Girls Seniors-Only Northern Section Division Finals Highlights
NOTE: due to the difference in weather during the early track season, the Northern Section clearly had less opportunity to post strong marks before the season was stopped. That makes projecting improvement very difficult, and this article relies heavily on 2019 results.
100 Dash
The section championship will feature a battle of two-time division champs, with Yreka's Alisha McFall taking D2 and Arlene Garcia (Shasta) repeating in D1. McFall has the best PR, running in the 12.5's this spring. Melody Wu (Foothill Palo Cedro) has also been under 13, putting her in striking range of the top 2. Myah Gallion (Fall River) is the Division 4 champ, while Ally Ponke (Hamilton City) took gold in D3.
200 Dash
Last year, teammates Wu and Zoey Bishop (Foothill Palo Cedro) went toe-to-toe in the D1 final, with Wu emerging victorious. The next week, Bishop dropped her PR to take the section crown and advance to the state meet. That moment was the springboard for significant improvement this season: she has run in the mid-25's and will be the top seed next week. In addition to her fellow Cougar, she will have to hold off McFall - both of the challengers have been right on the verge of breaking 26 this spring. Kaitlin Paul (Oroville) also advanced to the final in something of a comeback year - she ran 26.43 as a sophomore but struggled a bit in 2019. Ponke claimed her second Division 3 title and Cailey Rizzardo (Etna) won in D4.
400 Dash
Bishop also won the section championship in this event in 2019, and her season best in the low 58's makes her a heavy favorite in a field where nobody else is under 60. At least, not under 60 yet: Mary Blaugh (Chico) has been ever so close to breaking that barrier, and we expect that to happen next week. Division 2 champ Sami Isheim (University Preparatory) has a strong chance to make the podium in the section championship, If she can stay ahead of Grace Dudley (Foothill Palo Cedro). As in the 200, Paul is looking to regain her 60-second form and, if successful, could finish as high as second (she has focused more on this race than the 100 this season). Courtney Jones (Redding Christian) took the D4 title and advanced to the final, as well. Nahkia Clements could have been a factor in this race, but her focus is on the longer events.
800 Run
Nahkia Clements (Chico) broke out with a 2:20 at the section championship last year, falling just short of advancing to the state meet. She has been under that mark several times in 2020, and it's clear that she intends to go to Clovis at the end of the month. Claire Durbin (Foothill Palo Cedro) has been running in the mid-2:20's all season; it's not out of the question for her to hang with Clements. D2 winner Isheim and D4 champion Jennifer Ruiz (Modoc) have both broken 2:30 as well. Linette Navarro (Pierce) took home gold in Division 3.
1600 Run
Rize Oliveira (Foothill Palo Cedro) could have been a contender in the 800, but she chose to put all of her energy into this race. She would have had her hands full with Clements, who returned to the 1600 some this season (she ran 5:17 as a freshman), but the Chico star is focused entirely on the 800. That leaves Ruiz as the chief contender, and the double D4 winner is certainly capable of winning next week. There will be a sizeable gap behind those three, with Linde Larson (Shasta) and Emma Flynn (Foothill Palo Cedro) leading the next group.
3200 Run
This is setting up to be the most exciting race of the section championship with four runners under 12 this spring. Ruiz, Larson, and Flynn are joined by Alondra Swangler (Paradise), trading off the lead in the section rankings between them all season. We can't wait to see the outcome of this event, with a trip to the state meet on the line!
100 Hurdles
Hailey Fune (Chico) is the most dominant athlete in the section, male or female: she leads in this event by over two seconds! Fune went to the state meet and finished 12th in the prelims last year; since then, she has dropped under 14.4 consistently and looks as if she can clock 14.1 or 14.2 with a good race. This week and next are tune-ups for her run to the state final. Teammate Sophie Hanf is a contender for silver and looking for her first sub-16, but you can say the exact same about Maddie Steele (West Valley). D4 winner Ashley Dabill (Modoc) and D3 champ Alejandra Betancourt (Live Oak) both advanced to the final, both hoping to break 17.
