CIF track prelims: Collison leads way in Division I en route to finals
Six local schools participated Saturday in the CIF Southern Section Division prelims at various locations across Southern California. The following is a roundup of those who advanced to the CIF finals next Saturday.
DIVISION I
BOYS
Crescenta Valley, Glendale at Trabuco Hills High: Gabe Collison of Crescenta Valley won his heat and finished first in the 3,200-meter run with a mark of 9 minutes 13.87 seconds to advance to the finals May 24 at Cerritos College .
No Nitros qualified for the finals.
GIRLS
Crescenta Valley, Glendale at Trabuco Hills High: Emmie Walker and Megan Melnyk of Crescenta Valley advanced to the finals May 24 at Cerritos College. Walker had a personal-best mark of 5 feet 6 inches to finish in a seven-way tie for first in the high jump. Melnyk clocked 2 minutes 15.55 seconds in the 800-meter race to take sixth.
Crescenta Valley’s 4x400 relay team of Walker, Melnyk, Kayleigh Carrillo and Courtney Iannello finished ninth in 3:55.03 to advance, as well.
No Nitros qualified for the finals
DIVISION III
BOYS
St. Francis, Hoover at Estancia High: The Golden Knights shined Saturday afternoon at Estancia High.
Overall, St. Francis qualified in four events to the CIF Southern Section Division III Championships at Cerritos College on May 24.
Maybe the biggest lock was St. Francis senior Eric Knowles, who qualified in the long jump with an eighth-place mark of 21 feet and 1 1/2 inches.
Knowles will also move on in the triple jump, his top competition, after he took fourth in the event in 44-6.
St. Francis junior Ross Niederhaus also earned advancement to the divisional finals by taking third overall in the 400-meter dash in 49.55 seconds.
St. Francis sophomore Jasher Foster punched his ticket to the divisional championships by taking fourth overall in the 110-meter hurdles with a mark of 15.01 seconds.
Foster missed advancing to the finals in the 300 hurdles, as the sophomore took 15th in 41.57.
In order to advance to the divisional finals, an athlete needed to finish in the top nine.
Hoover High senior Andrew Alvarado was his school’s lone athlete and represented well, capping his season and that of the Tornadoes by taking 22nd in the 300-meter hurdles in 42.53.
DIVISION IV
BOYS
Flintridge Prep at Carpinteria High: The Rebels had some impressive performances to advance to the finals at Cerritos College on May 24.
Pole vaulter Barrett Weiss finished in a five-way tie for first with a mark of 13 feet. Alan Yoho clocked 1 minute 56.86 seconds to take first in the 800-meter race.
Also advancing to the finals were Yoho and Jack Van Scoter in the 1,600. Yoho took third in 4:24.63 and Van Scotter finished fourth in 4:17.74. Van Scoter took fourth in the 3,200 in 9:31.57. Gareth Weiss placed sixth in the pole vault at 12-6.
GIRLS
Flintridge Prep and Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy at Carpinteria High: A group of Tologs and one member of the Rebels excelled to move on to the finals May 24 at Cerritos College.
For Flintridge Sacred Heart, its two relay team earned top-eight marks. The 4x100 quartet of Olivia Mathews, Kayla Montgomery, Ella Gmelich and Nia Harris took fourth in 50.08 seconds. The 4x400 relay team of Sophia Saldivar, Montgomery, Mathews and Harris took eighth in 4:02.07. Also advancing for Flintridge Sacred Heart were Montgomery and Harris in the 400. Montgomery was fourth (58.31) and Harris placed fifth (58.90). Saldivar took fifth in the 800 with a school-record mark of 2:15.89.
For Flintridge Prep, Sarah Yoho clocked 5:05.67 to take second in the 1,600.