102nd CIF-STATE TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS
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MORE INFORMATION ON SATURDAY'S FINALS
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One in a series of event-group recaps from Friday's Prelims from the CIF-State Meet at Buchanan HS in Clovis
(This story has been updated to correct the qualifiers for girls long jump.)
BOYS LONG JUMP
State leader JC Stevenson (pictured above) fouled on his first two of three attempts before unleashing a 24-9.25 (2.3), just under his state-best of 24-9.50 as the top qualifier. With that last jump, the Great Oak (SS) senior overtook Golden Valley (SS) senior Elijha Ellis, whose 24-6 (2.3) is the No. 2 qualifier. Corona Del Mar (SS) senior Jason Plumb was the only other boy to exceed 24 feet, jumping 24-1.25 (3.6).
Mission Bay (SD) sophomore Brandon Cheeks grabbed the final qualifying spot with his 22-01.75 (1.7) jump in his second attempt.
Other qualifiers are Clovis (SS) senior Nathan Johnson (23-9.75), Lodi (SJ) junior Maceo McDowell (23-7/1.5), St. John Bosco (SS) senior Camryn O'Bannon (23-6.75), Salesian (NC) senior Elias Ajamu Reed (23-5/1.0), Rocklin (SJ) senior Kyran Bell (23-00), Elisonore (SS) senior Elijah Yoshinaga (22-10.50/1.1), Sierra (SJ) senior Jeontay Berry (22-8.75/1.6), Helix (SD) senior Tibyasa Matovu (22-5.00/2.5).
BOYS TRIPLE JUMP
Golden Valley's Ellis, who had the No. 2 qualifying mark in the long jump, heads to Saturday's final with the top qualifying mark in the triple jump, hitting 47-10.75 (0.8) on his second of three attempts.
Arroyo Grande (CS) senior William Dawes (47-7.25 (2.2), and Valley View (SS) senior Kyan Thomas (47-01.25/2.4) also had qualifying jumps of 47-plus.
Mission Bay's Cheeks again was the 12th and final qualifier with a best of 44-04.75 (0.7), making the finals by 2.50 inches.
Other qualifiers are O'Bannon (46-11/0.0), Yoshinaga (46-3.50/1.0), Stevenson (45-10.50/0.2), Edison (SJ) senior Jonathan Taylor (45-10/1.7), Eastlake (SD) senior Brandon Buu (45-8.50/2.0), Crean Lutheran (SS) senior Jack Fairchild (45-4.50/2.2), James Logan (NC) senior Jacob Watts (44-9.75/1.8), and Eastlake (SD) senior Justin Cardoza (44-7.50/1.0).
BOYS HIGH JUMP
More boys failed to clear the opening height of 6-4 than made the finals. Only 11 boys advanced while 14 failed to clear a height.
Among those falling short are two of the state's top jumpers in Mission Bay's Cheeks and Riverside Poly (SS) senior Owen Pennington, who both came in with a season-best of 6-8.
Five boys cleared the opening height of 6-4 on their first attempt and that's the only jump they needed to make. Those are Justin-Siena (NC) junior Travis Hightower, De La Salle (NC) junior Chukwunonso Udeh, Cajon (SS) senior Seth Johnson, Steele Canyon (SD) senior Leon Gillis, and Eastlake's Cardoza. Johnson and Gillis share the state lead at 6-9 and Cardoza has gone over 6-8.
Another 6-8 jumper who made the final is Crossroads (SS) junior Cole Hoegl.
Others who will jump in the final are Clovis (CS) junior Caleb Jackson, North Bakersfield (CS) senior Noah Wright, Vista Murrieta (SS) senior Jonh Saracay, Mater Dei (SS) freshman Brandon Gorski, and Davis (SJ) senior Ray Oldham.
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GIRLS LONG JUMP
Riverside King (SS) junior Alyssa Hope heads into Saturday's State Meet finals as the top qualifier in long jump and the No. 2 qualifier in the triple jump.
In the long jump, she fouled her first attempt, unleashed a 20-3.75 (2.3) on her second attempt, and passed her third attempt to save her legs for the triple jump. Her mark is a 7.50-inch PR.
