RECAP Udeh, Peters Lead NCS Tri-Valley Stars Heading to MOC

PLEASANTON -- De La Salle senior Chukwunonso Udeh was a very busy man on a very warm day on Saturday. He won the boys long jump at the CIF-North Coast Section Tri-Valley championships at Foothill High School with a leap of 22 feet, 2.75 inches.

Then, he won the 110-meter hurdles by a full second, coming home in 14.47 seconds. Then, he won the high jump on his final clearance of 6-6.

Oh, and he also ran a leg on the Spartans second place 400 relay team.

"I'm feeling pretty good," he said. "I think the marks I had today were pretty good and I'm hoping to do even better at NCS (Meet of Champions) next week."

Tri-Valley is one of four CIF-NCS "Area" meets held this week as the section moves toward the Meet of Champions on Friday and Saturday at Dublin HS.

Udeh was in a battle with Dominic Mills of Heritage, who had also cleared 6-5.

After Mills missed his third try at 6-6, Udeh got the crowd on the south end of the track clapping rhythmically as he took his final attempt.

"I think it's just the momentum the crowd gave me," Udeh said. "The environment. That's what happened last week (at the East Bay Athletic League championships). I had my third attempt at 6-6, I started the clap and I was able to get over it. Honestly, I think it's the environment. I being challenged by a lot of good high jumpers, some good young guys."

Udeh said he was feeling the heat before his hurdles race, but, "I was surprised because I dropped a really big PR in them."

Udeh said he is hoping to set more personal-bests in the next two weeks. He'll compete in all four events at the Meet of Champions, with hopes of qualifying for the California Interscholastic Federation championships in two weeks at Buchanan HS in Clovis.

"Of course," he said when asked if he would do all four events at the Meet of Champions. "I'm coming for it all."

The top six finishers in each event at the Tri-Valley championships qualified for the Meet of Champions. Also, qualifying marks in each event got more athletes through.

Monte Vista-Danville senior Cate Peters had a big day, winning the girls 400 and 800 and running the anchor leg of the first place 1600 relay. In the 400, she went out hard and then held on in 55.67 with Pittsburg junior Milani Bell closing at the finish in 55.90.

In the 800, Peters won in 2:16.38. She said she'll drop the 400 for the Meet of Champions, hoping her best chance at a State Meet medal will come in the 800. She also said she will probably run on the Mustangs 3,200 relay team next week.

"It was a pretty successful day," she said. "My goals going into this meet were to have a really good 400 because I really wanted to do my speed training. I am going to drop the four after this meet so it's really about running a really solid four because it's my last one of the regular season."

Peters best time of 55.47 came in April at the Sacramento Meet of Champions. She also noted that several finishers behind her in the race set personal-bests.

"I also dragged a bunch of other girls to PRs so I think overall I'm satisfied for my own performance and also the performance of my teammates and the other girls in the race," Peters said.

And the 800?

"For me, it wasn't even about the PR, it wasn't about running my heart out here," she said. "It was about getting the win, feeling relaxed and kind of elevating my time last weekend (at the EBAL championships). Last weekend, I ran a 2:20, it wasn't a very well-executed race at all. Went out really slow, came back really fast."

Peters wanted a balanced race, and got it, with a 1:08 split.

In the 4x400 relay, she got the baton in a tight battle with Pittsburg, opened up the lead down the backstretch and cruised home. Monte Vista finished in 3:52.73, with the Pirates next in 3:54.40.

Peters was excited to compete at NCS for the first time in her career. She missed last season due to an injury and COVID-19 wiped out the NCS meets in 2020 and 2021.

Campolindo senior Garret Nelson won the boys 100 in a personal-best 10.69.

"I've been hoping to get 10.8 again, which is my PR, and 10.6 is great," Nelson said with a huge grin on his face. He added he'd like to get close to 10.5. Acalanes junior Paul Kuhner set a PR in the boys 200 with 21.50.

"Seven out of the eight dudes in the heat qualified," he said. "We all push each other. It's a competitive environment but it's fun. It's just nice to be able to move on and stay consistent."

Campolindo's Ellie Buckley and Shea Volkmer went 1-2, in the girls 1,600 and 3,200. Buckley won both, taking the 1,600 in 5:00.46 and the 3,200 in 11:03.04. Volkmer finished in 5:00.50 and 11:04.22. By the late afternoon, when the 3,200 was run, it was very hot, not favorable conditions for distance runners. Buckley and Volkmer did their best to share the effort on the lead as the race developed.

"Shea and I are like a power duo," Buckley said. "It's always amazing training and racing with her. It's such a good support system and having someone who understands me, and I understand her. We're very reliant on each other, motivate each other and keep each other accountable. It's always a pleasure being with her."

Campolindo senior Mari Testa swept the girls 100 and 200. She won the former in 11.87 and the latter in 24.62. She also won the 100 hurdles in 14.49 (winning by 1 ½ seconds).

Dublin senior Alex Franco won the boys 400 in 48.72 and took third in the 200 in 21.69. He also ran a leg on the Gaels winning 1,600 relay team, which finished in 3:23.98.

Campolindo won the girls team title with 82 points, beating out Monte Vista's 72. Pittsburg was next with 70.

De La Salle easily won the boys championship with 87 points.

