Folders |
Preview: 10 High School Storylines To Watch At The 66th Mt. SAC RelaysPublished by
Servite, Rosary Look To Keep Momentum Rolling In Sprint Relays By Keenan Gray of DyeStat Jeff Castle Photos The California high school season rolls on. One week after the Arcadia Invitational, many of the state's top high school teams will head to Walnut and Hilmer Lodge Stadium for the 66th running of the Mt. SAC Relays. WATCH THE MT. SAC RELAYS ON WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY AND SATURDAY LIVE ON RUNNERSPACE+ | LIVE RESULTS Servite Boys Back At It
The Servite CA boys have become the talk of the town, especially after their performances at the Arcadia Invitational last weekend.
The California state record holders in the 4x100 (39.70) and 4x200 (1:22.76) are back in action and will have warmer weather to work with to continue lowering those US#1 times.
Individually, Jordan Wells and Kamil Pelovello are entered in the 100 and Jace Wells and Jaelen Hunter are entered in the 200. Pelovello led a 1-2-3 Servite finish in the boys 200 at Arcadia.
Jordan Wells and Pelovello are scheduled to face Nicolas Obimbga of Torrance CA and Zion Phelps of Loyola CA in the 100. Jace Wells and Hunter will meet Leed Smool of La Jolla CA in the 200.
Benjamin Harris, the Arcadia 100 champion and anchor for both relays, is not entered in an individual event.
Rosary Girls Back At It, Too
The Rosary CA girls had just as special of weekend at Arcadia as their training group partners from Servite did, and they’ll be back at Mt. SAC to continue their momentum in individual sprints and relays.
Justine Wilson, Pfeiffer Lee, Tra’Via Flournoy and Malaiyah Collins are scheduled to appear in both 4x100 and 4x200 relays. The 4x100 ran a California state record 44.23 and the 4x200 ran a California No. 2 all-time 1:34.29 to sweep both events at Arcadia.
Wilson, Flournoy, and Collins and are entered in both the 100 and 200 and Lee is entered in the 200. Wilson, Flournoy and Collins will race Calabasas CA’s Olivia Kirk and Malia Rainey in the 100. Kirk and Rainey are also on the Calabasas 4x100 entered, who finished second to Rosary in 44.54 at Arcadia.
Ejam Yohannes Eyeing Michael Granville’s 400 Record
Might be time for another Michael Granville record to fall.
The former California great saw his high school record in the 800 disappear at the hands of Cooper Lutkenhaus last spring. This weekend, his Mt. SAC 400 meet record could go down with Ejam Yohannes in the field.
The Loyola CA senior has already run 46.11 this season and Granville’s 46.49, that has stood since 1995, is in his range.
At Arcadia, Yohannes finished third in the invitational 400 but also anchored Loyola to a No. 3 all-time performance in the sprint medley relay. Yohannes was the runner-up at last year’s Mt. SAC in 47.69.
Chiara Dailey’s Final Chance At Individual Title
Chiara Dailey was all smiles last weekend at Arcadia when she claimed her first individual title in her fourth time racing at it.
The same opportunity presents itself this weekend at Mt. SAC for Dailey to win her first individual title when she takes on the 800 distance.
Dailey was one spot away from winning last year’s Mt. SAC title in the 800 and ran a personal best 2:07.99. With that time, she has the fastest entry heading into Saturday’s race.
Maximo Zavaleta Dials Back Down To 800/1600
After all the Arcadia 3,200 frenzy, many of the top California runners are stepping back down in distance at Mt. SAC, including Maximo Zavaleta of Martin Luther King.
Zavaleta was the top California finisher at Arcadia in the boys 3,200 in eighth place in a time of 8:43.21, which now ranks him No. 16 all-time in California. He is entered in both the 800 and 1,600 at Mt. SAC and has a chance to sweep both of them.
Zavaleta is No. 1 in California in the 1,600 with his 4:06.02 from The TEN and ran a personal best 1:54.07 in the 800 in February but is capable of going faster.
In the 800, Zavaleta will face Wyland Obando of Wilson (Long Beach) CA, Cam Yarbrough of Del Norte CA and Lucas Albert of Jesuit CA.
In the 1,600, Yarbrough, Albert, Jace Deledonne of Poly (Riverside) CA and Drake Hoferer of Jesuit CA are entered.
JSerra Clashes With Santiago In Girls DMR
JSerra Catholic CA got the better of Santiago (Corona) CA at Arcadia in the girls 4x800 relay. Santiago will look to return the favor at Mt. SAC when they meet JSerra in the distance medley relay.
Santiago, last year’s runner-up at Mt. SAC in the distance medley relay, will feature three of the four athletes from the second-place 4x800 in Braelyn Combe, Nicole Samsen and Kinsley Whitecavage. Combe is likely to anchor on the 1,600 leg and that bodes well for Santiago with her 4:38.18 mile from the indoor season.
JSerra will also feature three athletes from their winning 4x800 relay in Maya Pawlowicz, Reese Holley and Chloe Elbaz. Both Holley and Elbaz are entered in individual events, which are before the distance medley relay in the evening.
Buchanan CA, Bullard CA and Cathedral Catholic CA will have teams entered that should make for a good race.
Jasir Fontenot Eyeing Back-To-Back 110 Hurdles Title
Jasir Fontenot became an immediate household name as a freshman last spring in California on his way to winning a state title in the 110 hurdles.
And on his way to winning his first state title, Fontenot lit up the track at Mt. SAC to win not one, but two titles in the 110 and 300 hurdles as part of the many highlights from his freshman campaign.
Fontenot, who transferred to Mater Dei Catholic from San Diego this year, is entered in the 110 hurdles this weekend to go for a repeat title. He has raced only a couple of times with a season’s best 13.95.
Jaslene Massey Going For Another Double
Jaslene Massey is no stranger to winning doubles. The Aliso Niguel CA senior has won both the shot put and discus throw at the same meet eight times this season and can make it a ninth time at Mt. SAC.
Massey is fresh off improving her US#1 in the shot put at Arcadia in a meet record 53 feet, 2 inches and threw her third 180-foot plus throw in the discus this season, 182-2, with the second-best mark in meet history.
Massey is the defending Mt. SAC champion in the shot put and will look to add the discus title this weekend after fouling out of last year’s competition.
The Mt. SAC Relays high school record for girls shot put and discus is 52-0 and 171-7, respectively. Those marks are in the range for Massey to break both.
Top 10 Vaulters Hysong, Wilshusen Meet
A pair of top 10 nationally ranked pole vaulters – Kadyn Hysong of Shadow Mountain AZ and Justin Wilshusen of Paso Robles CA – are the only competitors in the boys field to have cleared 17 feet this season.
Hysong, only a sophomore, enters with a personal best 17-1 clearance, good for US#4, and Wilshusen is an inch behind at 17-0, ranking him US#8.
As a freshman, Hysong finished fourth behind three seniors in last year’s pole vault contest at Mt. SAC and cleared a then-best 16-9, the best make by anyone in his class.
Julia Teven Inching Closer To Six Feet
Making five of six heights last weekend at Arcadia is reassuring for Julia Teven that she’s on the verge of reaching a new barrier in high jump.
The Brea Olinda CA senior was four for four on her first four heights, made her second attempt at a new personal best 5-10 and then had three good attempts at six feet before bowing out of the competition.
Teven is currently US#3 with her 5-10 and could be the third girl this outdoor season to clear six feet.
More news |
