Twenty-one area athletes will have the opportunity to qualify for the state meet this Saturday when they compete in the Sac-Joaquin Section Masters Finals at Folsom High.
The SJS is debuting its revamped postseason schedule that culminates with the single-day Masters meet that had previously taken place over two days. Last week, Sacramento City College’s famed Hughes Stadium hosted the first all-divisions finals, which doubled as a qualifier for Masters.
The top three placers at Masters and others who meet or surpass at-large standards advance to the 106th California Interscholastic Federation State Championships on May 29-30 at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Clovis.
Several standouts from local schools turned in marks that earned them high seeds for the finale.
Blama Kamara of Sierra clocked the top 400-meter time at the divisional finals at 47.52 seconds, which is the second best in the SJS this season. Third-seeded Keith Lee from Monterey Trail owns the fastest time (46.96) in the SJS, which also ranks him No. 5 in the state. The at-large mark for an automatic state bid is set at 48.11
Kamara is competing in the most events among the Masters qualifiers from the area. He’s also in the 200 final as the No. 10 seed (21.86) and is featured on the third-seeded 4x400 relay that includes 1,600 qualifier Christian Gonzalez (No. 12; 4 minutes, 19.47 seconds), Anthony Glover and Kenneth Roach.
Teagan Nazzisi is seeded fourth for the shot put with a mark of 51 feet, 1 ¾ inches. His personal record of 56-06, set during a Valley Oak League dual meet, is the third farthest in the section of the season and eclipses the at-large mark of 55-10 ½.
Sierra’s girls team is led by Tyleah Badea, who is in contention in multiple distance events. She has the fifth-fastest seeded time in the 800 at 2:17.40 and sixth in the 1,600 at 5:05.02. Anna Dittman will run the 3,200 (30th, 11:29.92), and Mya Everett is seeded fourth in the high jump (5-03).
East Union’s Jackson Fay is looking to make a return appearance to state in the 100, and he’ll be running alongside some familiar faces. With the fourth-seeded time of 10.59, Fay will be running with younger brother Gunnar (sixth, 10.71) and longtime friend J.P. Abrew (fifth, 10.69).
Fellow Lancer Sean Rutter will compete in the pole vault (14th, 13-06).
Manteca has just two Masters participants, but both are in two events.
Raniya Nelson is hoping for a repeat of her Division III Trials effort highlighted by a personal-best discus throw of 143-06 — third best in the section and four feet farther than the at-large standard (138-05). Her best throw in the divisional final was 129-07, good for the No. 3 seed in the final. Nelson is seeded 10th in the shot put at 36-0.
William Brown is back in the Masters finals in both hurdles events. The junior seeded No. 6 in the 300 (39.93) and No. 3 in the 100 (14.84).
Ripon’s Clara Schoolland is a state hopeful after making it as a sophomore two years ago. Seeded third in the high jump, she only needs to add 1 inch to her school record of 5-05 to match the at-large standard. Jude Viss is seeded 14th in the boys high jump (5-10).
After leading Ripon’s boys to a second straight SJS Division V title, junior sprinter Liam Wohle will make his Masters debut as the ninth seed in the 400 (49.80). Fresno State signee Kaiya Kroutil is in the girls 400 final as the No. 8 seed (57.68).
Lathrop has three Masters qualifiers and is spearheaded by distance standout Riley Gier, who earned the top seed in the 800 in 1:52.59. It’s the second best 800 time in the section and a tick faster than the at-large mark of 1:53.13. Gier is also in the 3,200 final (32nd, 9:44.59).
Joining him at Masters are Alyvia Galano in the pole vault (seventh, 10-06) and Morgan Emery in the 1,600 (5:14.97).
The Masters meet begins with field events at 1 p.m. Track events begin with the girls 4x800 at 3.
