2022 OUTDOOR SEASON IN REVIEW
* * *
Nine individuals and two relay teams represented the Oakland Section at the CIF-State Track and Field Championships the weekend of May 27-28 at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Clovis.
None was as impressive as the McClymonds boys 4x100-meter relay team that rolled through preliminary competition with the fourth-fastest time and placed third in the final.
The lineup of junior
Javian Thomas and seniors
Michael Dansby,
Jay'Vion Cole, and
Roland Hammork, that went 41.54 to win its heat in the prelims, went 41.69 for third in the final behind only state leader Central (CS) 41.36, and Rodrick Pleasant-anchored Serra (SS) 41.50.
During the season, McClymonds ran the state's fourth-fastest time in the 4x1, 40.98 at the Sacramento Meet of Champions. Only four teams in CA ran sub-41 times during the 2022 outdoor season.
The only other Oakland Section athlete to compete in Day 2 at State was Skyline junior
Andy Ixtabalan Argueta in the 3200m. Ixtabalan Argueta was an auto qualifier after winning the eight-lap race at the section finals. The 3200m is the only event at the State Meet that does not hold a Friday preliminary.
Speaking of Day 1 at State, among the boys, Skyline junior Aman Bereket went 2:03.87 in the 800m, Oakland Technical sophomore Miles Jones ran 4:26.22 in the 1600m, McClymonds freshman Tajir Golden went 20-4.25 (0.1) in the long jump, and Skyline senior Azriel Shakur had a best of 159-1 in the discus throw. Shakur's mark was a PR and a section best.
Among the girls, Oakland Tech junior Jala Williams ran 12.62 (3.8) in the 100 meters, her freshman teammate Eliza Ayres dropped section-best marks in both the 100m hurdles (15.05/1.7) and long jump (17-2.75/1.2), Skyline senior Monique Ricks went 33-1.75 (1.9) in the triple jump, and the Oakland Tech 4x100m relay team ran 49.13.
For the season, the depth of speed at McClymonds was unmatched. The Warriors had the OK Section's top seven sprinters in the 100 meters -- Cole (10.67), Dansby (10.71), Hammork (10.89), Thomas (11.00), Golden (11.28), Dwayne McDougal (11.30), Jayden Parker (11.32) -- and the top four in the 200m -- Dansby (21.98), Cole (22.30), Thomas (22.69) and Golden (23.01).
Thomas is a junior, Parker a sophomore, Golden a freshman, and the others are seniors.
Overall, the boys in the OK saved their best for the May 17-18 section finals with 10 section-leading marks for the champions: Dansby in the 200m, Bereket in the 800m (1:59.85), Jones in the 1600m (4:21.25), Oakland Tech junior Amare Brown in the 100m hurdles (17.45), Skyline junior Miles Pare' in the 300m hurdles (43.42), the McClymonds 4x400m relay team (3:33.73), Golden in the long jump (21-7), Skyline senior Jeremy Barr in the triple jump (39-8.50), and Shakur in the shot put (44-8).
There were 11 section-leading marks set by girls at the Oakland Section Finals: Jala Williams in the 100m (12.54), Oakland Tech junior Inelaboh Ajayi in the 200m (26.37), Castlemont junior Roselin Saavedra Silva in the 1600m (5:31.74), Ayres in the 300m hurdles (48.33), Oakland Tech's 4x1 relay team (48.14) as well as its 4x400m relay team (4:22.67), Silvia Kambouridis in the high jump (4-8) and pole vault (6-0), Ricks in the triple jump (37-2), Oakland Unity senior Jaquelyn Beltran in the discus throw (83-3.50), and Skyline freshman Danielle Victorian in the shot put (28-11.50).
OAKLAND SECTION ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
BOYS
* * *
Sprints/Hurdles
At the section final, Dansby took home titles in the 100 metes (10.86/0.2), 200m (20.98/-0.6), and as part of both the 4x100m relay (42.36), and the 4x400m relay (3:33.73). At the State Meet, the McClymonds 4x100m relay team was the fourth overall qualifier out of prelims (41.54) and placed third in the final (41.69).
This was a difficult choice between two Skyline juniors, Ixtabalan Argueta and Aman Bereket. Ixtabalan Argueta led the section in the 3200m (9:50.11) and ranked second for both 800m (2:03.29), and 1600m (4:23.03). He competed at the State Meet in the 3200m. Bereket showed his distance range leading the section in the 800m (2:01.04), ranking second for 3200m (10:30.51), fourth for 1600m (4:53.74), and sixth for 400m (54.53). He competed at the State Meet in the 800m.
Shakur won both throws events at the section finals and competed at the State Meet in the discus throw, unleashing a PR of 159-1 in the prelims. Shakur won the section title in the shot put with an OK-best and PR mark of 44-8 winning throw at the OK Finals.
Williams won the section title in the 100m (12.54/-0.5), and as part of both the 4x100m relay (48.14) and 4x400m relay (4:22.67). She led the section in the 100m, ranked second in the 200m (26.59/0.4) and tied her sister Jada for the section lead in the 400m (1:01.49).
Kambouridis led the Oakland Section in the 3200m (12:19.01) and the 800m (2:24.35), and she ranked third in the 1600m (5:54.38). She showed her versatility at the section final, winning the 800m (2:28.82), high jump (4-8), and pole vault (6-0).
Ayres won the section titles in the long jump and both hurdles and competed at competed at the State Meet in the long jump and 100m hurdles. She saved her best for last with a section-best PR long jump of 17-2.75 (1.2) and 15.05 (1.7) PR in the hurdles. She also ran on the section-winning 4x100m relay team that also competed at the State Meet. Ayres' high-end versatility earned her this selection over Skyline senior Monique Ricks, who won the triple jump and placed second in the long jump at the section final.
Photos by DeAnna Turner, Daniel Hernandez, Dan Tyree, and Pat Rhames.
