Titles up for grabs at CIF Track and Field Championships

Saturday may very well turn into a banner day of competition for several local competitors at the CIF Southern Section Track and Field Championships at Cerritos College.

Entries from Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy, Flintridge Prep, La Cañada High and St. Francis will attempt to win individual championships, earn advancement to the following week’s Masters Meet and perhaps propel their squads to a team title.

Competition gets underway at 10:30 a.m. with the Division IV girls’ pole vault, while the first running event is slated for 1 p.m.

St. Francis senior Jasher Foster is the lone returning winner from last year’s championship, as the two-sport star (football) captured the Division III 110-meter hurdles last year in a time of 14.30 seconds.

Foster is slated for that event at approximately 2:40 p.m. and for the 300 hurdles, which will take place at 4:25.

“Jasher has had a good week of practice and has been working on both his speed and endurance,” St. Francis Coach Mike Russell said. “He ran well in the prelims and I expect him to do better [Saturday].”

Foster sat out most of the track season recovering from meniscus surgery and made his debut April 21 versus Crespi.

Despite the lack of preparation time, Foster won the Mission League title on May 5 in the 110 hurdles (14.54) and was second in the 300 hurdles (39.59).

At the Division III preliminaries at Estancia High, Foster set a personal record in winning the 110 hurdles in 14.08, while he was second in the 300 hurdles (39.46).

“We’re going after both and we’re going to try to advance to Masters in both,” Russell said.

In Division IV, Flintridge Prep senior Jack Van Scoter appears destined for a huge day.

The Georgetown-bound senior is the top seed in both the boys’ 1,600 (2 p.m.) and 3,200 (5:35) runs and represents the Rebels’ best chance at winning an individual title. Flintridge Prep has won at least one individual championship the last four years running thanks to the exploits of the pole-vaulting Gareth and Barrett Weiss brothers.

Van Scoter claimed the 1,600 (4:12.92) and 3,200 (9:09.49) at the Division IV prelims at Carpinteria High.

“My prediction is that he’ll win both the mile and two,” first-year Flintridge Prep Coach Jen Molebash said. “He’ll be well-positioned coming into the Masters the following week. Right now, Jack is healthy, injury-free and in great shape.”

Van Scoter will hardly be alone as senior Nikhil Poole will join him in both the 1,600 (4:23.87) and 3,200 (9:41.81), while Evan Pattinelli is confirmed for the 3,200 (9:41.81).

Rebels junior Riley Coan is also slated for the 800-meter run (1:59.99) at 4 p.m., while Pattinelli is a first alternate for the 1,600 (4:29.65) and Jonathan Vahala is a first alternate for the 3,200 (9:53.21).

Last season the Flintridge Prep boys took fourth in their division with 31 points.

As for La Cañada High, the Spartans have a special twosome taking part in the Division III championships.

Sophomore Katie Scoville, who won a Division IV championship in cross-country, will look to duplicate the feat in the 3,200.

In the CIF prelims, a relaxed Scoville finished fifth overall in 11:09.

“She’s looking really good and that time last week was just for qualifying,” La Cañada distance coach Nick LaCapria said. “I really believe she’s going to put up a much better time on Saturday and our goal is to get to state.”

Scoville will be joined at Cerritos College by surprising sophomore hurdler Claire Murray, who is seeded fourth in the 100 hurdles (15.11).

One of the more interesting groups at Cerritos will be the Flintridge Prep girls in Division IV.

Freshman Evelyn Molebash, daughter of Jen Molebash, is tied for the top seed in the pole vault with a mark of 10 feet.

Rebels junior Hanna Barakat qualified in two events and will first compete in the 400 (58.16) and later in the 200 (25.76).

The dynamic cross-country duo of junior Natalie O’Brien (11:15.24) and Sophie Gitlin (11:19.12) will also compete in the 3,200 race, which will be combined with Division II at 5:05 p.m.

“I think that it’s absolutely great that they get to run against other female runners from other divisions,” Jen Molebash said. “Often times when you’re racing your own division over and over, it can become stale. It’s good to mix it up.”

Flintridge Sacred Heart will be represented by a trio of entrants in Division IV.

Senior Holly MacVaugh will open her team’s action in the 100-meter hurdles a week after taking sixth (16.27) at Carpinteria.

Freshman Kelly Carney will also get going in the triple jump (35-0), while the 1,600-meter relay squad (4:09.94) finishes off competition for the Tologs.

Last season, Flintridge Sacred Heart finished seventh in Division IV with 24 points.

The 12 top athletes in the 800, 1,600, 3,200 and all field events will earn advancement to Friday’s Masters Meet back at Cerritos College. For the sprints, hurdles and relays, only the top nine will move on.