FRIDAY PREVIEW
Girls 3000m. (Meet record: Megan O'Reilly Mt. Spokane-Washington 9:29.18 '06)
The first high school event that will take place on the track will be the girls' 3000 meters. The national leader in the 3200 meters (Claudia Lane Malibu-SS) will be focusing her energy in the mile on Saturday but we should still see a competitive event in the fast heat. The top two runners in this field will be quite familiar with each other and took the top two spots at the North Coast Section and State Meet Division III Cross Country races. Glennis Murphy Redwood-NCS (10:53.46 season best) won both of those XC races but don't discount teammate Gillian Wagner who posted an impressive double at the Dublin Distance Fiesta (DDF) with a 4:55.35 1600m. victory as well as a 2:14.30 800m. 2nd place finish. Sofia Castiglioni Davis-SJS also dipped under the 11 minute mark at the DDF with a time of 10:57.86 and Miramonte-NCS sophomore Cassy Haskell (10:51.37 '16 PR) seems to be rebounding from an early season injury. Kristin Fahy La Costa Canyon-SDS had an impressive Cross Country season and will be looking to put on a show for big brother Steven, a Stanford University runner.
Boys 3000m. (Meet record: Eduardo Herrera Madera South-CS 8:15.01 '16)
The Central Section has had a nice run in this event with the last two meet record holders. Justin Vilhauer Redwood Visalia-CS set the previous record of 8:17.32 in 2010. Last year, Eduardo Herrera Madera South-CS lowered that record to the current 8:15.01. This year, Michael Vernau Davis-SJS will take a shot at Herrera's record at his future collegiate Track and Field facility. He currently has the 3rd fastest time in the nation in the 3200m. with his 9:01.88 from the Dublin Distance Fiesta (DDF). Vernau is a noted front runner and he will make sure the pace is a swift one. Jake Lange Nueva-CCS has the 2nd fastest time in the field with his 9:18.17 from last Saturday's Azusa Pacific University Meet of Champions. He may skip this meet looking ahead to Arcadia but at this point, he is still entered in the fastest heat. Another notable runner in the field is Jesuit-SJS freshman, Matt Strangio. He ran 9:25.59 at the DDF to record the fastest time in the nation for 9th graders. His dad Steve, was the 1978 NorCal Cross Country runner of the year when he ran for Mission San Jose-NCS.
Girls 400m. Hurdles (Meet Record Angela Harris Skyline-OAK 60.53 '94)
Just like the 3000m. races, the 400m. hurdles race is a unique event for most of the athletes attending this meet. One thing for certain is that we will have a new invitational champion with 2-time defending champion Maya Miklos Gunn-CCS now at Harvard University. Miklos dominated this race over the past two seasons and just missed breaking the long standing meet record with her 60.62 personal best last year. The fastest two returners from last year's meet are Paige Sefried Lodi-SJS, who finished in 12th place with a time of 67.16, and Kirsty Brown Amador Valley-NCS, 13th place in 67.40. The fastest 300m. hurdlers from this season are Mackenzie Fletcher Ponderosa-SJS (45.38), Nia Collins Monterey Trail-SJS (45.77) who finished in 16th place last year with a time of 68.39 and Elizabeth Hennessy St. Francis, Sacramento-SJS (45.79).
Boys 400m. Hurdles (Meet Record: David Klech California-NCS 50.35 '06)
For many hurdlers, the 300m. version is just the right distance that allows high school athletes to race confidently without fear of hitting the proverbial wall down the stretch. The full lap encounter over 10 hurdles is not quite as forgiving and this race may turn into a survival event. The meet record held by former California-NCS star David Klech is quite formidable and I don't see anyone breaking that record anytime soon. The top returners from last year are Isaki Wada-Law Los Gatos-CCS (56.04 3rd place), Aaron Hanible Heritage-NCS (56.37 4th place), Alex McDonald Stuart Hall-NCS (57.95 7th place) and Max Herrerias Novato-NCS (58.38 11th place). The best hurdler in the field who is making his debut in this race is Deion Lightfoot Kimball-SJS. He finished in 2nd place in the 110m. High Hurdles at the California state meet and had a season best of 13.87. He has improved over the longer version of the hurdles this season with a personal best 38.62.
