Girls Seniors-Only Central Section Area Meets Highlights
100 Dash
Hailey Langley (Hanford) has been on top of the Central Section senior rankings all season, and she rolls easily through the West Area field; Iiyanii Jones (Lemoore) finishes second. The tightest competition, in contrast, was in the South Area: Bree Johansen (Taft) and Avery Collins (Centennial) have been battling virtually all season, and their head-to-head race was as exciting as expected. Collins took the win this week, but Johansen has another chance to flip the script in the Masters meet. The battle for third was just as spirited, with Hailey Plugge (Frontier CS) holding on to claim the last auto qualifying spot. The North Area was wide open in this event coming into the season, with several legitimate candidates but no clear favorite. The race lived up to its billing, as Alyssa Goree (Clovis East) held off Jill Penner (Clovis West) to take the win. Carissa Hall (Immanuel) is the South Area champ.
200 Dash
Alyssa Orr (Clovis North) and Ejaiya Burton (Tulare Western) were the top two returners coming into the season, and both won their respective area meets. Orr defeated Penner and Goree in the North as Ashley Rowland (Buchanan) advanced on time, while Burton cruised through the East qualifier. Johansen and Collins had a second titanic battle in the South meet, and this time Johansen finished on top. With the top three sprinters in the low- to mid-25's going into Masters (Orr, Burton, and Penner), it will take an upset for anyone else to claim a state meet spot - but Johansen, Collins, and Goree aren't so far behind that the possibility is out of the question.
400 Dash
Burton and Orr are also the top two athletes in the section in this event, and both of them are able to advance with relative ease. Orr, her state meet experience from 2019 giving her confidence, cruised through the North race without straining despite having Ashley Gardner (Clovis East) not far behind her. She looks poised to run in the 56's, the culmination of a season-long pursuit, and also to return to the state meet. Burton seemed to indicate a preference for the 200 last season, but she is strong here and can definitely move on to the state meet with a good race. Serena Cisneros (Bakersfield South) won the South Area meet and broke 59 in the process, putting her in the same range as Julia Hardwick (Clovis).
800 Run
Rachel Fitt (Bishop Union) and Ellen Palmgren (Liberty Bakersfield) are the only two runners in the section with sub-2:15 on their resumes this season, and though they both run in the South Area they did not go all-out today, conserving energy for the section title contest next week. The competition for third at Masters is shaping up to be intense: Amanda Dolberg (Buchanan) has run 2:18, as have the Clovis East duo of Gardner and Jadyn Pennington. Gardner's improvement in the 400 led her to choose that race, which may make it easier for her teammate to advance in this event. Interestingly, Pennington and Dolberg were 6th and 7th at the 2019 Masters. Hailey Goodell (Arroyo Grande) comes out of the West Area with a 2:19, putting her within striking range of 3rd, as well. Chloe Schultz (Redwood CS) held off Jordyn Harper (Mammoth) for the East title.
1600 Run
Historically, the 1600/mile is considered a prestigious event; for one of the top runners in this section, though, it presents a difficult question. This isn't the best race for Corie Smith (Buchanan), and she may choose to focus on the 3200 at Masters and the state meet. That may be at least part of the reason why Unique Ford (Madera) was able to upset her in the North Area meet. Ford had an outstanding cross country season, dropping nearly a minute from 2018 and finishing 6th at the state meet. She has been consistently under 5 this spring, and she is positioned to be a factor at the state meet. Fitt, of course, went to the state meet in this race last year, and this time around she wants to make the finals. Today, she was able to cruise in the South Area meet. Goodell also earned the West title in this race, although it looks like the 800 is her better option to be competitive at Masters. The East Area produced a fun battle between Schultz and Nadia Salcedo (Tulare Western), with Schultz holding on to secure the double.
3200 Run
Buchanan's Smith dominates in this event, as she is the top returner in the entire state. She has now been 2nd in a state championship race twice, and you can bet the fire is burning in her to claim the crown this year. She pulls away from teammate Rachel Culver and Dariana Miramontes (Madera South) in the North Area race before shutting it down at the end, making the effort look easy. If you don't think Smith is a legit sub-10 contender, you haven't been paying attention! With Ford putting all of her effort into the 1600, Jessica Valles (Sunnyside) finished fourth in the North to move on based on her time. The East race was deep and very competitive, with Morya Peterson (Mt. Whitney) and Aryanna Guzman (Monache) going 1-2 ahead of Salcedo, who may have been tired from the 1600. Allison Starika (Centennial) defeated Brianna Valles (McFarland) to take the win in the South.
110 Hurdles
Monea Jennings (Fresno Central) got a taste of the state meet last year in this event, and you know she wants to get back. She looks absolutely dominant in the North Area meet, and we don't see anyone in the valley that can beat her. The battle for second and third in Masters, on the other hand, should be intense! Penelopi Leach (Madera) may be 2nd in the North, but she has a faster time than the winners of the other three areas. East winner Carissa Hall (Immanuel), South champ Leah Tauchen (Liberty Bakersfield), and West gold medalist Jasmine Garcia (Arroyo Grande) have all been under 17 this spring, as have a handful of other contenders. Keep an eye on Cami Lim (Golden West), who could be a sleeper to make the Masters podium. All of that should make for a wild race next weekend!
