CIF-STATE MEET RECAP Jumps Titles No Lock For State Leaders

102nd CIF-STATE TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS

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Girls Long Jump

Clovis (SS) junior Sydnie Vanek (pictured) came in with a season-best of 19-11.75 but uncorked a 20-5 and 20-8.50 (3.1) in her final two of six attempts to win the State Meet title.

Vanek, with that final big leap, knocked out Hope, who had been the leader at 20-4 (3.0). 20-8.50 (3.1), hitting her big jump on the fifth attempt. 

Upland (SS) senior Caelyn Harris, a champion here as a freshman in 2019, jumped 19-9.50 (1.8) to place third, knocking Golden Valley (SS) senior Kylee Davis, the state leader, down to fourth. Davis, who had a season-best of 24-5.50 from CIF-SS Masters, hit her best jump on her final attempt, 19-8.25 (2.0). 

Triple-medal winner Eve Divinity, a senior at Redondo Union (SS), was sixth (19-3/1.3) behind Vista Murrieta (SS) sophomore Alyssa Alumbres (19-5.50/2.4). 

Girls Triple Jump

Hope was dominant in the triple jump with three jumps over 40 feet and a winning best of 40-2.75 (2.8) on her sixth and final attempt. She also had jumps of 40-1 and 40-2.75. 

Cameron Fields, a Harvard-bound rugby player from St. Mary's (SJ), was second with a best of 38-9.75 (5.3), and Buchanan (CS) senior Madeleine Passmore, who was the 12th and final qualifier out of Friday's prelims, earned a third-place medal with a best of 38-9.75 (3.4). 

Girls High Jump

This field had thinned out over the course of the post-season and Los Gatos (CC) junior Hannah Slover took advantage, winning the State Meet title with a modest clearance of 5-6. She had clearances on her first two bars, 5-4 and 5-6 before missing at 5-7. 

Four others were cleared on their first attempt at 5-4 but failed to clear 5-6: Calabasas (SS) sophomore Amia Witt, Scripps Ranch (SD) junior Lizzie Tarczy, Aptos (CC) senior Elizabeth Churchill, and Belmont Notre Dame (CC) junior Melanie Castelli.

Golden Valley (SS) sophomore Meagan Humphries missed her first attempt at 5-4 and missed twice at 5-6 to earn a tie for second place. 

Only seven girls in the field of 12 cleared the opening height. State leader Ashanti Elie of Whitney (SJ) was eliminated in prelims.

Boys Long Jump

When interviewed on the field after the medals ceremony, Corona del Mar (SS) senior Jason Plumb said his coach, world long jump record-holder Mike Powell, was unable to be at Buchanan HS on Saturday for the State Finals. No worries, Powell's pupil executed the coach's teaching to the tune of a State Meet title.

Plumb, who had a season-best of 24-5 from a league meet, used a 3.9 mps wind to go 24-5.75 and win the State title. He did that on his fourth attempt and also went 24-0.25 (2.1) on his sixth and final attempt. 

Golden Valley (SS) senior Elijha Ellis also went 24-5.75 (2.3) for second place. State leader JC Stevenson, a senior at Great Oak (SS), was third with a best of 24-3.75 (2.3). He also went 24-0.50 (2.0) on his final attempt. 

Clovis (CS) senior Nathan Johnso, a football recruit headed to Utah who also competed in the 100m, was the other boy at 24-plus -- 24-2.25 (3.4). 

Boys Triple Jump

St. John Bosco (SS) senior Camryn O'Bannon (pictured above), who struggled in the long jump with only one legal mark of a sub-par 21-11.50 (1.9) and a 10th-place finish, carried those struggles over to the triple jump. At least at first where his first five jumps were no better than 46-3. But on his sixth attempt, when it mattered most, the senior popped a 47-6.75 (1.2) to take the title.

It had been Stevenson's gold medal from the third jump on when he went 47-2.50 (3.6) and improved on that with his fifth jump of 47-4 (1.6 -- a rare wind-legal anything at this meet). But when it came to his final jump and a chance to take back the gold, it would be his 19th and final in-competition jump between the long and triple over the two-day meet and the grind took its toll: 45-11.25 (2.9).

Arroyo Grande (CS) senior William Dawes 47-0.25 (4.9) was third with James Logan (NC) senior combo jumper-discus thrower Jacob Watts in fourth at 46-5.75 (4.3), and Valley View (SS) senor Kyan Thomas was fifth at 46-5.75 (3.3).