SACRAMENTO MEET OF CHAMPIONS
Del Oro (SJ) senior Riley Chamberlain is scheduled to compete in the 800m and 1600m during Saturday's evening invitational session at the Sacramento Meet of Champions at American River College. (Dan Tyree photo)
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WATCH LIVE ON MILESPLIT
The 39th running of the Sacramento Meet of Championships, a return to the event after a two-year pandemic-related hiatus, takes the line Saturday at American River College with a day session at 11 a.m. and an invitational session beginning with field events at 4 p.m. and track events at 5:30 p.m.
This venerable event has been a showcase for athletes in CA, Nevada, and Oregon over the years, with a strong concentration of talent traveling over from the North Coast Section, up from the Central Section, and staying right close to home in the Sac-Joaquin Section.
The meet's record-holders are dominated by NCS athletes with this year's elite entries looking to challenge those very lofty standards.
All of the current girls leaders in the SJS are scheduled to compete, as are boys in 11 of the 16 standard events. There are five NCS boys leaders from six events, five NCS girls leaders from seven events, two Northern Section leaders from four events, and four NS boys leaders from seven events. Not all section leaders are scheduled to compete here in their primary event. (Section event leaders are based on marks in the MileSplit database through meets of last weekend.)
Here's a closer look at athletes and teams to watch in the invitational events:
GIRLS
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100 Meters
Record: Ashton Purvis (St. Elizabeth/NC) 11.40, 2007
Watch: Turlock senior Kylee Redman has a best of 11.92 (-0.7) to rank CA No. 4 for wind-legal marks and No. 10 overall. Cosumnes Oaks (SJ) junior Aniaya Bishop (12.12), Vacaville (SJ) junior Lily Holman (12.17), and St. Mary's senior Cameron Fields (12.18) have the other top-ranked qualifying marks. Redman ran the 14th-fastest time here as a freshman in 2019, 12.37.
200 Meters
Record: Ashton Purvis (St. Elizabeth/NC) 23.50, 2007
Watch: Monte Vista (NC) junior Cate Peters is one of the fastest 800m runners in the nation, but she's skipping the two-lapper for the shorter sprints. Peters has a 200m best of 24.74 (2.0) but this is no gimme. Turlock's Redman (24.76/1.9) and Vacaville junior Lily Holman (24.78/nwi) figure to make this a photo finish.
400 Meters
Record: Tierra Robinson-Jones (Bishop O'Dowd/NC) 53.15, 2018
Watch: Peters with a CA No. 5-ranked best of 54.74 will get her best challenge from Edison senior Aliyah Williams (56.65/CA No. 14). El Capitan (SJ) senior Anaya Shelton (57.58) and Granite Bay (SJ) senior Abigail Peterson (58.21) also rank CA top 50.
800 Meters
Record: Alex Kosinski (Oak Ridge/SJ) 2:07.84, 2007
Watch: A repeat of the 2:06.89 she dropped last Saturday at Mt. SAC would have pushed Peters at the all-time meet list, but she's not entered in this event here. Who is? Del Oro (SJ) distance star Riley Chamberlain. The BYU-signee has a best of 2:14.48 to lead the SJS. Cal Poly-signee Tatiana Cornejo of St. Francis (SJ) is also in the mix here for a little speed work. She has a best of 2:16.36.
1600 Meters
Record: Alex Kosinski (Oak Ridge/SJ) 4:38.15, 2007
Watch: Chamberlain, who ranks CA No. 3 with a best of 4:46.34, and Cornejo (4:53.27) are scheduled to come back here to be joined by St. Francis (SJ) senior and Georgetown-signee Cate Joaquin (4:53.54). Challenges to that lead pack could come from Whitney (SJ) junior Katie Kopec (4:59.38), Granite Bay (SJ) junior Carly Foster (5:00.01), Oak Ridge (SJ) junior Quinn Walker (5:00.11), and Monte Vista junior (NC) Sally Binder (5:01.64). Joaquin was the winner here as a freshman in 2019, going 5:01.03 with Cornejo 11th at 5:11.56.
3200 Meters
Record: Jordan Hasay (Mission College Prep/CS) 10:21.34, 2006
Watch: Whitney junior Katie Kopec (10:30.72) leads the scheduled field, which is scheduled to include Ponderosa (SJ) senior Natalie Wieland, Oak Ridge (SJ) senior Ava Maier, Whitney sophomore Ava Kopec, Chico senior twins Della and Iresh Molina, the top distance runners in the Northern Section, and Del Oro sophomore Karissa Chamberlain, Riley's sister. Wieland was fourth as a freshman in 2019, running 11:00.58.