300 Hurdles
This is Jennings' better race, although a very competitive Masters final last year kept her out of the state meet. Her chief competition will come from Mia Salinas (Selma), the East champ and the only other athlete in the section to have run under 45 this spring. Brooklin Woolf (Clovis) has been right on the verge of breaking through that barrier, and she will have at least one more week to try to get there. Watch out for Kaija Ambriz (Strathmore), who pushed Salinas through 6 hurdles before fading slightly; she could be a sleeper to crack the top 3. Bree Johansen (Taft CS) wins the South race, and she has an interesting decision looming as to which races she wants to continue contesting. The West winner is Jasmine Garcia (Arroyo Grande), who is looking to post her first 47 of the season at Masters.
Shot Put
This is shaping up to be one of the mist exciting events at Masters, with East winner Jade Whitfield (Mt. Whitney) leading North champ Hannah Davis (Buchanan) ever so slightly (both have been beyond 41 feet this spring). Karly Soenksen, continuing the proud throws tradition at Arroyo Grande, will also be in the mix after dominating the West Area competition. South champion Taylor Linzie (Bakersfield) is in the same range and definitely capable of making the podium, as is McKenna Chaney (Buchanan). We also wouldn't count out Yazmine Villarreal-Harris (Dinuba) or Tearra Haney (Golden Valley), as both have thrown close to 38 feet and they challenged Linzie all through their area meet.
Discus
Whitfield is a clearer favorite in this event as the only thrower in the section to have gone over 150 (which she has done several times). Her consistency is one of her biggest assets, and she has something left to prove after a difficult state meet prelims in 2019. Chaney has thrown in the 140's a few times this spring, putting her theoretically within striking range of the win. The next group trails behind her by over 10 feet, which puts them battling for third; Soenksen and Haney lead that pack, with Elizabeth Angulo (McFarland) right behind them.
Long Jump
In addition to being a contender in the hurdles, East Area winner Carissa Hall (Immanuel) is the top long jumper in the section with a handful of 18 foot marks this spring (not all of them wind legal, though). She didn't have an easy time this week, either, as Kinley McNeice (Central Valley Christian) is in the upper 17's. and Simone Johnson (Fresno Central) has been knocking on the door of that barrier all season, and she is capable of winning this at Masters after taking the North crown today. Edison's Zula Omawahleh is also right in the middle of this competition, with a strong chance to make the podium next week. Mari Henning (Golden Valley) held off Leah Tauchen (Liberty Bakersfield) for the South Area victory
Triple Jump
Another duel between Hall and Johnson here, but this time it's the Central star that has the upper hand. Johnson has been over 40 feet a handful of times the last 2 years, and she made the state finals in 2019. Hall has had an excellent spring, but she still has work to do to pull off the upset. Alyssa Hayashi (Edison CS) has been right on the verge of breaking 38 this spring, and next week would be the ideal time to accomplish that goal. East champion Marisa Perez (Redwood) has improved a lot this season, but she is still looking for her first 36-foot jump. Omawahleh is right in the same range, along with Marybeth Baranda (Buchanan) and Megan Harnandez (Sunnyside).
High Jump
This is going to be a WILD event at Masters, with no clear favorite and a logjam of contenders. Aniya Hoggatt (Fresno Central) has taken a big step forward since 2019, opening this spring with a 5-4. She has repeated that mark several times, but hasn't been able to get higher yet. Brooklin Woolf (Clovis) has hit 5-4 and consistently cleared 5-3, and today she finished 2nd to Hoggatt based on misses - that means she can definitely flip the script next week. Behind those two are several jumpers who have flashed the potential for big jumps, but haven't been as consistent. East champion Indya Smith (Golden West) and runner-up Olivia Doyle (Kingsburg) are in that group, along with Keira Aquino (Edison). South winner America Teare (Tehachapi) and West champ Kiley Johnson (Arroyo Grande) are not far behind, either. Shelby Rice (Clovis) could be a factor, too. Getting the picture here?
Pole Vault
The vault will also be super competitive, especially since the top 5 jumpers from 2019 graduated, although the list of legitimate contenders is shorter than in the high jump. Jacqueline Maze (Tulare Union) and Abigail Rumohr (Yosemite) entered the season essentially as co-favorites; Rumohr had a slightly higher PR at 10-9, but Maze finished higher at Masters with a 10-6 clearance. They have both cleared 11 feet this spring, and both won their respective area meets. Cami Lim (Golden West) opened the 2020 season with a 10-6 after being frustrated by the 10 foot barrier in 2019; now she wants to get past 11. Erika Guzman (Hanford West) got over 10 feet six times last year, including two at 10-6, but her season ended early. She is back in the hunt for a Masters title now after edging out Alexis Jimenez (Hanford) in the West Area meet. South winner Emma Jones (Frontier) has been extremely consistent over 10 feet with a few 10-6 clearances, which puts her right in the mix, too.