Distance Medley Relays-Girls (Meet Record: Oak Ridge-SJS 11:51.00 '07)
The task of selecting the meet favorites is a bit easier this year since the heat sheets are out already. The fastest teams will race first and at this point the two favorites are Santa Cruz-CCS (12:22.91) and San Ramon Valley-NCS (12:23.41). Also in the mix will be two teams traveling up north from the south, San Marcos-SS (12:30.89) and Dana Hills-SS (12:31.67). The Davis-SJS girls put a scare in the meet record last year with a time of 11:52.87. They are still not quite at full strength but you can never count them out in big meets at Stanford. Teams that may be lurking and will be in contention are Monta Vista-NCS, Nueva-CCS and St. Francis, Sacramento-SJS.
Distance Medley Relays-Boys (Meet Record: Armijo-SJS 10:06.31 '16)
With the elimination of the 4 x 800m. relay after the 2014 Stanford Invite, the distance medley relay is now the lone distance relay although sprinters may disagree and insist on including the 4 x 400m. relay. Armijo-SJS absolutely rolled last year to claim the victory and meet record. They won't have the same team this year and it's likely that their ace runner, Luis Grijalva, may only compete in the open 1500. The fastest team coming into this meet will be Bellarmine-CCS (10:25.12). They won the Dublin Distance Fiesta and their two lead runners (Ben Micallef and Alex Scales) will not be doubling back this time here. The Dublin-NCS boys have the 2nd fastest time (10:38.87) but may be running without one of their main runners. Palo Alto-CCS has proven to be the 2nd best team in CCS and will be looking to improve on their 10:39.75 season best. Watch out for the Redwood-NCS boys who have quite a duo in Liam Anderson and Andrew Thomas.
Long Jump (Boys and Girls)
Meet Record Boys: Ken Frazier Mission-SF 24'0.25 '08
Meet Record Girls: Brittany Daniels Merrill West-SJS 20'0.25 '05
The boys' long jump will be the first field event here and the favorite will be Sanjay Kettles St. Mary's, Berkeley-NCS who finished in 2nd place last year with a jump of 7.04 meters (23'1.25"). He has also recorded the best mark this season with a personal best of 23'5". His coach, Jeff Rogers, still holds the Cal Berkeley high jump record at 7'5.75" and has been equally impressive as a coach. Kettles main competition will come from Los Gatos-CCS sprinter/jumper Jared Geredes. He finished in 4th place at last year's meet and had a season best mark of 23'2.25". Teaun-Tr'e Pierce Pittsburg-NCS has one of the top jumps in California this year with a leap of 23'2.5". Kettles precocious teammate, 9th grader Malcolm Clemons, has a best of 22'1.25" and is the 2nd best freshman in this event in California.
In the girls' long jump competition, the defending champion, Jonon Young Carson-LA, will not be back to defend her title but this field is still quite impressive. The favorite may be Katherine Jackson Angelo Rodriguez-SJS who finished in 2nd place last year and recorded her season best of 19'4" while winning the California Outdoor Championship. Arianna Fischer Silver Creek-CCS has also had a leap of 19'4" and an even more impressive triple jump (more on that effort later). Versatile sophomore Tierra Crockrell Calabasas-SS also jumped 18'9.75" at the California Outdoor Championship while winning the pentathlon. Rachel Estell Mountain View-CCS finished in 2nd place at the CCS Finals and 6th place at the state meet with a season best 19'6"w. Two other jumpers that finished in the top 10 at the Stanford Invite last year are Jaala Downs Lincoln, Stockton-SJS (8th place) and Arden Credson Miramonte-NCS (9th place).
Pole Vault (Boys)
Meet Record: Mike Kibort Saratoga-CCS '83, Casey Roche St. Francis-CCS '07, Nico Weiler Los Gatos-CCS '08, Dylan Duvio John Curtis-Louisiana '13 (all 16'6")
The final field competition on Friday will be the boys pole vault, one of the premier events for California track athletes. The top returner from last year's competition is Patrick Alexander Washington, Fremont-NCS who finished in 4th place and had a season best 15'2". The top vaulter in this competition is Noah Hurley of College Park-NCS who has the 2nd best vault in California this season with a personal best tying 16'0". The other 15'0" vaulter in the competition is Samuel Wright Lodi-SJS who finished in 10th place at last year's meet. Two other notable vaulters are Ben Easton Davis-SJS (14'6") and Quan Phun Monterey Trail-SJS (14'0").