300 Hurdles
Steele is the best combined hurdler in the section, factoring in both races (since Fune doesn't race the 300). She is a co-favorite in this event next week with Addie Galantine (Corning), both of them under 46 this spring. The next group is a few seconds back and should include D4 winner Dabill and Melissa Mitchell (Foothill Palo Cedro). Mitchell is one to watch, as she ran 48 during her sophomore year. Belinda Brookins (Trinity) takes home gold in Division 3.
Shot Put
Subrina Tuitele (Pleasant Valley) is the heavy favorite in this event - her 39-foot PR is more than 3 feet better than anyone else in the section, although her consistent throws have been in the 37's and 38's. Arike Baxter (Enterprise) has been beyond 36, and if she pops a big throw (which does happen in this event) she could threaten for the win. Julianna Flores (Shasta) is right behind and coming for the top two, if she gets an opportunity to move up. The next group includes D3 winner Alilia Faupula (East Nicolaus) and D2 champ Kennedy Kremer (University Preparatory NS). Division 4 saw a big time duel between Megan Bennett (Etna) and Daniela Sparks (Modoc), who kept one-upping each other until Sparks claimed victory by less than 2 inches.
Discus
Tuitele also leads here, having exceeded 120 feet a handful of times this spring. Rachel Wyhlidko (Foothill Palo Cedro) can throw over 110 when she is on, but she has been inconsistent at times. That could open the door for someone like Kremer or D3 champ Jackie Rivera (Williams NS) to push for a second place finish. Baxter and Faupula are also capable of getting on the podium next week. Bennett won in Division 4, finally breaking the 100 foot barrier in the process.
Long Jump
This one should be interesting, as there is no clear favorite going into the section championship. Division 1 winner Grace Dudley (Foothill Palo Cedro) has been over 16 feet several times over the last two years, but she is still looking for her first 17 foot jump. Amber Kurth (Orland) claimed the win in Division 2, putting her consistent mid-16's in play for a possible section title. Maddie Kunkle (Sutter) has had a breakout 2020, jumping over 16 a handful of times; she is also capable of winning next week, while Kaitlyn Cox (Shasta) has been searching that elusive achievement all season. Jessica Mayer (Fall River), the Division 4 champion, is also in the upper 15's and a threat to make the podium. Durham's Allison Smith took home the D3 title.
Triple Jump
Hailey Fune (Chico) isn't just a star hurdler, she also scores big in the jumps (and she also made the state meet in this event in 2019). She helped her team move toward a section championship by winning here, and she will be heavily favored to do the same next week. Smith held off Chantal Barajas (Willows) to earn her second Division 3 victory, with both of them going over 32 feet. Maddie Steele (West Valley) and Kirsten Keesler (Oroville) are right in the same range, setting up a four-girl battle for silver next week. Kaitlyn Cox (Shasta) also advanced to the section championship, and Brooke Smiley (Etna) won in Division 4.
High Jump
Fune is also the top high jumper in the section, though it is clearly her third priority. As the only athlete in the Northern Section to clear 5-4, she will be hard to beat, especially because she is very consistent. Wyhlidko has been over 5-2 twice along with regular 5-0 jumps, putting her clearly ahead of the next group that includes Division 3 winner Allie Ponke (Hamilton City) and D4 champ Brianna Beck (Fall River). Isabella Deluca (Pleasant Valley) is right there, as well, and could challenge for a third place finish.
Pole Vault
Allaya Magee (Shasta) and Addie Galantine (Corning) have both been on the verge of clearing 11 feet this spring, putting them in the top 2 seeds next week. Dudley is not far behind, as she broke 10 several times in 2020. Behind those top three, though, there is little depth in the section. Division 2 winner Destiny Valles (West Valley) advanced to the final to lead the next group.