GIRLS FIELD EVENTS
Fowler's Jocelynn Budwig had a huge day in the throws at CIF State Prelims (Kirby Lee/Image of Sport)
HJ Toggling between two events, junior Alysah Hickey (Coronado) had the top qualifying mark in both the high jump and the long jump. In the high jump, everyone qualified at 5-5, including defending State champion Abigail Burke (Riverside Poly), in addition to three other returning 2017 finalists: Emily Garner (Woodbridge), Chinenye Agina (Sanger) and Katie Hurst (Fortuna). Also moving on is state leader Rachel Glenn (Long Beach Wilson). Garner, Hickey, Glenn, Agina and Hurst cleared 5-3 and 5-5 without a miss.
LJ Alysah Hickey out-jumped Asia Mallory (Desert) for the top mark here of 19-3.50. Mallory was second with a best of 19-03.25 (2.4). Jazlynn Shearer (Silver Creek), Dominique Ruotolo (Mater Dei), Kali Hatcher (St. Mary's), Jaala Downes (Kimball) were among the 12 qualifiers. Downes was 5th and Hatcher 6th at the 2017 finals. Those missing the the cut, LA City champion Jonon Young (Carson) whose best was 18-01, and Micah Fulton (Muir) who didn't have a legal jump. The top-7 ranked girls in CA advanced. Young was No. 8; Mallory was No. 10. Outliers crashing the party included senior Stephanie Yen (Arcadia) who was nearly three inches under her PR and still was able to go from CA #42 to State final qualifying position #12 (18-01.25)!!! Stanford-bound Allie Jones (San Marcos) was also under her PR yet still managed to go from a ranking of tied for 29th to the #10 qualifying spot (18-2.25).
TJ Jazlynn Shearer (Silver Creek) was one of five girls to jump 40-plus, going 41-0 as the top qualifying mark. Her teammate Arianna Fisher went 40-9.25 for second. Silver Creek is one of three schools with multiple qualifiers in the triple jump. Mater Dei's duo of Jade McDonald and Dominique Ruotolo advanced, as did the Woodbridge tandem of Emily Garner and Madison Lyon. Ten of the top 12 in the state moved on but Shearer came in ranked #8 but popped a 6.25-inch improvement. Kali Hatcher (Berkeley St. Mary's) qualified 5th (40-5.50), Allanah Lee (Castro Valley) qualified 4th (40-6.75) and Micah Fulton (Muir) qualified 3rd (40-8). As juniors last year, those three placed 2-3-4, respectively, at the State final. Junior Anneke Moersdorf (San Luis Obispo), who was 6th at last year's final, was 14th her (38-4.50) and will not return to the final.
PV Laurel Wong (Santa Catalina), CA #1, is one of four advancing at 12-6. There were 11 others who cleared 12-0, forcing a jump off for the final spot, won by Morgan Flynn (Aliso Niguel). On the wrong side of that jump off was Elizabeth Funk (Clovis West), who came in CA #2 and was 6th at the State final last year as a sophomore. Also moving on is the top freshman vaulter in the US, Paige Sommers (Westlake), in addition to senior Eseta Finau (Branham), who needed a slight PR to get over 12-feet and senior Alexis Aquilizan (Moreau Catholic) who needed a 5-inch improvement to clear 12-0 and advance.
SP Jocelynn Budwig (Fowler) was the top qualifier in both throws. The junior, who came in as the CA leader and US #12 (47-7), went 46-10.50 to set the pace in the event. Four-time qualifier Hannah Hall (James Logan), returning State Meet runner-up Faimalie Sale (Los Alamitos), freshman Faith Bender (Bakersfield Liberty) and Southern Section Masters champion Natalie Ramirez (West Ranch) all moved on. Also moving on was junior Denae Jackson (Redwood) who came in ranked CA #25 and need a 4.25-inch PR to advance in the 12th and final spot. Also hitting PRs, junior Shyann Franklin (Golden Valley) 2-0.75 improvement to 46-5.50, and senior Jordan Williams (Clovis North), who came in ranked 17th but needed just half and inch growth to 42-3 to qualify 8th.
DT After opening with a 166-3, Budwig considered passing her final three attempts, feeling secure that 166 would get her into Saturday's final. Instead, she took a second attempt and ripped off a 174-02 that ranks US #2. Erica Grotegeer (Wheatland), the previous CA #1 and now US #4 was under her 168-11 season best at 163-02, as was freshman Faith Bender (Liberty), who is CA #3. Hannah Hall (James Logan), Natalie Ramirez (West Ranch) were the other top-5 ranked girls moving on. Senior Jordyn Bryant (Miramonte) ripped off a 15-10 PR for a 151-01 to qualify 5th after coming in ranked CA #30 with a previous best of 135-3. Another big improvement necessary to move on was from junior Jasmine Blair (Calaveras), who came in CA #25 but popped a 5-5 PR to 142-9 for the 11th qualifying spot.
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