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RECAPS OF OTHER NCS AREA MEETS

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REDWOOD EMPIRE at San Rafael HS

Distance standouts Daegan Cutter and Hanne Thomsen each swept their respective 1600 and 3200

Cutter won the 1600 in a 4:15.45 PR with Montgomery senior Jude Devries also running a PR of 4:15.69 for second. That was the order in the 3200, with Cutter dropping the fastest time of 9:23.08 and Devries next at 9:25.14.

Cutter also ran a leg on Redwood's winning 4x800 relay team that included Nathan Wollenweber, Ethan Werner and frosh Gabriel Cavanagh, crossing in 8:25.36. 

Thomsen, a sophomore sensation at Montgomery, won the 1600 in 4:52.58 and the 3200in 10:40.56.

Thomsen led Montgomery's 4x800 relay team that included Hope Martin, Amrie Lacefield, and Seelah Kittelstrom to a winning time of 9:47.75. 

Tamalpais senior Drake Miller tripled, winning the 110m hurdles with a 14.97 (1.9) PR and a 6-8 high jump PR, and the pole vault at 13-11.

Maria Carrillo senior Millie Weitz won the long jump with a 17-5 (-3.5) season-best and she placed second in the triple jump with a 35-6 (-2.5) PR. Her senior teammate Lily Mulligan won the pole vault 12-6 and placed second in the long jump with a 17-1 (-1.7) season best. Mulligan also ran a leg on the winning 4x100m relay team that included Elianah DeMange, Sydney Moore, and Kathryn O'Malley and ran a winning time of 48.65.

Vintage senior Sophia Notaro won the 300m hurdles (46.61) and ran 16.04 (0.0) to placed second to Montgomery sophomore Ariana Rogina in the 100m H (15.90).

Montgomery also swept the 400 with seniors Joseph Bowser winning the boys division in 49.97 and Elizabeth Beiswanger winning the girls division with a 56.65 PR.

BAYSHORE At Hayward HS

El Cerrito senior Robert Stitts swept the sprints, running 10.45 (1.2) to beat teammates Daniel Harper (10.79) and Gavin Thompson (10.89) in the 100m, and 21.74 (-1.0) to beat Moreau Catholic senior Bryce Thomas (21.93). Earlier, Thomas won the 400 in 48.69. 

Stittls also helped the 4x100m relay team of juniors Micah Avery, Jayvon Bolds, and Daniel Harper run a winning time of 42.12. 

The Piedmont senior duo of Christian Taylor and Parker Long went 1-2 in the 800m crossing in 1:56.27 and 1:57.42, respectively. 

In the 1600m, St. Mary's senior Mateo Malko-Allen dropped a 4:10.65 PR to beach Albany junior Lucas Cohen (4:11.23) and Moreau senior Jacob Hupke (4:12.03 PR). Hupke went 9:40.44 for second in the 3200m, well backof winner Sean Morello of Albany's 9:29.33.

El Cerrito junior Zion Shelton won the 300m hurdles in a 40.60 PR and ran 15.28 (-1.1) to palace second in the 110m hurdles behind Vallejo senior Jeffery Holden (15.11).  Morello and Cohen teammed with senior Jack Elfenbaum and soph Callum McBride to win the 4x800m relay in 8:23.20. 

James Logan senior Ian Gammal swept the throws, winning the shot with a best of 53-8, and the discus with a throw of 154-9. 

James Logan junior Jeremy Craft won the long jump with a 23-2.25 (0.0) PR. 

St. Mary's senior Taryn Fettig stole headlines in the girls competition, winning both the 100m (12.16/0.6), 200m (25.53/0.0), and helping the winning 4x100m relay team that includuded frosh Kira Gant Hatcher, and seniors Dylan Hedgspeth and Sofia Jackson with a winning time of 49.10.

Gant Hatcher also won the triple jump (36-6 (-1.2) - beating another freshman, Amaya DeFlorimonte of Bishop O'Dowd (36-0.75/0.0) - and places second in the long jump (17-8.75/-1.4) behind Castro Valley senior Lynee Sims (18-6.75/0.0).  

El Cerrito senior Amelia Stacey won the 1600m (5:13.39) and the 3200m (11:41.09),  Berkeley senior Alessandra Ionescu-Zanetti swept the hurdles, winning the 100m event in 15.67 (-.2), and the 300s in 46.50.

St. Mary's senior Sofia Jackson had a hand in two winning relay teams. St. Mary's lineup of Jackson, sophomores Alexa Lawson and Brooklyn Dwyer, and senior Dylan Hedgspeth with 4:06 and the 4x800m relay lineup of Lawson, Jackson, Hedgspeth, a junior Annika Punz went 10:09.39.

CLASS A at Montgomery HS

Junior Malcolm Oakes of Convent & Stuart Hall swept the distances running 4:20.24 in the 1600m and 9:32.42 for 3200m. Sonoma Academy senior Tiernan Colby was second in both (4:22.69/9:33.53).

San Francisco University senior Thomas Woeber swept the throws going 51-3 in the shot put and 144-0 in the discus.

Among the girls competition, Fort Bragg senior Samantha Britton won the discus (11-6) and placed second in the shot put (34-8.50) behind University sophomore Damaysia Walls (36-4.25). 

Convent & Stuart Hall junior Charlotte Lyon swept the hurdles with a pair of PRs, 16.04 in th 100s and 46.29 in the 300s. 

Bay School junior Elsa Krummel won the 800m (2:19.63) and placed second in the 1600m, (5:10.41) behind Sonoma Academy junior Athena Ryan's 5:03.07 season best.