Record-setting day in track, swimming postseasons continue for Tam, others
Track and swimming took center stage this week, at the MCAL and North Coast Section championship stages, respectively.
Tam enjoyed plenty of success — individual and team — on the track at Novato High on Saturday, sweeping the team titles. Athletes from Archie Williams and San Domenico — at the Bay Counties League West championships — were among the other track standouts.
Tam's record-setting swimmer had another big week with a pair of league record as he qualified for State. A Redwood swimmer posted automatic qualifying times in four different events while a Marin Academy swimmer put up two qualification times and a consideration time.
MAX HENZL, ARCHIE WILLIAMS BOYS TRACK >> Henzl qualified to compete in six events at the MCAL championships but the rules allow an athlete to compete in only four. Henzl went 4 for 4 with personal bests in both sprints (10.78 and 22.39) plus victories in the long jump (22-2) and as a member of the 4×100 relay team (with Nathan Karpay-Brody, Jaden Kuhn and Aiden Steig).
JAMIE NEL, TAM BOYS TRACK >> The hurdler set a slew of personal-best marks while winning two individual events and a relay to help Tam to a team victory at the MCAL championships on Saturday. Nel set personal
bests in the 110-meter hurdles (15.05 seconds) and the 300 hurdles (40.06) to win both and set a new PR in the triple jump (40 feet, 6 inches) to place third. Nel also competed on the 4×400 relay team with Hector Lyko, Emmet Kneafsey and anchor Hunter Vandien. BRIANNA MCINNIS, TAM GIRLS TRACK >> The distance runner helped the Redtailed Hawks bring home the team win by closing out the day with a victory in the 3,200. McInnis finished in
11:10.80, more than 26 seconds ahead of the field. McInnis won the 1,600 in 4:55.76, less than a second in front of teammate Emma Dunmire, who placed second in both events.
HAYLEY BALLARD, SAN DOMENICO GIRLS TRACK >> The junior set a pair of personal bests and school records en route to winning both the 1,600 and the 3,200 at the Bay Counties League West championships on Friday. Ballard finished the 1,600 in 5:12.81 to win by 1.76
seconds. Ballard completed the 3,200 in 11:11.10 to win that event by more then seven seconds. Ballard was named Track Athlete of the Meet for her efforts. NICKAWN NAMDAR, MARIN CATHOLIC BOYS TENNIS >> The top seed in the MCAL singles tournament lived up to that billing, dropping just one set while winning three matches en route to the title. Namdar defeated Tam's Witt Bulger in the quarterfinals, Redwood's Liam Carpenter in
the semis and Archie Williams' Jake Magnusson in the final. Carpenter, the No. 4 seed, was the only player to take a set from Namdar. MAX MATTHEWS, REDWOOD BOYS SWIMMING >> Matthews should be pretty busy at the CIF State Meet in Clovis this week after putting up automatic qualifying times in four events — the only Marin swimmer to achieve that feat at the North Coast Section meet in Concord. Matthews finished on a pair of top-three relay teams, took second in the 200 individual medley (1.50.92) and took seventh in the 100 back (50.35).
INES LOVATO, MARIN ACADEMY GIRLS SWIMMING >> Lovato had the best day in the pool of any Marin female at the NCS meet, posting automatic qualifying times for state while placing second in the 50 free (23.91) and fourth in the 100 free (51.33). Lovato was also part of MA's 200 free relay team — with Sydney Brakebill, Gabby Reichley, and Katherine Wu — that posted a consideration time.
MARRE GATTNAR, TAM BOYS SWIMMING >> Gattnar came as close as any Marin swimmer did to winning a section title on Saturday, placing second in the 50 free — his signature event — and third in the 100 back. Gattnar set league records in both events — 20.28 in the 50 free and 49.08 in the 100 back — besting marks that had stood since 2009 and 2013, respectively.
KENT GOODMAN, REDWOOD BASEBALL >> Goodman began his week by delivering the game-winning hit in a 3-2 victory against Branson then came back two days later and no-hit the Bulls in the regular-season finale for both teams. Goodman's two-run double put the Giants ahead for good in the first game of the series. On Thursday, Goodman tossed 82 pitches and struck out six to send the Giants into the playoffs with some momentum. No. 3 Redwood battles No. 2 Tam in an MCAL semifinal at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.