Every year, many track and field athletes from the area converge at Modesto Junior College, the site of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division III trials and finals today and Thursday, with aspirations of advancing as far as the state meet.
Only few make it through.
The only certainty is that there won’t be any repeat qualifiers, with throwing specialists Derek Sinclair of Sierra and Cassandra Woodall of East Union having graduated.
The top six placers in each event this week advance to the Masters Meet at Hughes Stadium in Sacramento May 28 and 29. The best three performers at Masters qualify for the California Interscholastic Federation State Championships slated for June 5 and 6 at Buchanan High in Clovis.
The area’s best bet to get to the pinnacle of high school track meets may come in the form of underclassmen.
One of them is an unknown freshman who attends a school that doesn’t even have a track program.
Ripon Christian freshman sensation Essence White marked the section’s fourth best measurement in the long jump (16 feet, 10 inches) in last week’s Trans Valley League meet. Her previous personal record stood at 16-1.50, which was 12th best in the section going into the TVL event.
Junior Angell Mayfield of Weston Ranch is the area’s best hurdler since Sierra’s Avery White advanced to three straight state meets until injuries derailed his senior season last year.
Mayfield was one of four double-event winners from the area at the Valley Oak League Championships on May 9.
His best 110-meter hurdle time of 14.96 is currently the ninth fastest in the section. He clocked in at 14.41 at the VOL finals for the second best wind-aided mark of the section to date. Mayfield is also ranked third in the 300 hurdles at 39.43.
Sierra’s girls team stands the best chance at capturing a team divisional championship this week after its boys took three of the last four.
VOL double-event winner Cristina Westover is the program record holder in the shot put and is currently ranked 12th among the section’s discus throwers at 113-4.50. East Union’s Jennifer Fields owns the 11th best discus throw at 114-4.
Sierra also hopes to get big points from VOL 100 and 200 champion Shanedra Pitts, 400 and long jump champion Taylor-Renae Wilson and 300 hurdles champion Courtney Whitlock. Whitlock was also the runner-up in the 100 hurdles.
To contact Jonamar Jacinto, e-mail jjacinto@mantecabulletin.com, or call (209) 249-3538.
Only few make it through.
The only certainty is that there won’t be any repeat qualifiers, with throwing specialists Derek Sinclair of Sierra and Cassandra Woodall of East Union having graduated.
The top six placers in each event this week advance to the Masters Meet at Hughes Stadium in Sacramento May 28 and 29. The best three performers at Masters qualify for the California Interscholastic Federation State Championships slated for June 5 and 6 at Buchanan High in Clovis.
The area’s best bet to get to the pinnacle of high school track meets may come in the form of underclassmen.
One of them is an unknown freshman who attends a school that doesn’t even have a track program.
Ripon Christian freshman sensation Essence White marked the section’s fourth best measurement in the long jump (16 feet, 10 inches) in last week’s Trans Valley League meet. Her previous personal record stood at 16-1.50, which was 12th best in the section going into the TVL event.
Junior Angell Mayfield of Weston Ranch is the area’s best hurdler since Sierra’s Avery White advanced to three straight state meets until injuries derailed his senior season last year.
Mayfield was one of four double-event winners from the area at the Valley Oak League Championships on May 9.
His best 110-meter hurdle time of 14.96 is currently the ninth fastest in the section. He clocked in at 14.41 at the VOL finals for the second best wind-aided mark of the section to date. Mayfield is also ranked third in the 300 hurdles at 39.43.
Sierra’s girls team stands the best chance at capturing a team divisional championship this week after its boys took three of the last four.
VOL double-event winner Cristina Westover is the program record holder in the shot put and is currently ranked 12th among the section’s discus throwers at 113-4.50. East Union’s Jennifer Fields owns the 11th best discus throw at 114-4.
Sierra also hopes to get big points from VOL 100 and 200 champion Shanedra Pitts, 400 and long jump champion Taylor-Renae Wilson and 300 hurdles champion Courtney Whitlock. Whitlock was also the runner-up in the 100 hurdles.
To contact Jonamar Jacinto, e-mail jjacinto@mantecabulletin.com, or call (209) 249-3538.
