After replacing elite runners following graduation, reigning girls state 4x400 champions and boys team winners show depth again in first appearances this season at Veterans Memorial Stadium; Elie excels in high jump, as Edwards, Mahanke, Miller, Turner and Vanek all get multiple wins

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

CLOVIS, Calif. – The return to Buchanan High’s Veterans Memorial Stadium for the Gateway to Track and Field Invitational brought mixed emotions Friday for several leading contenders for state championships who had not competed at the venue since May.

For Clovis two-sport star Sydnie Vanek, it marked her first chance to return to the runway where she won the long jump state title.

For Rocklin Whitney high jump standout Ashanti Elie, it was an opportunity to erase some of the disappointment following a frustrating conclusion to her state final.

INTERVIEWS | RESULTS

And for the Fresno Central boys and Clovis North girls 4x400 lineups, it was a reminder that despite significant losses to graduation, both relays remain championship contenders again this spring.

Freshman Emanuel Morgan joined veterans Imari Conley, Terrell Johnson and Walter Pierce to lead Central to a 3:17.86 performance, providing optimism for the Grizzlies that they can challenge for the title again.

Central relied heavily on Jeremiah Walker and Cameron Tarver last season to capture the boys state team title, capped by a 3:14.78 performance in the 4x400.

Clovis North had Maya Cordoba, Hayden Craft, Emma O’Neil and Emerson Parks win the girls 4x400 in 3:54.04. Cordoba and Parks return from the Broncos’ state championship lineup last season that included Takiya Cenci and Tatum Zinkin and ran 3:45.38, helping Clovis North finish second as a team overall.

Parks also prevailed in the 400 meters in 57.77 for the Broncos, who had the same quartet triumph in the 4x100 relay in 49.18.

Vanek, who produced a wind-aided 20-8.50 (6.31m) effort last year to capture the long jump title, achieved a 19-3 (5.86m) effort Friday, in addition to winning the 200 meters in a wind-legal 25.43.

Elie, who entered last year’s state meet with multiple 5-10 clearances (1.78m) during the regular season, endured a no height in the final.

Elie demonstrated her resilience Friday with a clutch third-attempt clearance at 5-8 (1.72m) after making all of her earlier heights on the first opportunity. Elie also helped Rocklin place second in the 4x100 relay in 49.56, in addition to finishing fifth in the 100-meter dash in 12.51.

Bakersfield Liberty had an impressive day, led by Ethan Mahanke and Bella Turner.

Mahanke helped Liberty produce a school record in the 4x100 relay, joining Christian Edwards, Ermiah Harrison and Xander Chisolm to edge Central by a 41.76 to 41.82 margin.

Mahanke also held off Moreau Catholic’s Bryce Thomas by a 48.30 to 48.38 margin in the 400 meters to achieve another program record.

Mahanke added a third-place finish in the 200 in 21.81 and contributed to a runner-up finish in the 4x400 relay in 3:21.19 for the Patriots.

Edwards also emerged victorious in the boys long jump with a 22-2.75 (6.90m) leap.

Turner swept the girls 100 hurdles and 300 hurdles, including a personal-best 15.06 effort to go along with a 44.81 performance.

Nick Miller of Clovis North doubled up in the boys 100 and 200, achieving wind-legal marks of 10.53 and 21.21.

Grace Hutchison led five Buchanan athletes to sub-11 performances in the girls 3,200, clocking 10:28.55.

Elle Lomeli ran 10:39.61, Sydney Sundgren clocked 10:42.06, Caroline Mendyk achieved a personal-best 10:42.14 and Sierra Cornett was sixth in 10:52.26.

Bakersfield Highland’s Mia Torrecillas, who won the 1,600 in 4:58.83, finished fifth in 10:50.72.

Buchanan freshman Tayler Torosian won the girls 800 in 2:19.20 and placed second in the 1,600 in 5:00.72, in addition to anchoring the Bears’ 4x400 relay to fifth in 4:07.50.

Clovis senior Christopher Caudillo held off Buchanan sophomore Luke Sanders by a 1:57.62 to 1:57.68 margin in the boys 800, in addition to contributing a personal-best 50.6 split to help the Cougars take third in the 4x400 relay in 3:27.24.

Clovis East junior Carter Spradling triumphed in the boys 1,600 in 4:18.28.

Buchanan’s Zach Weaver emerged victorious in the boys 3,200 in 9:24.00, with teammate Noah Ray placing second in 9:24.58. 

Clovis East’s Haley Duvall, who returned to the track and field program after helping the Timberwolves to an appearance in the Division 3 girls basketball state playoffs, won the 100-meter dash in a wind-legal 12.21 seconds, along with contributing to a third-place effort in the 4x400 and fifth-place performance in the 4x100.

The Madsen family enjoyed a memorable day in the ring for Clovis North.

McKay Madsen won the boys discus throw with a 181-5 (55.30m) performance and sister Loie Madsen achieved the Broncos’ program record with her discus victory and a 138-5 (42.19m) effort.

Clovis North’s Brayden Bitter edged Buchanan’s Derek Smith in a thrilling final round of the boys shot put by a 54-5 (16.58m) to 54-4.50 (16.57m) margin.

Nailea Fields of Caruthers prevailed in the girls shot put with a 38-8 (11.78m).

Following a third-place finish in the boys 110-meter hurdles in 15.15, Central’s Noel Felix rebounded with a victory in the 300 hurdles in 39.95.

Cosumnes Oaks’ Myles McFarland was victorious in the 110 hurdles in 14.67.

Central’s Samuel Agbakoba triumphed in the boys triple jump with a 46-3.25 (14.10m) performance.

Clovis East’s Alyssa Murillo and Liberty’s Emma Fredrick both produced 36-3 (11.05m) efforts in the triple jump, with Murillo earning the victory based on a better second performance by a 35-11 (10.94m) to 35-7.50 (10.86m) margin.

Clovis’ Brendenn O’Neil cleared 6-2 (1.88m) to win the boys high jump.

Turlock junior Max McFarlane produced a 15-7 (4.75m) clearance to secure the victory in the boys pole vault.

Paso Robles junior Peyton Bedrosian cleared 12-4 (3.76m) to triumph in the girls pole vault.