Lathrop and Ripon are off and running in the Sac-Joaquin Section Divisions IV/V meet, which began Wednesday with the track trails at Riverbank High.

The girls teams from both schools are defending their Section championships, and there are area athletes who have already qualified for the SJS Masters Championships in the 4x800 and field events.

The Divisions IV and V champions and next three placers in each advance, along with others who meet or surpass at-large qualifying marks.

Ripon junior Marcus Madoski is one of the meet’s top performers, so far. He earned the Division V triple jump with a mark of 43 feet, 1 ¼ inches and finished as runner-up in the high jump at 5-11. He also shined on the track, clocking the second fastest Division V time in the 400-meter dash in 52.51 seconds.

Heat winners and runners with the next six fastest times advance to Friday’s finals. The top 12 in the 800 qualify.

Also Masters bound for Ripon are Austin Wood in the discus throw (fourth, 140-03) and Jade Thommes in the pole vault (second, 10-08). Wood matched his personal record, while Thommes set a new PR by an inch.

Lathrop’s girls team has two Division IV event champions, so far. Sophomore Moira Ramones won the triple jump with a personal-best 35-01 ½. The Spartans’ 4x800 team of Eliza Alday, Mackenzie Collins, Ariana Matute and Jacqueline Pena Santillan won in 10 minutes, 37.66 seconds.

Also punching early tickets to Masters for Lathrop: Treydon Santos in the high jump (third, 5-07), Alyvia Galano in the pole vault (second, 9-11), Sierra Adams in the triple jump (third, 33-07) and Brandon Rodriguez, Oliver Hernandez, Riley Gier and Andres Hurtado in the boys 4x800 (fourth, 8:43.94).

Reigning hurdles champion Adonis Siga was among the many standouts from the area who shined in preliminary track heats. He’s seeded first in the 110 hurdles (14.56), first in the 300 hurdles (38.94), fourth in the 100 (11.08) and part of the No. 2 4x100 (43.98) with Makoi Cagler, Jimari Dove and Charles Wright.

The Lathrop girls’ 4x100 (50.69) and 4x400 (4:18.65) relays clocked the top times for Division IV. Included in the relays is multi-event finalist Janessa Ward (100, fourth, 12.62; 200, third, 26.06) along with Aleena Basi (400,eighth, 1:05.84), Melia Lewis (400, second, 1:04.71), Tatianna Lowery and Adams.

Other track finalists for Lathrop: Jarren Holloway (300 hurdles, seventh, 42.17), Dove (400, sixth, 52.13), Ava Green (100 hurdles, seventh, 18.14; 300 hurdles, fourth, 50.21) and the boys mile relay (second, 3:32.14).

Ripon also has its own returning hurdling standout in Starla Skiles, who registered the best times in the Division V girls 100 hurdles (15.22) and 300 hurdles (46.71). She is also on the No. 1-seeded mile relay (4:13.51) with Emily Paxton, Jenna Skavdahl and Clara Schoolland and the No. 3 4x100 (50.90) with Rylee Agbayani-Duenas, Olivia Maragos and Paxton.

Agbyayani-Duenas (100, fifth, 12.79; 200, fourth, 27.00), Schoolland (400, second, 1:00.33; 300 hurdles, fourth, 48.43) and Skavdahl (800, second, 2:28.16) are also individual finalists.

Ripon boys making the track finals: Brett Shaw (110 hurdles, seventh, 16.91; 300 hurdles, second, 43.07), Dru Orlando (100, sixth, 11.06; 200, fourth, 22.85), Luke Baier (800, sixth, 2:10.32), Devin Fitzpatrick (800, seventh, 2:05.04), Ricky Langenfeld (800, eighth, 2:05.48), Xzavier Clark (200, seventh, 23.40) and the 4x400 (third, 3:36.83).

Ripon Christian is bringing a small contingent back to Riverbank on Friday.

Brady Grondz had the third fastest 100 time in Division V at 11.05.

Leah Van Wyngarden is returning in three events: 100 hurdles (second, 17.10), 300 hurdles (eighth, 50.74) and the 4x100 relay (ninth, 53.09) with Brooke Barnes, Addison DeJong and Reagan Van Der Hoek.

The Masters meet is next week, May 17-18 at Davis Sr. High.