St. Francis’ Foster qualifies for state finals in two events

For a second straight year, St. Francis High senior Jasher Foster is heading back to the CIF State Track and Field Championships.

This year, however, the Golden Knights dual-sport athlete is competing in two events as he advanced in both the 110-meter and 300 hurdles at Friday evening’s state preliminaries at Clovis Buchanan High’s Memorial Stadium.

“It’s huge for him, for us and for St. Francis,” St. Francis Coach Mike Russell said via a phone interview. “It’s what we wanted to do. All we wanted to do was qualify and move onto tomorrow and get ready for one last day of stiff competition.”

Last season, Foster advanced in the 110-meter hurdles and finished eighth in state with a mark of 14.50 seconds.

This time around, Foster is well ahead of that pace.

He began his day in 102-degree weather by finishing second in his heat of the 110 hurdles in a time of 14.03, which tied his personal-best mark.

“The later start time helped with the heat and it was actually nice at the end of the night,” Russell said. “Earlier, though, it was brutal.”

Foster was runner-up to Colony senior Khalil Dorsey, who nudged him with a mark of 14.02.

Overall, Foster took third out of three heats and 27 total runners behind Upland’s Joseph Anderson (13.78) and Dorsey.

Foster will attempt to become his school’s first-ever state champion in the 110 hurdles final at 7:55 p.m. today.

After the 110 hurdles, Foster will also compete in the 300 hurdles at 9:25.

The senior punched his ticket in that event on Friday by finishing second in his heat and sixth overall with a mark of 37.62, which just clipped his previous personal-best time of 37.63.

Pleasant Grove’s Conner MacLean won Foster’s heat with a mark of 37.54.