The Track and Field team made their way to the Division 3 Section Trials held at Manteca High School on May 13.
In order to qualify for Section Trials, athletes must have finished in the top 5 league competition. However, specific qualifying marks vary by the event and placement within the CCC League.
The athletes who met these marks are as follows: the Varsity Boys 4x100m Relay Team – Raul Diaz, Joshua Gargano, Jayden Howard, and Jeffery Wilhite – as well as Madelyn Silva and Jeffery Wilhite in the 400m, Jayden Howard in the 200m, Adrian Montes in the 300m hurdles, Gustavo Ruiz in discus and shot put, Joenamous Gago in shot put, and Alana Arnold as the shot put alternate.
“Some notable performances at D3 Section trials were made by three athletes. Gustavo Ruiz threw a personal record of 125 feet in discus, Jeffery Wilhite ran a personal record of 52.6 in the 400m, and the Varsity Boys 4x100m Relay Team also achieved a season-best performance,” stated Mr. Michael Salaz, Track and Field coach.
Section Trials take place every year and our school typically sends its athletes to participate in them. However, due to the competitiveness of the league, the group size may vary from season to season. But in the school’s Track and Field program, qualifying athletes annually has become a consistent achievement.
“Although no athletes advanced to finals this year, reaching Section Trials alone is a tremendous accomplishment, as athletes had to finish among the top competitors in our CCC league. The season included several personal records and strong performances late in the year, showing the growth and determination of the team. Special recognition also goes to Coach Hurley and Coach Mitchell for their dedication and support throughout the season,” said Salaz.
Moving forward, the team’s goals are to continue developing athletes, improving marks and times, and building on this season’s success. Although the team had a rocky start to the season, the athletes continued to compete hard, improve throughout the season, and represent the school well.
