Boys Virtual Semi: No. 3 Buchanan vs. No. 18 Mission Viejo

No. 3 Buchanan (CS) vs. No. 18 Mission Viejo (SS)

When we launched this event, we acknowledged that the Power Rankings used to help us define the 32 teams that would be seeded in each of the boys and girls virtual dual meet brackets, was not necessarily a determination of how valid those seeding positions would be in a dual meet format.

While all four of the girls semifinalists were among the top eight seeds -- minus No. 1 -- the boys seeds were a bit more spread out.

But did we ever imagine the lowest seeded team among the quarterfinalists -- let alone among the semifinalists -- reaching the championship?

It may be April but we're still delivering on our promise of March Madness!

The depth of No. 18 Mission Viejo (SS) and the Diablos' strength in the sprints, hurdles and jumps was too much for No. 3 Buchanan (CS) in a 75-61 semifinal victory in the boys bracket.

Mission Viejo will be scored against the winner between No. 1 Upland (SS) and No. 12 Trabuco Hills (SS) next week for the MileSplitCA March Madness Virtual Dual Meet Tournament boys championship.

In eliminating the Bears, Mission Viejo got points from 14 athletes, including nine event wins, three by senior Jaycen Cash and two by senior John Burns. Senior Peter Costelli and junior Bryce Bushnell each had a first and a third.

Cash, who had transferred from Estancia (SS), had the top marks in the 110m hurdles, high jump and triple jump. Burns, a football player head to Cal Poly SLO, had top times in the 400m and 300m hurdles.

Costelli, who had been the Diablos' leader through a lot of this tournament, had the top time in the 100m and also scored in the 200m. Bushnell had the fastest 200m time and also scored in the 400m.

Other event winners for Mission Viejo were senior Jack Lawson (3200m) and sophomore Simeon Gillian (LJ). 

Buchanan got double event wins from seniors Ronnie Barrett (800m/1600m) and Kyler Van Grouw (DT/SP). Senior Jarred Acosta (PV) was the only other individual event winner for Buchanan.