The real season begins now for the top track and field athletes
at San Benito.
Hollister – The real season begins now for the top track and field athletes at San Benito.
After winning both the boys and girls team titles at the Tri-County Athletic League championships last week, the Haybalers have plenty of representation in today’s Central Coast Section semifinals, which begin at 11am at San Jose City College.
Austin Schmidt will see the most action, as he will participate in three events where he’ll look to advance to the CCS finals at Gilroy on May 25.
Schmidt will run in the second heat of the 110 hurdles, in the third heat of the 300 hurdles and has the 11th best mark coming in at 21-2 3/4 in the long jump. He’ll need a top eight finish in those events to move on past Saturday.
Rigo Vasquez will also be getting a steady workout in. He’ll compete in both the 1,600 and 3,200 and figures to have a strong chance to finish in the top 12 to move on to the finals. Teammate Eddie Trujillo joins Vasquez in the first heat in the 1,600.
Ryan Shorey and Chris Koroluk will also be tackling multiple events. Shorey will race in the fourth heat in the 400 meters and the third heat of the 200 meters. Koroluk’s in the third heat in the 100 meters and will participate in the long jump.
In every running event except the 1,600 and 3,200, the heat winners advance to the finals and the next best times that add up to a total of eight qualifiers move on. The distance events send the top 12 to the finals.
The ‘Baler with the best chance of making a splash is returning state qualifier Josh Schroder. His mark of 15-0 easily won him the TCAL title and has him tied for the second best qualifying mark in the section.
Courtney Allen, fresh off her personal best time of 5:08.61 that earned her the league title in the 1,600, will look to improve on that even more and advance. Lauren Villasenor, the league champ in the 400 meters, will run in the second heat of that event and Morgan O’Laughlin enters with the fourth-best mark in the discus and has hope of placing.
Other participants for San Benito include: Evan McFadden, first heat in 110 hurdles; Jake Jackson, first heat in 800 meters; Anthony De La Cerda and Jamil Lee, tied for 12th-best mark in high jump; Lilli Villagomez, first heat in 100 hurdles; Monique Bishop, seventh-best mark in the pole vault; Lila Yoldi, fifth-best mark in shot put; Justine Hunter, triple jump; Sarah Yoldi, discus; Ellen Dungy, high jump.
The boys have two relay teams – the 4×100 in the first heat and the 4×400 in the fourth heat – and the girls send their 4×400 relay in the fourth heat.
