Central Section Locomotives Speed to Team Titles

This was the greatest night of prep Track & Field in Central Section History! 

No argument, no pausing to reflect, no paying respect to those that came before..... 

Not only did Buchanan and Clovis North earn the team titles, but they ran away with them!  

Buchanan's girls were the odds-on favorites to capture the title, but it became more evident as the meet went along that this group of girls are THE best squad in the State of California.  Even with Corie Smith earning her squad its fourth silver medal of the meet, with Meagen Lowe taking third for 14 points in the 3200 meters, the team title had already been solidified!  Very few squads have been this balanced across the board in quite a while as they scored in the relays, sprints, jumps and of course, brought home 22 points in the distances.  They also qualified in the shot put and the pole vault to boot.  Their girls 4x100 relay squad kicked off the action with a runner-up placing only to see Lowe come up big in the following event with eight points of her own in the 1600 meters.  Shelby Daniele performed up to par in the 100 meters with her seventh-place finish but later, perhaps, pulled off the upset of the meet in winning the 200 meters!  Perhaps, she was motivated by Haley Abirached's runner-up performance in the triple jump that basically sealed the deal.  Abirached was not on anybody's radar, coming in as the 12th seed, until last night where she impressed with a personal best to qualify.  On Saturday night, she stepped up and moved from fourth to second on her final attempt!  Most felt that Buchanan had the ability to score over 40 points, but 50 points were unthinkable.  Well, think again because that was the final tally and their first California Track and Field State team title!  

Senior Jazlynn Shearer (pictured) single-handedly lifted Silver Creek to the runner-up trophy,  accounting for 28 points after winning the 100 hurdles and triple jump and placing second in the long jump.  Needless to say, she earned the most points of any other girl at this year's State Championships!  

Long Beach Poly pulled a slight upset by capturing the 4x400 relay, lifting them ahead with 25 points and a third-place tie with Calabasas.

Saundria Martin fueled the Poly attack by placing fourth in the 200 meters, and fifth in the 100 meters.  With their third-place finish in the 4x100 relay, those two relays accounted for 16 points.   Meanwhile, DeAnna Nowling of Calabasas defended her title in the 100 meters while placing fifth in the 200 meters.  The most improved thrower over this past month, Tierra Crockrell surprised with a sixth-place finish in the Shot Put.  Qualifying in three events, Jade McDonald combined for eight points between the 100 Hurdles, and both horizontal jumps.  

While their top two challengers experienced negative issues at Friday night's prelims, Clovis North simply did what they had to do!  But, more specifically, junior Caleb Foster was on FULL display on why he was the Athlete of the Meet!  On only one jump, he soared to a 25-0 wind-aided effort that no one could come close to matching.  He then anchored his 4x100 Relay squad from fifth up to second place!   Coming into the weekend, he was as a projected medalist but few saw him breaking into the top two and running the third fastest wind-legal time in the country at Friday's prelims!  He displayed that Friday was no fluke, taking second to national leading Jamar Marshall in the 110 Hurdles.  The icing on the cake perhaps was his opening effort in the Triple Jump, which would eventually secure the victory there as well!  Four of his six jumps were out beyond the runner-up mark!  Simply put, Caleb Foster would have won the California State Meet on HIS OWN with 28 points!   Naythn Scruggs earned three points with his sixth-place finish in the 100 meters while Isaiah Galindo placed seventh in the 3200 meters to garner two more points.  In the end, Clovis North earned their first State Team Track & Field title with 41 points!  

Monterey Trail of the Sac-Joaquin Section, stepped in fine fashion, earning the runner-up plaque with 27 points.  Led by Zachary Larrier's 46.73 victory in the 400 meters, things got off on the right note when Larrier came from behind and leaned with perfection, crossing with the upset victory in the 4x100 Relay!  Camden Wheeler also provided an additional four points with his fifth-place finish in the 400 meters while they earned medals and an additional three points in the 4x400 Relay.   

Jesuit High, earning high honors in all three distance events, brought home the third-place plaque with 24 points.  Matt Strangio ran away with the victory in the 1600 meters and although, not defending his 2018 title in the 3200 meters, still finished with a strong third-place finish.  Meanwhile, Chase Gordon pushed Kai Wingo all the way to the finish in the 800 meters, 1:51.71-1:51.74.     

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1st place medals 
Southern - 5
San Diego - 5
Central - 3
Central Coast - 2
North Coast - 1

GIRLS SCORING BY SECTION