100 Meter Hurdles
Record: Kaylah Robinson (El Cerrito/NC) 13.32, 2017
Watch: Stockton Lincoln (SJ) junior Y'Vette Harris (pictured above) is the class of the hurdles with a section-leading 14.25 (0.7). Rocklin (SJ) sophomore Giselle Kirchner (14.49/nwi), and St. Mary's (SJ) junior Kori Fields (15.00/nwi) could make it interesting.
300 Meter Hurdles
Record: Talia Stewart (James Logan/NC) 41.64, 2004
Watch: Again it's Harris, as the SJ leader with a CA No. 9-ranked best of 44.34. Oak Ridge (SJ) senior Alyssa Heinlein (a recent Cal State San Marcos signee) ranks No. 3 in the NCS at 45.56.
400 Meter Relay
Record: San Lorenzo (NC) 45.95, 1999
Watch: St. Mary's is the SJ leader at 47.09 (CA No. 9) but with NCS leader Vallejo (46.95) not in the mix, Edison (SJ) at 48.53 looks as the next best challenger, with Bella Vista (48.69) and Torre Anderson-anchored Pleasanton Foothill (48.70) looking to pressure the front-runners.
1600 Meter Relay
Record: Skyline (OK) 3:43.14c, 1993
Watch: Oak Ridge (4:03.66), scheduled to be anchored by Alyssa Heinlein, Stockton Edison (4:02.36), with Nakai Johnson the scheduled closer, and Pleasanton Foothill (4:02.36), with junior Claire Van Horn anchoring are the top seedes here.
Long Jump
Record: Jamesha Youngblood (Hercules/NC) 20-06.00, 2007
Watch: Foothill (NC) senior Torre Anderson has gone 18-6.50 for No. 2 in her section. The sprinter-jumper standout is scheduled to run the 100m during the afternoon session and then return for the 4x1, high jump and here. She will get a challenge from SJS section leader Janae Heffernan, a senior at Elk Grove, who has a best of 18-5. Northern Section sprint leader Kylie Atteberry isn't scheduled to take the line here but is scheduled in the long jump where she ranks NS No. 2 with a best of 17-2.50. Anderson, Heffernan, and Cameron Fields (noted below) all competed in this event as freshmen in 2019.
Triple Jump
Record: Ke'Nyi Richardson (Holy Names/NC) 43-03.00, 2007
Watch: St. Mary's (SJ) senior Cameron Fields ranks CA No. 12 with an all-conditions best of 38-0.50 (nwi). Her top competition should come from Inderkum (SJ) senior Azaria Purdy who has a CA No. 20-ranked best of 37-5.
High Jump
Record: Gabby Williams (Reed (NV) 5-11.00, 2012
Watch: Whitney (SJ) junior Ashanti Elie has cleared 5-10 in each of her previous two meets entering this week, including at Arcadia for second place. What a perfect opportunity to go even higher! Her's is the best mark in CA and is tied with eight others for U.S. No. 5. Bella Vista (SJ) senior Isabella Chilcutt has gone 5-7 this year and the North Carolina recruit is looking to match and exceed her freshman PR of 5-8. NCS leader Mara Lampsas of California HS has a season-best of 5-6. Chilcutt was sixth with a best of 5-3 as a frosh in 2019.
Pole Vault
Record: Erika Malaspina (Pacific Collegiate/CC) 13-03.00, 2016
Watch: Oak Ridge (SJ) senior Alison Sahaida is the top vaulter here with a best of 12-10 to rank CA No. 8. Mario Carrillo (NC) junior Lily Mulligan and Pleasant Grove (SJ) junior Abigail Wagner have each cleared 12 feet.
Discus Throw
Record: Suzy Powell (Modesto Downey/SJ) 179-01.00, 1994
Watch: El Camino Fundamental (SJ) senior Sariyah Horne ranks CA No. 6 with a best of 134-2 and Davis (SJ) sophomore Nellee Bitners is No. 90 at 132-1.
Shot Put
Record: Kristin Heaston (Ygnacio Valley/NC) 51-11.50, 1993
Watch: Weston Ranch (SJ) junior Galadriel Mellion is No. 10 in CA at 40-6. Julia Pisenti of Bear River (SJ) has a best of 39-8.50. Monte Vista junior Ashley Rosati, the NCS leader, has thrown 37-5.