles. Kaitlynn Perez (Merced), Jeorgia Jacobsen (Vacaville), and Abigail Clark (Summerville) have all gotten over 5-4 at some point, but all three have been inconsistent. Jacobsen and Perez tied for the Division 3 lead today, with Jacobsen winning on misses, while Clark won in Division 5. As if that wasn't muddled enough, add D3 champ Jazmyn Tubbs (Turlock) and D1 runner-up Jayme Hendrickson (St. Francis) into the mix; they are both capable of making the podium.
Pole Vault
Elena Siemens (Davis Senior) is the top returner and has led the section all season, clearing 12-6 during the regular season and winning Division 1 today. Sky Kezmoh (Vista Del Lago), the D3 champ, has been right on her heels all year, with a PR of 12-3 on her resume. We expect those two to separate from the rest of the field next week, with Division 2 winner Kasandra Medel (Turlock) and D3 runner-up Grace Mantsch (Placer) leading the next group of podium contenders. Division 4 champion Emily Hanson (Hughson) should also be in contention for a top 3 finish, with Meghan Ladd (St. Francis) and Ashley Santana (Lincoln Stockton) serving as potential spoilers.