Girls state track: Gunn's Sarah Robinson takes 1,600 meters
By Glenn Reeves
greeves@bayareanewsgroup.com
Posted: 06/07/2014 10:32:52 PM PDT0 Comments
Updated: 06/07/2014 10:32:54 PM PDT
CLOVIS -- Gunn's Sarah Robinson was in third place Saturday, right behind the leaders, with about 200 meters left in the 1,600 when the second-place runner, Destiny Collins of Great Oak, went down. As Collins hit the track she made contact with leader and defending champion Anna Maxwell of San Lorenzo Valley. Maxwell also went down.
Robinson was suddenly running all by herself, a position she maintained all the way to the finish line, taking first place in 4:44.25 at the CIF state track and field championships.
"This feels so great,'' said Robinson, of winning a state championship after finishing third as a junior. "I just wish the race could've been better for all competitors. I really feel sorry for Anna.''
Collins got to her feet and finished second. Maxwell never recovered, coming in 11th out of 12 runners.
Robinson, who came back to place second in the 3,200 in a personal-best 10:12.40, was the first of three Central Coast Section girls to win state championships.
Greta Wagner of Los Gatos cleared 13-0? 1/4 to take first place in the pole vault. Presentation's Taylore Jaques, the 2012 state champion, took fourth at 11-10.
Piedmont Hills freshman Reonna Collier turned in the stunner of the meet by winning the 300 hurdles in 40.90. Her previous best was the 42.01 she ran in Friday's prelims.
"I didn't think I was really ready, but a lot of people said I was,'' Collier said. "I'd been focusing too much on the negative instead of the positive and appreciating what I had. I started listening to my coaches telling me what I'd done by making it to the state finals as a freshman.''
A faster start was largely responsible for the big drop in time.
"I got that slow start out of my system,'' she said. "I finally got a strong start and actually also did better the last 100. The ladies next to me were pushing me to go faster.''
Gunn sophomore Maya Miklos was sixth in 42.55. Los Gatos' Hannah Chen placed seventh (43.20).
Collier also came in fourth in the 100 hurdles in 13.85 and ran the leadoff leg on the 4x400 relay team that finished second in 3:43.63. Long Beach Poly, which won its 14th team title, ran a national-best 3:38.05.
Menlo's Maddy Price took second in the 400 in 53.42. Long Beach Poly freshman Kaelin Roberts ran 52.52 to take first, the fastest time in the nation. Piedmont Hills' Timarya Baynard placed seventh in 55.51. Price came back to place fifth in the 200 in 24.12.
Saratoga's Mady Fagan took third in the high jump at 5-8.
Valley Christian's Elena Bruckner placed fourth in the shot put at 45-7?1/4. Bianca Bryant of Piedmont Hills, a fourth-place finisher in the 800 a year ago, came in fifth this time, but in a personal-best time of 2:09.01. Maxwell, after her fall in the 1,600, placed second in the 800 in 2;08.32. Juliana Mount of Notre Dame-San Jose was sixth (2:10.07).
Wilcox senior Marisa Kwiatkowski came in fifth in the triple jump with a mark of 39-7.
After advancing to Saturday's final as the 12th and final qualifier at Friday's prelims, Christopher's Ally Foster went 18-11 in the long jump to take sixth place. Her previous best was 17-10.
"She'd been doing too much for the team all year, doing the long jump, triple jump and both hurdles,'' Christopher coach Jeff Myers said. "Now it's her time and she's showing what kind of jumper she is.''
Los Gatos placed seventh in the 4x100 relay in 47.47.
Terra Nova's Jeremy Wright third at state meet
By Glenn Reeves
greeves@bayareanewsgroup.com
Posted: 06/07/2014 09:56:24 PM PDT0 Comments
Updated: 06/07/2014 10:36:31 PM PDT
CLOVIS -- Terra Nova junior Jeremy Wright burst upon the track and field scene about midway through this season. Saturday, he capped his season of emergence with a third-place finish in the 400 meters at the state finals at Buchanan High School with a time of 47.10 seconds.
"To be a junior, my first time at the state finals and make the podium, I'm happy,'' Wright said. "Getting third place was even better."
Wright opened some eyes with a 47.01 clocking at the Central Coast Section finals. He ran that race and also his race at the state finals in the same manner -- with a restrained first 200 and a very strong finish. On Saturday, he was well back over the first 200 and passed several runners down the final straightaway to finish third.
"I'm going to give it my best in the offseason to improve my strength," Wright said. "See if I can keep pace the first 200 and still get the fast leg turnover in the final 200."
His emergence has made an impression on many observers.
"He could be a real superstar," Mt. Pleasant coach Steve Nelson said.
Serra's Kyle Orloff placed fifth in the 400 in 47.53 and ninth in the 200 (21.82).
There was a crowd of 9,123 on hand Saturday and a two-day total of 16,372.
"I'm still in shock," Castro said. "I didn't want to overextend myself. I went back to my roots, to have fun. I drafted from the lead guy. I came in at 55 on the first lap and was in decent position.
"With 100 to go I was in seventh, so I told myself, 'let's go.' I wanted to finish in the top six at state, so I started picking it up."
Two high jumpers went over 6 feet, 10 inches.
Santa Teresa senior Daniel Onuoha was among the five others who cleared 6-8.
But he had the most misses of the five, so instead of tying for third he finished seventh.
Still, it was a remarkable season for someone whose best was 6-4 going into his senior season. Onuoha had his personal-best winning a CCS title at 6-9.
"Last year he was all over the place,'' Santa Teresa coach Scott Young said. "He put it all together this year.''
After winning CCS, Onuoha said his plans were to attend Sacramento State, strictly as a student. But after the word got out about going 6-9, Young received a call from Cal State Northridge, which was interested in Onuoha continuing his high jump career.
"I hope he changes his mind and continues jumping in college,'' Young said.
Branham's Zachary Nichols cleared 15-0 to place eighth in the pole vault.
Willow Glen's Luis Maciel threw the discus 160-7, placing 11th.