CIF Finals yields two individual champions for track and field team

After+the+gun+sounds%2C+sprinters+rush+from+their+blocks.

Muriel Rowley

After the gun sounds, sprinters rush from their blocks.

Nick Zoll, Reporter
May 15, 2019

After competing in the Prelims the prior weekend, the Foothill Technology High School varsity track and field squad faced their next test on May 11. This took place at El Camino College, the venue for the annual California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Southern-Section Finals. Participating in Division 4, the Dragons placed well among their respective competitors. They came out with a  fourth-place finish for the boys’ team (41 points), trailing only Oaks Christian (65), Crespi (47) and Serra (46), who snagged places one through three. Meanwhile, the girls’ team finished sixth (34 points) behind Oaks Christian (73), Serra (49), St. Anthony (37.5), Archer (37) and Mayfield (36) rounding out the top five.

For complete results from the meet on May 11, click here.

BOYS

To kick off the day, the boys’ 4×100 meter relay team, consisting of Sash Fuentes ’21, AJ Masmela ‘19, Anthony Rodriguez ‘21 and Iak Wright ‘19 took fifth place out of nine teams and set the new school record with a time of 43.92 seconds.

In the 800 meter run, Jason Messner ‘19 took first place, finishing with a time of 1:57.35, which was more than a second faster than the runner-up (1:58.58). With the win, Messner claimed the individual title of Division 4 CIF Champion for the 800-meter race.

In the 3200 meter race, brothers Oliver Pick ‘21 and Henry Pick ‘19 earned first and second place, respectively. Oliver Pick claimed the individual Division 4 CIF title for the two-mile race with a time of 9:35.63, while Henry Pick followed close behind (9:42.21). In addition, Joshua Villasenor ‘21 placed fifth for the Dragons (9:54.67), earning Foothill 22 total points from that race alone. Over half of the boys’ team’s points were garnered from the 3200-meter event.

The boys’ 4×400 meter relay team (Ethan Crouch ’21, Fuentes, Masmela and Messner) finished in sixth place out of nine teams with a time of 3:30.20.

In the pole vault, Ephraim Raymond ‘22 took seventh place with a height of 3.20 meters.

Wright scratched on all four of his attempts in the boys’ triple jump and did not qualify for a place in the event.

GIRLS

In the 1600 meter race, Lauren Kearney ‘19 placed fourth (4:58.92), followed by teammates Brooke Secreto ‘21 in fifth place (5:03.19) and Hana Vrablik ‘19 (5:13.07) in seventh place.

The 800-meter race featured Vrablik taking fifth place (2:17.38) while Hannah Dearman-So ‘21 rounded out the heat in ninth place (2:21.39).

Kearney was the sole Foothill runner in the girls’ 3200-meter race and impressed by setting a new school record (10:50.77), finishing second in the Division 4 heat.

The 4×400 meter relay team on the girls’ side, led by Cameron Becker ‘19, Dearman-So, Kearney and Vrablik, came in second place (4:02.87).

Lastly, Carly Leandro ‘20 vaulted 3.04 meters in the girls’ pole vault, which was good for sixth place in the Division 4 Finals heat.

“I was super excited to be there,” Kearney noted, offering her thoughts on what would be her last CIF Finals of her high school career. “Competing at CIF Finals for four years has been such an honor and I’m really glad I got to spend it with so many amazing teammates.”

In addition, Kearney thinks that “the team did a great job with execution” throughout the day of competition.

“It’s been incredible to see the growth of this team. We have not only accomplished big goals, but we have all grown close as friends and I think that is what allowed for our success not only this weekend but over the whole season.”

Kearney will be the only Foothill athlete to advance to the CIF Masters Meet on May 18.

What do you think?