Weekend Recap: Future Stars Highlight Golden West


The Marshall Brothers, Jamar (right) and Jadyn (middle) swept the hurdles at the Golden West Invitational on Saturday at Oak Ridge HS. Jamar Marshall is the state champion for 110 hurdles. (James Leash photo)

---

A week after his stunningly fast victory in the 110-meter hurdles at the CIF-State Championships, Jamar Marshall was back on the track, running next to his younger brother Jadyn, in what can be interpreted as a bridge between what is in the past and what is to come. 

Jamar Marshall, a junior at Stockton St. Mary's, won the State Meet 110-meter hurdles title in 13.31 seconds aided by a 3.3 meters-per-second wind, the fastest time under all conditions ever run at the State Meet and the second fastest time under all conditions in California high school track and field history. 

There he was a week later on the track at Oak Ridge High in El Dorado Hills for the 60th Golden West Invitational, entered in the open 100 meters, the 110s and the 300 hurdles, the latter two alongside his freshman brother. 

Jamar's stellar effort in the 110s and a third-place medal in the 300s the week before at Buchanan High more than made up for State Meet that still had its share of disappointment for the Marshalls. Jayden was disqualified in the 110 qualifying for a false start, the 4x100 relay team wasn't able to get the stick around in the finals, and Jadyn was last in the 300 final. 

But it was all good on Saturday at Oak Ridge for the Marshall brothers as Jamar won the open 100 (11.06/-1.8), and he and Jadyn ran 1-2 in both hurdles. In the 110s, Jamar cruised in at 13.89 (-0.3) with Jadyn next in 14.39 (-0.3). They were even closer in the 300s, as Jamar won in 37.86 and Jadyn crossed .04 later.

Watch the Jamar and Jadyn Marshall in the 110 hurdles: 


Jamar is one of only three non-seniors among the top 10 in the state in the 110s and he and Jayden are two of the four non-seniors returning for 2020 in the 300s. 

More than just the future of hurdling in CA was on display at the Golden West Invite, a meet that served as a gateway to tomorrow. Eight girls events and five boys events in the high school division were won by non-seniors. 

Calabasas sophomore Bella Witt was a double winner in the girls 100 and 100 hurdles. Witt, one of the state's elite hurdlers whose season was cut short by disqualification at the league meet, competed for the first time in more than a month. 

Watch Bella Witt crush the 100 meter hurdles:


Witt won the open 100 in 12.22 (-0.5) to beat Folsom Vista del Lago junior Ceonna Pipion. In the 100 hurdles, where her 13.63 (0.5) from Arcadia is equal to No. 2 in the state among wind-legal times and tied for No. 11 U.S., Witt knocked off the rust in 14.23 (-0.1) to easily beat Menlo senior Alexandra Chan (15.19).

Pipion, a two-time State Meet finalist at 200m, won that race at Golden West for the third year in a row in her fastest time there yet, 24.63 (0.1) to beat Mia Manson, a junior from Superior, Colorado (25.07) and Oak Ridge freshman Kathryn Bingham (26.14).

Earlier, Bingham, sixth at the State Finals in the 300 hurdles, won the 400 in a huge 58.17 PR, leading four 2020 girls among the top five finishers in the one-lap challenge. Granite Bay freshman Abigail Peterson was second (59.53), Bingham's Oak Ridge classmate Kastin Ostrode was fourth with a PR 1:00.54, and Shingle Springs Ponderosa freshman Taryn Thalhamer was fifth (1:00.63).

A week after placing fourth in the 3200 at State, Del Oro freshman Riley Chamberlain won the 1600 (5:09.63). It was only the third time she has run the four-lapper as a high schooler. Placerville El Dorado junior Madison Hutchings was second (5:17.32) and Oak Ridge freshman Ava Maier was third (5:24.27). 

Fairfield Vanden freshman Sameerah Evans won the triple jump (38-00.00/NWI). She was a State Meet qualifier with a PR of 38-10.50 (3.0) that ranks CA No. 20 overall and No. 13 among returners for 2020.

Another girl from the class of 2020 winning an event title at Golden West was Galadriel Mellion of Stockton with a shot put best of 42-10.50. She beat Angel Aluesi, a junior from Portland, Oregon (42-07.75). Also, Samira Kennedy, an 8th grader from San Carlos, CA, won the 800 in 2:17.83. 

Among boys winners, Rocklin freshman Nathan Kent won the 400 (49.39) and was second in the 200 (22.79) to sophomore teammate Jaxon Morrell (22.48/-0.8). Morrell was third in the 400 (51.35). Vallejo freshman Croix Stewart was second in the 400 (50.21). 

Dixon junior Marcus Gelpi matched his PR in winning the high jump with a clearance of 6-06.

It wasn't all about the non-seniors at Golden West. Two seniors battled it out in the boys 800 with South Pasadena's Kai Dettman taking the title (1:54.29) ahead of Armijo's Nixon McKenzie (1:54.81).

NOTES FROM ELSEWHERE

At the Iron Wood Throws Classic in Boise, Idaho, Daniel Viveros, the two-time State Meet shot put champion, won that event with a best of 70 feet, 10.75 inches.

Viveros, a senior at Bakersfield Liberty headed to Ole Miss, unleashed fourth-longest throw in state history with a 71-03.00 measurement in early May at the CIF-Central Section South Area Championships. He had two 70-plus throws at that meet. At Iron Wood, Viveros also had throws of 70-01.75 and 69-02. Tanner Duffin from Atlanta was second with a best of 66-01.75.

Viveros also competed in the discus throw with a best of 180-07.

Faith Bender, a sophomore at Liberty won the shot put (47-01.75) and also competed in the discus throw with a best of 143-01. She is the top returning thrower in the state for 2020 and one of the elites nationally. ...

At the OC Multi held at Northwood HS in Irvine, Daniel Browne from Murrieta Mesa compiled 5648 points to beat a 23-athlete field in the decathlon. Placing second and third, respectively, was the pair from Redondo Union of Justin Yaskowitz (5228) and Hunter Bode (5066).

Kylie Moon-Rumsey, representing the Hunting Beach Track Club, had 3945 points to win the girls heptathlon. Davina Pham, from Fountain Valley competing unattached, was second with 3674 points and Katelyn Muniz of the Northwood Track Club, was third with 3176 points. ...

Among the results from the Shockwave Pacific Classic at Cerritos College, Santa Clarita Golden Valley sophomore Antonio Abrego, competing unattached in the 15-16 Division, won the 400 in a 49.74 PR. Abrego ranks No. 2 in CA in the class for 800. ... Redlands Citrus Valley sophomore Cienna Norman-Thomas, competing for Code Black Elite, won the 400 in 56.83. Her season best of 56.23 from placing second at the CIF-Southern Section Division 2 Prelims, ranks CA No. 7. Her PR is 55.00 from the Citrus Belt League Finals in 2018. ... Granada Hills Charter freshman Sofia Abrego, coming off a weekend where she competed in the State Meet Finals for 1600m and 3200m, came back at the Shockwave event to win the 15-16 Division 2K Steeplechase in 7:26.78. ... 

A couple of Middle School Division marks from Golden West: Elk Grove 8th grader Jared Wiley won the 200 (24.71) and the 400 (55.43), and Roseville 7th grader Karis Chamberlain won the 1600 (5:26.57).