Golden Valley (SS) senior Kylee Davis, the state leader, took all three of her attempts, progressing in each to a 19-11.75 (2.3) on her third attempt.
Clovis (CS) junior Sydnie Vanek also had a jump of 19-11.75 (1.3).
Upland (SS) senior Caelyn Harris, the state champion as a freshman here in 2019, moves into the finals with a qualifying best of 19-9.75.
Redondo Union (SS) senior Eve Divinity, who also qualified in the 100-meter and 200-meter sprints, went 19-3 on her first two jumps and passed her third.
Other qualifiers in the long jump are Sage Creek (SD) senior Elizabeth Hatton (19-1.25/2.3), Long Beach Poly (SS) senior Lauren Reed (18-10/1.7), Mission Viejo (SS) junior Emily Psarras (18-8.75/2.2), Vista Murrieta (SS) sophomore Alyssa Alumbres (18-8.50/2.0), Golden Valley (SS) sophomore Meagan Humphries (18-6/0.0), Orange Vista (SS) junior Kailah McKenzie (18-4.75/2.2), and Carson (LA) senior Simone Terry (18-3.74/1.2).
Hatton crossed into 19 feet for the first time.
GIRLS TRIPLE JUMP
King's Hope went 40-2.25 (1.8) on her second attempt and passed her third attempt. Mission Viejo (SS) junior Jada Gatlin took advantage with a 40-9 (1.7), a six-inch PR, and the state's wind-legal leader.
Three other girls popped 39-foot qualifiers: Etiwanda (SS) sophomore Alaya Robinson (39-5.50/1.5), Reed (39-2/1.8), and St. Mary's (SJ) senior Cameron Fields (39-00/2.4). Robinson was the only other girl to PR with a 3.35 improvement.
Other qualifiers included Alumbres (38-6.50/0.8), Point Loma (SD) senior Mikaela Miles (38-1.75/2.3), Los Alamitos (SS) senior Mackenzie Kirk (38-1.75/1.8), Whitney (SJ) sophomore Juliana Roberson (37-2/1.0), El Camino (SD) senior Jenniece Pingley (37-1/1.7), Arroyo Grande (CS) senior Madeline Scovil (36-11.25/0.3), and Buchanan (CS) senior Madeleine Passmore (36-975/1.2).
GIRLS HIGH JUMP
The at-large qualifier in this event was 5-5 leading to an overflow field of 32 earning a ticket to compete in Friday's prelims. So, of course, it was 5-5 that decided who made the finals and who was heading home early. Four girls cleared 5-6 and 10 went over 5-5 for only 12 spots.
The top qualifiers are Aptos (CC) senior Elizabeth Churchill, Los Gatos (CC) junior Hannah Slover, Calabasas (SS) sophomore Amia Witt, and Golden Valley's Humphries. Churchill was clean at 5-3, missed her first attempt at 5-5, and cleared her first attempt at 5-6. That was it for her. Four attempts. Moving on.
Slover was clean through the first two heights, missed her first at 5-6, and then cleared. Humphries missed her first two at 5-5 before clearing, and then missed her first attempt at 5-6.
Those clearing 5-5 and moving on to Saturday's final are Righetti (CS) sophomore Kendra Daniels, Golden Valley (SJ) senior Jasmine Severo, Scripps Ranch (SD) junior Lizzie Tarczy, California (NC) senior Mara Lampsas, Eastlake (SD) senior Macaria Moore-Bastide, Aliso Niguel (SS) senior Kendra Duffey, Long Beach Poly senior Zharia Taylor, and Notre Dame (CC) junior Melanie Castelli.
Taylor, Humphries and Churchill all have gone over 5-9 this season.
Among those on the outside looking in after jump-offs, is Whitney (SJ) junior Ashanti Elie, who is the state leader at 5-10. Golden Valley's Kylee Davis and Long Beach Poly (SS) freshman Jillene Wetteland, who had both cleared 5-8 during the season.
Of those 32, two scratched, 10 didn't clear a height, and six others cleared only 5-3.
Photos by DeAnna Turner and Daniel Hernandez