For some of the athletes competing in the Valley Oak League Track and Field Championships Saturday at Sierra High, finishing with a league title would be nice, but continuing the season a little while longer was the real goal.

That was the case for the top-three finishers in each event, also extending the invitation to the next meet to all fourth place alternates.

East Union’s Makayla Valdez was all business for the league finale, winning the girls 100 and 200-meter events for VOL championships. Valdez raced to first in 12.72 in the 100 and 26.81 in the 200. Teammate Megan Jordan was victorious in the 400-meter with a time of 1:01.03.

Manteca Buffalo Briana Lucas won the 800-meter league championship with a time of 2:32, while Sierra’s Katelyn Carbiener continues her season with a second place finish. Sierra’s Sammie Olivera took the 110-hurdles championship with a 17.39 race.

East Union landed a pair of runner-up finishes in the 4x100 and 4x400-meter relays. Oakdale High was victorious in both events. Lancer Jerrica Hauk handled the pole vault, winning the championship with a 10’9” leap, some two feet higher than the second place finisher.

Lathrop Spartan Gabriela Vasquez extended her season with a second place finish in the girls triple jump, as did Sierra’s Kim Lucero and Valerie Nestor for second and third place finishes, respectively, in the shot put. Lathrop’s Phylicia Willingham took second in the discus to advance as well.

In the boys action, East Union’s Daniel Martz won the mile with a time of 4:33.20, and Sierra’s Ricky Morris earned a second place finish in the 3200. Teammate Stephan Thayer rolled off with both the 100 and 200-meter titles with times of 10.99 and 22.94, respectively.

Manteca’s Paul Lyons raced to victory in the 400-meters, with Sierra’s Ruben Lopez finishing in a close second. Lyons also won the 300-hurdle championship over Sierra’s Jon Gustafson. Lopez redeemed himself with an 800-meter championship in 2:01.

Grant Widmer of Sierra took second in the pole vault and won the championship in the high jump. Teammate Ulysses Knapps leaped to the title in the long jump and took second to teammate Harold Wright for the triple jump championship. Both Justin Parham and Carson Frost advance for Sierra with second place finishes in the shot put and discus, respectively.

The Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV-V track and field championships will take place beginning with the trials May 17 at Modesto Junior College. The first six placers in each event will continue on to the Masters Meet at Hughes Stadium in Sacramento beginning Thursday, May 26.