102nd CIF-STATE TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS
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WATCH THE STATE FINALS LIVE
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MORE INFORMATION ON SATURDAY'S FINALS
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MORE COVERAGE FROM FRIDAY'S PRELIMS
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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
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BOYS POLE VAULT QUALIFYING
The magic number to be certain to qualify was 15-3. Make that and you were among the top eight to advance. Miss that and you had to clear 14-11 fairly cleanly.
Although state leader (16-9) Hunter O'Brien of Roosevelt (SS) struggled, missing his first try at 14-11 and his first two at 15-3, he did manage to scale that height (15-3) and qualify eighth out of 12.
Only Lemoore (CS) senior Shane Bagley, who is very familiar with this facility, had a clean slate as he opened at 14-5, and then cleared 14-11 and 15-3 on his first tries, putting his poles away for the night early.
Another local who advanced was Buchanan (CS) junior Hilton Green who made 15-3 on his second try. His best is 16-5.
Turlock (SJ) senior Ian Strode (16-1) missed twice at 14-11 before topping 15-3 on his first attempt but his sophomore teammate Max McFarlane cleared 14-5 but missed at 14-11 and did not advance.
Bellarmine College Prep (CC) senior Justin Vigna came in with a best of 16-6 but no-heighted at 14-5. He was one of nine unable to get over the opening height on this day.
Others moving into Saturday's finals: Newport Harbor (SS) junior Leo Davis, Foothill Technology (SS) senior Aidan Hagerty, Dublin (NC) freshman Khaliq Muhammad, all over 15-3. Muhammad is the national leader in the Class of 2025.
Others advancing at 14-11 are Ramona (SS) senior Gavin Hanes, Oak Ridge (SJ) senior Kyle Burns, Poway (SD) senior Nathan Richards, and Oaks Christian (SS) senior Jake Reed.
GIRLS POLE VAULT QUALIFYING
Interestingly, the girls who cleared 12-7 automatically advanced but that 12-7 did not include co-state leader Jathiyah Muhammad of Dublin (NC), who struggled, passing the opening height of 11-9, missing once at 12-3 before making her only successful jump on her second attempt.
While the sophomore with a 14-foot PR certainly was not pleased with 12-3, at least she claimed one of the 12 finals berths.
The other co-state leader, Scripps Ranch (SD) senior Lexi Evans, also passed 11-9 but made 12-3 on her first try. It took her two tries at 12-7 before she cleared and called it a day. Del Norte (SD) Allison Leigh, who soared 14-feet a year ago, advanced by scaling 12-7 on her first effort.
Numbers-wise, the San Diego Section claimed half of the 12 berths, and the Madisyn Negro-led Southern Section got three with the Murrieta Valley junior missing just once at 12-3 before scaling 12-7.
Others advancing are Buchanan (CS) junior Jordan Leveque, Oak Ridge (SJ) senior Alison Sahaida, La Costa Canyon (SD) sophomore Iliana Downing, and San Dieguito Academy (SD) senior Quincy Hansen - all with 12-7 clearances.
Those advancing at 12-3 are Vista Murrieta (SS) sophomore Aspen Fears, Souther Torrance (SS) senior Kayla Tassara, and Poway (SD) junior Evangeline Thomson.
Steve Brand is a freelance writer and a regular contributor to MileSplit.
Photos by Dan Tyree