Ryan Mulhollad (6), a double-medalist at the CIF State Championships, has advanced into the finals of the short sprints at the USATF National Junior Olympic Championships in Sacramento. (Credit: Pat Rhames/file)
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The USATF National Junior Olympics Track & Field Championships are underway this week at Sacramento State University. Age group competition is scheduled through Sunday at Hornet Stadium.
This article updates results for California high school athletes through Friday's events.
James Wright, a rising junior at Temecula Great Oak competing unattached, placed third in the Boys 15-16 Discus Throw with a best of 151-08. Wright, who earlier in the week placed third in the hammer throw and fifth in the shot put, had his best throw on the fourth of his six attempts. Brett Schwartz, a rising sophomore from Carbondale (KS) Santa Fe Trail HS, won the event with a throw of 157-11.
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This article will be updated daily through the end of the meet. Below are previous posts.
Buchanan rising senior Kyler Van Grouw won the Boys Discus Throw in the 17-18 division at the USATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships. (Credit: Pat Rhames/file)
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This article updates results for California high school athletes through Thursday's events.
Natalie Ramirez, a 2019 graduate of Valencia West Ranch HS (SS) headed to UCLA, and rising senior Kyler Van Grouw at Clovis Buchanan HS each claimed discus throw titles in the 17-18 age division during Thursday's competition.
Ramirez won with a throw of 155-08, the best of her six legal throws. Van Grouw hit 181-09 on his first of his six attempts, three of which he scratched. Ramirez placed third in the CIF-State Championships in the discus throw (159-00) and has a PR of 163-02.
Van Grouw, who has a PR of 187-08, also placed third at State (177-09). He is the No. 3 returner for 2020 in CA and No. 10 nationally in the discus throw.
Other highlights among CA high school athletes from Thursday:
Rising Westlake junior Paige Sommers placed second in the Girls 15-16 Pole Vault with a best of 12-09.50. Payton Phillips, a rising junior at Carrollton (GA) HS and Pole Vault Atlanta won the competition with a record clearance of 13-05.75. Phillips broke the record of 13-04.25 on her second attempt at 13-04.50 and then cleared her winning height on her third attempt.
Sommers, a two-time State Meet medalist who has a PR of 13-06 established during the CIF season, cleared her runner-up height on her second attempt and was knocked out after three attempts at 13-03.50. She was competing in her 21st pole vault event since the start of the CIF season in late February and 24th dating to the National Pole Vault Summit (Jan. 18-19).
Garrett Brown, a rising junior at Carlsbad La Costa Canyon (SD), placed second in the Boys 15-16 Pole Vault with a clearance of 14-11. Landon Helms of Emmett (ID) HS competing for YMCA Team Idaho won with a vault of 16-01.25. Brown has a PR of 16-00, which is tied for the third best returning mark for 2020.
CA had five top qualifiers on the track in the older two age divisions:
- Harper McClain (rising junior at St. Helena HS (NC) competing unattached) Girls 15-16 1500m with a time of 4:41.32
- Kyra Pretre (rising senior at Atherton Menlo HS (CC) competing for Menlo i Greyhounds Track) Girls 17-18 1500 with a time of 4:45.29
- Jadyn Marshall (rising sophomore at Stockton St. Mary's HS (SJ) competing for God Speed Track Club) Boys 15-16 110 Hurdles with a time of 14.62 (1.5)
- Jamar Marshall (Jadyn's brother and a rising senior at Stockton St. Mary's HS (SJ) competing for God Speed TC and the state record holder) Boys 17-18 110 Hurdles with a time of 14.00
- Kenroy Higgins, a 2018 graduate of Brentwood Liberty HS (NC) now at UCLA in the boys 17-18 100m dash with a time of 10.55.
Ryan Mulholland, a rising senior at Loomis Del Oro (SJ) competing unattached, who was a double sprint medalist at the State Meet, moved on in both 17-18 division short sprints. He was fourth in 200m semifinals (21.69/0.8) and seventh in the 100m prelims (11.03/-1.3).
The same is true of Gabrielle Spencer, a rising senior at Stockton Franklin competing for the Stockton Saints. Spencer reached the 200m final with a seventh-ranked 24.58 (-0.5) qualifying time, and she ran 12.06 (-0.3) to move on in the 100m.
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This article will be updated daily through the end of the meet. Below are previous posts.
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This article updates results for California high school athletes through Wednesday's events.
Dorsey's Christian Rodriguez (2) has the top 800m qualifying time in the 17-18 division at the USATF Junior Olympics in Sacramento. (Credit: Lizette Adams/file)
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Markayla Billings, a rising senior at Cosumnes Oaks (SJ) competing for Golden State Throwers, won the Girls 17-18 Hammer Throw with a 12-04 PR of 178-06 (54.41m). Billings' winning throw came on the first of her six attempts, two of which she fouled. She also had a throw of 177-04.
Moorea Mitchell, a rising senior at Palo Alto Castilleja (CC) competing unattached, placed fifth in that same girls hammer competition (154-02/47.00m).
The Southern California-based Pacific Coast Shock Waves won the Girls 15-18 4x800 relay (9:30.69) with the NorCal-based Menlo i Greyhounds placing third (9:58.88). The winning quartet for Shock Waves: Mia Barnett (Sun Valley Villiage Christian/2021), Ellaney Matarese (La Canada/2021), Maya Bryson (Long Beach Wilson/2021), Madison Chavez.
Menlo got the win over Pacific Coast Shockwave in the Boys 17-18 4x800 race and it was Menlo's 'B' team with the victory (7:52.81). PCSW was second (7:57.22). Menlo's 'A' team was fifth (8:00.18).
James Wright, a rising junior at Temecula Great Oak (SS) competing unattached, placed third in the Boys 15-16 Hammer throw (178-09/54.49m). Tarik O'Hagan, a rising sophomore at Woonsocket (RI) HS competing for Ocean State Hammerheads, won the event (188-03/57.39m).