MODESTO — Shakira Lewis, with her rare speed, helped Sierra High capture its first Valley Oak League and Sac-Joaquin Section playoff championships in softball last year.
This spring, she decided to give track a shot.
Lewis added another section championship to her resume in the SJS Division IV/V Finals Thursday at Modesto Junior College.
But Lewis hasn’t forgotten about her roots.
With white and blue softball stirrups up to her knees, the swift senior dashed her way to the 100-meter title in 12.27 seconds — a new meet record, though not her personal best. Lewis clocked a 12.06 finish in the VOL Championships.
“I wanted to try a different sport,” said Lewis, who was also the runner-up in the 200 in 25.89. “In the beginning my goal was just to go out, have fun and give it my all. I’ve gotten further than I thought I was going to get.”
Up next is the SJS Masters set for May 24 and 25 at Elk Grove High. The top six placers along with any at-large qualifiers from this week’s divisional meets move on.
Lewis is one of four area athletes to win an event, three of them being sprinters. On Tuesday, East Union’s Jerrica Hauck claimed the meet’s pole vault crown for a third straight year while breaking her own school record at 11 feet, 6 inches.
Emmanuel Elijah of Sierra won the 200 in 22.65 on Friday and was also third in the 100 in 11.17.
East Union junior Megan Jordan took first in the 400 in 1 minute, 1.01 seconds for her second divisional title in three years. As a freshman she won the event in 59.74 seconds, a PR that still stands today. She was the runner-up last year.
Jordan was out for nearly a month during the regular season while battling an illness and a groin injury.
That made her return to the top that much sweeter.
“It was tough,” she said. “I had to miss some league meets and the Mudville Invitational so I had to really work my way back. I didn’t run the time that I wanted to Tuesday (in the trials), but I am much happier with how I did today.”
Jordan also anchored East Union’s girls mile relay, which advances to Masters with a sixth-place finish.
Two Sierra throwers just missed out on first-place finishes.
Bret Wilson, who had already qualified for Masters in the shot put Tuesday, shattered his personal record in the discus by nearly 17 full feet. His mark of 163-5 had him at No. 1 until Oakdale sophomore Kyle Peterson stole the top finish with a heave of 167-9 on his final attempt.
Wilson’s big toss came on his second try in the finals, and he passed on his third because of a groin injury.
Like Lewis, Wilson is a first-year track athlete as a senior.
“I knew I had the strength to be able to compete in this, I just had to work on technique,” Wilson said. “I PR’d by over 15 feet today, so I’m happy with that.”
Valerie Nestor also came close to winning an event.
She lost by a quarter of an inch.
Kimball High’s Jaleyah Douglass got the better of her VOL rival in the shot put, topping out at 35-8 ¼. Nestor’s mark of 35-8 is almost 3 feet short of her PR.
In the boys pole vault, Rolland Pacheco of Manteca High placed second with a personal best 13-3. He also took fifth in the 400.
“This is legit, it’s not just screwing around in the VOL anymore,” Pacheco said. “There are some talented people here, and we’ll see what it’s like at Masters. I don’t know how I stack up right now, but I’m just looking to have fun.”
East Union’s boys and girls 4x100 relay teams both took second.
The Lancer boys got a big finish from anchor leg Tevyn Braiden, who was in the seventh position by the time he received the baton. Marcos Aguilar, Jeremiah Preston and Angelo Zerbini made up the rest of the quartet.
The girls were led by senior Hauck, who was joined by three freshmen — Katelyn Allen, Jordan McNeal and Haley Cook.
Also from the Manteca area advancing to Masters:
East Union — McNeal (100, fourth), Cook (200, sixth), Joseph Daigle (shot put, fifth).
Manteca — Donavan Lucas (200, fourth), Jordan Lyons (400, third), 4x100 boys (fourth).
Sierra — Sophia Vukanovich (800, fourth), Haley Silva (3,200, sixth), Jaliya Williams (triple jump, fifth), Jake Supinger (400, sixth), Ricky Morris (1,600, sixth).
Ripon — Taylor Spence (300 hurdles, fifth), Alec Steinberg (1,600, fourth; 3,200, fifth), Ryan Torres (3,200, fourth).
Winning the team championships were the Cosumnes Oaks girls (66 points) and El Dorado boys (61).
Sierra’s boys (30) ended up third in its title defense, while VOL champion Manteca (24) finished sixth. East Union and Ripon tied for 17th with 10 points apiece.
Leading the area girls contingents was East Union, which edged out rival Sierra for fifth place, 34-33.
