Area athletes bring home titles
CLOVIS >> The bar is always set high at the California Interscholastic Federation state track and field championships, with the 102nd rendition held this weekend after a two-year hiatus because of the pandemic.
Two Bay Area girls raised that bar at Veteran's Memorial Stadium in Clovis as Los Gatos high jumper Hannah Slover and Dublin pole vaulter Jathiyah Muhammad returned home as newly crowned state champions.
“I was really overwhelmed and proud of myself for coming out here today and doing what I set my mind to,” said Slover, a junior.
Muhammad was practically speechless.
“I wasn't expecting this,” the sophomore said. “I don't even know how to explain it. It's an amazing feeling.”
Slover cleared the bar at 5 feet, 6 inches on her first attempt.
Two other girls also matched the height but were unsuccessful on their initial try — including California senior Mara Lampsas, who finished tied for second.
Slover, whose personal record is 5-8, came up clutch at the right time.
“Being able to stay focused on the very first jump and make it happen, the high jump is crazy and that's how much can set you apart,” she said.
It was quite a reversal of fortune for Slover. She finished third at the Central Coast Section finals last week.
Muhammad, whose younger brother Khaliq took 10th in the boys pole vault, safely landed on the mat after topping out at 13-9.
It's the same mark as the runner-up, Lexi Evans of Scripps Ranch-San Diego, who lost a tiebreaker because of more misses.
Twenty-four hours earlier, Muhammad was on the brink of not making it past qualifiers after topping out at a height 18 inches lower.
“I had someone that is a friend of mine, they kind of helped me get out of a state that I was in,” Muhammad said. “I kind of battle with myself, like, `I can't do this.' And they gave me the faith again.”
Highlights from the state meet
SHOWDOWN IN GIRLS 3,200 >> The girls 3,200 meters turned into a rematch of the North Coast Section Meet of Champions.
Albany senior Sophia Nordenholz led outright for seven laps before the University of Washington-bound standout was overtaken by Montgomery freshman Hanne Thomsen, who pulled away to win by just under four seconds with a time of 10:06.89.
Los Altos junior Lauren Soobrian finished fourth in 10:24.25, but it came down to a showdown between the NCS veteran and newcomer.
“It was definitely a standout race of the season,” Albany coach Jack Wallace said. “I've never really seen (Nordenholz) max it out that hard before, even last year. She really tried to take it out all the way through, but Thomsen had that extra gear.”
FIELD EVENTS >> A quartet of NCS boys landed on the podium to earn medals in field events:
• De La Salle junior Chukwunonso Udeh, part of a three-way tie for second in the high jump (6-5);
• Piedmont senior Parker Terrill, fourth in the pole vault (16-1);
• Salesian senior Elias Ajamu Reed, fifth in the long jump (23-11);
• James Logan senior Jacob Watts, who skipped his graduation ceremony to compete in the triple jump and claimed fourth with a PR of 46-5.75 after only beginning to compete in the event barely a month ago.
“I got to put on the graduation cap and turn it, so that was great,” Watts said of his turn on the podium. “I'm glad they let me do that.” HURDLES >> The boys hurdles didn't disappoint when it came to the CCS and NCS, with the closest of margins separating third and fourth in the 110 high hurdles.
“I'm telling you, the Bay Area is one big family,” Leland junior Miles Roberts said after coming up onehundredth of a second behind Monte Vista senior Adam Wright, 14.17 to 14.18.
Wright, a transfer from Dowling Catholic in West Des Moines, Iowa, had a personal-best time Saturday and was just .04 shy from secondplace finisher Davis DavisLyric of Upland.
Another Upland hurdler, Kai Graves-Blanks, won in 13.75.
“I was extremely amped because I wasn't supposed to be here, I wasn't even supposed to place,” said Wright, who was in awe of the atmosphere in Clovis.
“It's mounds of difference,” he said. “I'm pretty sure the qualifiers, all top 27, probably would've won in Iowa. It's just immense, the level of competition.”
Meanwhile, Roberts already set his sights on his next goal.
“I feel on top of the world, but it also leaves that hunger — I want first next year,” Roberts said.
Independence junior Ben Kin Ho Tsang battled sore legs after Friday's qualifiers to finish on the podium in both the 110 (sixth) and 300 hurdles (fifth).
“Next year I want to get stronger and faster,” said Tsang, who hails from Hong Kong.
Los Altos senior Shawn Toney finished as runner-up in the 300 hurdles to Tsang in CCS but found an extra gear Saturday to take third in 37.42.
“It's a very calculated race, so have all your steps planned out and everything,” said Toney, who's been running hurdles since middle school.
Toney would've qualified for three CIF events as a junior — the CCS held a meet last June — but needed to wait until this weekend to run at Veteran's Memorial Stadium.
“This environment is just absurd, I love it,” Toney said. “I've never really had the chance to look back at all I've done because my whole career has been what's next, looking forward. And I'm finally here, so I got to soak it in.”
Relays weren't the strength of the Bay Area contingent, except in one race. RELAYS >> The boys 400 relay saw the McClymonds quartet of Javian Thomas, Michael Dansby, Jay'Vion Cole and anchor Trey Hammork cross the finish line in third place at 41.69. Central-Fresno won in 41.36 and Serra-Gardena was second in 41.50.
Hammork was nostalgic afterward.
“It went by too fast,” he said of his varsity career. “I wasn't prepared for it.”
After advancing Friday, Hammork said it wasn't easy to fall asleep.
“I kept tossing and turning thinking about the outcome and the perfect handoff,” he said. “I had so many butterflies when I first came out on this track.”
Pittsburg took fifth in the 400 relay in 41.89 on the strength of La'Rico Tezeno, Zach Card, Keynan Higgins and Dearen Idahosa.
Card, a football player who's only been running track for three months, returned to the track later in the night for a podium finish in the 100 with a time of 10.60. He placed sixth.
“I feel like I could've done better in my start, but I'll take it,” Card said. “I'll be here next year.”
He added: “I just want to be the fastest in NorCal and show everyone that I've got speed.”