PREVIEW Sac-Joaquin Section - Boys TF Athletes To Watch


Lodi's Maceo McDowell is the top returner from the State Meet long jump finals where he placed sixth in '22. He is one of only two returners from that championship competition, leading our sampling of boys track and field athletes to watch in the Sac-Joaquin Section.




JOHN DAILEY

Whitney, Sr.

400m

John is the returning section champion in the one-lap event, having run 48.44 at SJS Masters. He qualified for State Prelims where he ran 51.07. Dropped his 400m PR of 48.40 at SJS D-1. John ranks CA No. 7 among 400m returners.



STEPHEN DAHDOUH

Pleasant Grove, Sr.

Hurdles

SJS Masters champion in the 300m hurdles where he ran 39.70, earning a spot in the State Prelims where he ran 39.77. Dropped his PR of 39.53 in the SJS D-1 Finals. He placed fifth in the SJS Masters in the 100m hurdles in a PR time of 14.86. His 300mH PR ranks No. 1 among SJS returners, and No. 10 in CA. His 110mH PR is No. 3 in the SJS.



ETHAN FONG

Lincoln, Sr.

Triple Jump

Found his groove toward the end of the '22 outdoor season, hitting 44-3.75 at SJS Masters, 43-1.25 at State Prelims, and 44-7 at the NSAF Outdoor Nationals. Already this winter, he has two winter meets at 44-3 and he went 45-0.50 for fifth at the Winter Championships.

 


JOE LIGHTHALL

Hughson, Sr., 

800m

Won 800m at SJS Masters (1:54.25) and then ran his PR of 1:52.47 at State Prelims to earn a spot in the State Meet Finals, where he placed seventh in 1:55.28. His 1:52.47 is the third-fastest returning time in CA.




MACEO McDOWELL

Lodi, Sr.

Jumps

Completed a stellar junior high school season in the long jump with a sixth-place medal at the CIF-State Meet (23-4.75) which capped a four-meet stretch of 23-foot jumps. He hit his PR of 23-10 to win at the SJS Masters a week after going 23-3.25 at SJS D-1 Finals. He won the LJ in 13 meets last spring, including at the Sacramento Meet of Champions where he jumped 23-7. His PR ranks CA No. 2 among returners.




MAX McFARLANE

Turlock, Jr.

Pole Vault

The junior won his section at Arcadia with a then-PR of 5=15-1 which he followed with a 15-2 clearance the following week at Mt. SAC. He hit 15-6 at the SJS D-2 meet, which turned out to be his spring peak. Max placed second at SJS Masters with a best of 14-11. He cleared 14-5 at State Prelims. McFarlane ranks CA No. 4 among returning boys.




RYAN MITCHELL

Davis, Sr.

Distance

He placed second in the 1600m race at the SJS Masters, in a PR time of 4:13.02, earning a spot on the line at State Prelims where he ran 4:14.76. He has gone 1:58.75 for 800m, 4:20.66 for the mile and 9:12.45 for 3200m. Mitchell's 1600m best ranks CA No. 10.




BRANDON MORENO

Jesuit, Sr.,

Distances

Won the SJS Masters race in 4:12.82 to earn a spot in the State Prelims where he placed sixth in 4:14.52 earning a spot in the State Finals where he ran his PR of 4:12.58 for sixth place. His 9:12.16 for 3200m from the Delta League Finals ranks as the No. 3 returning time in the SJS. Moreno's 1600m best ranks CA No. 8.




NATHAN SHORT

Folsom, Sr. 

Distance

The SJS D-1 cross country champion, placed third in the 3200m at the SJS Masters in 9:12.83, earning a spot in the State Meet Finals where he ran 9:10.43. He has a 3200m PR of 9:08.55 from Arcadia. Clocked his 1600m PR of 4:13.43 at the Sacramento Meet of Champions. His 1600m PR ranks CA No. 13 among returners.


 

Vacaville, Jr.
Distance

In limited racing last spring, he won SJS D-3 titles in both the 1600m (4:30.08) and 3200m (9:28.76). He ran his mile PR of 4:24.12 at Arcadia and his 1600m PR of 4:13.34 at the Sacramento MOC. Walker's 1600m best ranks CA No. 11 among returners. His 3200m PR ranks CA No. 14.

Photos by DeAnna Turner, James Leash, Raymond Tran, and Dan Tyree.