CIF-STATE PRELIMS RECAP - Boys and Girls Weight Throws

CLOVIS -- The best way to perform on the first day of the CIF-State Track and Field Championship meet, which is a preliminary format, is to do something to calm the nerves and to set a tone.

In both the girls' and boys' discus events Friday, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame (SS) junior April Fontenette and Santa Clarita Golden Valley's Terraine Wiggins Jr. accomplished that goal and now they'll be competing in Saturday's final.

Fontenette, competing in one of the very first events of the day, secured her place by uncorking a personal-best throw of 157 feet, 1 inch.

"The discus definitely went great. I'm glad it was the very first throw because that made it more impressive to me," she said.

She followed it up with a pair of throws in the mid-140s to show consistency and to demonstrate the confidence she had felt during a strong practice session on Thursday.

But the first throw definitely set the bar for everyone else. Sariyah Horne of El Camino (SJ) was the closest, but she went 147-10. Fontenette certainly will be one to watch on Saturday. Joining her and Horne among the 12 finalists are Cathedral Catholic (SD) senior Kennedy Clarke (146-8), Caruthers (CS) junior  Nailea Fields (144-0), Clovis East (CS) senior Feyi Olukanni (143-1), Weston Ranch (SJ) junior Galadriel Mellion (133-6), West County (NC) senior Ellie Roan (133-0), Roosevelt (SS) senior Karyssa Owens (130-5), Mt. Carmel (SD) senior Madeleine Seabolt (128-8), Bear River (SJ) senior Julia Pisenti  (127-10), Hesperia (SS) senior Jinelle Stiber (125-11) and Del Norte (SD) senior Nicole Loy (124-10).

Loy, headed to Cornell, is a 13-foot pole vaulter as a junior who took up the weight throws in March and made the State Meet in both and will now throw the discus at the State Finals!

The boys' discus prelim was also decided on the first throw by Wiggins Jr. He went 195-3 to advance as the top thrower. Only one other competitor was able to break 190 as JSerra's Brendon See had a top toss of 191-3. 

Wiggins and See were followed by Elijah Ignacio of Elsinore (187-8), Nicholas Godbehere of Shafter (186-1), Jordan Franco of Hesperia (185-10), Cade Moran of Murrieta Mesa (181-11), Nikolas Iwankiw of South Pasadena (179-10), McKay Madsen of Clovis North (178-10), Kai Deines of Redondo (175-9), Guillermo Lopez of Southwest EC (175-4), Westlake's Adam Laycock (171-6) and Enochs' Steve Mai (171-5).

SHOT PUT

In the preliminaries, the top three boys -- Aiden Pastorian of Great Oak, Cade Moran of Murrieta Mesa and Nikolas Iwankiw of South Pasadena -- Each recorded their best marks in the second round.

Pastorian advanced to Saturday's final with the top throw of the day, 61-1.50. Moran was a close second at 60-7.50 and Iwankiw topped out at 59-1.50. Having these three so close together should mean a thrilling competition for the the state title on Saturday.

Also in the mix are the nine others who advanced to the final Nicholas Godbehere of Shafter (59-1.50) Guillermo Lopez of Southwest EC (58-10.75), Vista's Luis Martinez (56-0.50), Travis Zavala of Anaheim Canyon (55-11.50), McKay Madsen of Clovis North (55-8.75), Redondo's Kai Deines (54-11), Hawkin Miller of San Diego El Camino (53-3.25), Andrew Trottier of Bakersfield Liberty (51-6.50) and Abayomi Babalola of Enochs (51-2).

On the girls' side, the top four spots went to those who notched their best mark on their third and final attempt.

Hope Gordon of Sherman Oaks Notre Dame won with a top throw of 42-11.25, followed by Kennedy Clarke of San Diego Cathedral Catholic (42-2.75), Feyi Olukanni of Clovis East (41-9) and Aja Johnson of Notre Dame (41-8.25).

Joining them in Saturday's final are Galadriel Mellion of Weston Ranch (40-7.25), Nyla Baker of Del Campo (40-1), Nailea Fields from Caruthers (39-11.50) April Fontenette of Notre Dame (39-11.50), Julia Pisenti Of Bear River (39-9.50), Erica Collins of Chino Hills (39-8.25), Kais Kimuli of Mt. Carmel (39-4.75) and Carson's Miah Molette (39-1.25).