The San Benito High School boy’s track and field team won the
Tri-County Athletic League title at Live Oak on Saturday with
last-event heroics, placing ahead of Salinas, 144.5-126.
The San Benito High School boy’s track and field team won the Tri-County Athletic League title at Live Oak on Saturday with last-event heroics, placing ahead of Salinas, 144.5-126.
The Lady Balers finished second behind Salinas 121-104.5. As a presage of years to come, the boys frosh/ soph team finished first with 99 points, and the girls JV team finished second.
The top three athletes in each event will be competing Saturday in the Central Coast Section preliminaries at San Jose City College. The first three finishers in each event make the trip to to the state championships.
The boys varsity team has won the track and field team title for three years in a row, but this is the first time in seven years that the girls have not finished first.
“It was a hard fought meet,” said Salinas High track coach Roger Chagnon. “San Benito has great depth. Their boys beat us with big points in the throws, hurdles, and the pole vault just destroyed us. Our girls team finally had enough people to overcome San Benito’s depth.”
Even though the girls team was dethroned as league champion, coach Jennifer Logue said she wasn’t disappointed by the performance.
“When I saw the marks Salinas had, I thought they would have beaten us by about 50 points,” Logue said. “It is always disappointing when you lose. But it was not as if we didn’t try. I would have hated it if we just fell flat on our faces. There are no single athletes I can say should have done better than they did. There wasn’t many areas where we could make up the points.”
There are 16 events in track and field meets, and the first time the boys saw a lead all day was after event 14 – the pole vault.
“We suffered lots of upsets early in the meet,” said Baler sprinter Tamar Elbanhawy. “We know we had to finish strong. Winning the long jump turned it around for us.
That was Siljef Tabancay’s winning 21-feet, 8-inch leap.
The pole vault standards are right next to the track finish line, and coach Chagnon knew that he was in trouble when he heard the cheers as junior Matt Wynne and sophomore Todd Merrigan both cleared 13 feet, 4 inches to finish first and second.
Senior Ryan Sesody was fourth at 12 feet, 6 inches, and senior Chris Uribe was sixth.
“It was do or die, and next week we get to hunt with the big dogs,” said winner Matt Wynne. “We have a great coaching staff. Coach Julio Trinidad is awesome. We are the last to leave every night at practice.”
The pole vaulters’ 23 points put the Balers on top to stay, but the meet was far from over.
Senior Jonathan Rivera, who earlier had won the 1600-meter league championship for the third year in a row, was asked to run the 3200-meter race in order to secure points.
His second place finish in that event, along with Rigo Vasquez’s fourth place finish, put the meet out of reach. During CCS, Logue said Vasquez will race in the event because Rivera plans to concentrate on the mile-run.
In the 1600-meter victory, Rivera got out to an early league and won with a time of 4:26.59. Rivera also finished fourth at 800 meters.
In the 4 by 400-meter relay, the final event, the first three teams finished less than a foot apart, as the Balers’ Elbanhawy was sandwiched by North Salinas’ Ronnie Drummer and Palma’s Luke Lippincott.
Elbanhawy had made up 10 yards on Drummer in the final 150 yards and had passed Palma by inches at the end.
Willie Sanchez, Jesse Rice, John DiSalvo and Elbanhawy put the finishing touches on the Baler victory as they ran 3:29.34 – their second fastest time of the year.
The closest finish of the day for the boys was the boy’s 400-meter championship.
Jesse Rice was about five yards behind coming down the home stretch, but used his power and strength to run 51.09 to beat Lippincott by less than an inch, according to the photo used to determine the finish. Both runners were assigned the same time by the computer. Elbanhawy was fifth in the event.
In the 300-meter intermediate hurdles, John DiSalvo won with a time of 40.73, with Siljef Tabancay third with a strong late surge. DiSalvo was in front from start to finish. Earlier, DiSalvo placed fourth in the 110 high hurdles.
The hurdles are a cruel event, as Tabancay learned when he hit the last hurdle while in the lead in the 110-meter hurdle race.
Jesse Grace was third in the shot put, with Chris Stephens fourth. In the discus, Stephens finished second, and Grace finished fourth. Nick Kosteilney was sixth in the discus.
Junior Chuck Thompson finished fourth at 100 meters in 11.34, the best Baler time of the year. He was three inches away from third. Eddie Merlo finished sixth.
The event was won by Ronnie Drummer in 10.71. Elbanhawy and Rice finished fourth and fifth at 200 meters.
Mary Von Urff won the shot put with a throw of 31 feet, 2 inches. She also placed fifth in the discus and sixth in the pole vault.
The strongest event for the girls was the triple jump, as Danielle Andrewson won the event with a leap of more than 36 feet – a personal record of more than two feet.
Jaime Flores was third, Tracy Hopkins was fifth and Leslie Schipper was seventh.
Junior Jamie O’brian won the 300-meter low hurdles with 46.32, the third fastest CCS time this year.
“She has lots of foot speed,” Chagnon said. “She can really accelerate. She has a chance to go to state.”
O’brian finished second in the 400-meter race to Gilroy’s Raquel Butler. Butler also won the 100 meter and 200 meter dashes. Michele Sanchez was fourth at 400 meters.
Sophomore Amanda Boyd set a new personal record in finishing second at 800 meters with 2:24.17, overcoming an earlier injury. Boyd was fifth in the long jump.
Senior Teralyn Hill also had a new personal record with 12:54 to finish fifth at 3200 meters.
In the high jump, Kristen Para finished second, and Andrewson finished third in a jump off. Para was also fourth in the 100-meter dash.
The girls 4 by 400-meter and 4 by 100-meter relay teams both finished second.
Jennifer Anaya finished fourth in the 100-meter hurdles, with Tatiana Schiwek sixth.
In the boys Frosh/Soph, Jeff Spencer won the 3200-meter and 1600-meter runs and finished second at 800 meters. In the latter two races, Kyle Bambrick was right behind Spencer. Cameron McFadden won the 65-meter hurdles.
Josh Schroder won the pole vault with a 12 foot, 3 inch jump.
Girls varsity
1. Salinas, 121
2. San Benito, 104.50
3. Notre Dame Salinas, 72.50
4. Live Oak, 71
5. North Salinas, 68
6. Gilroy, 51
Girls JV
1. Salinas, 158.50
2, San Benito, 123.50
3. Live Oak, 85
4. North Salinas, 51
5. Gilroy, 38
6. Notre Dame Salinas, 36
Boys varsity
1. San Benito, 144.50
2. Salinas, 126
3. Palma, 71
4. North Salinas, 69.50
5. Gilroy, 51
6. Live Oak 32
Boys Frosh/Soph
1. San Benito, 99
2. North Salinas, 89
3. Live Oak, 86
4. Palma, 82
5. Salinas, 76
6. Gilroy, 59
Girls 100-Meter Dash
1 Raquel Butler, Gilroy, 12.59, 10
2 Melissa Gonzales, North Salinas, 13.19, 8
3 Cara Corrao, Salinas, 13.23, 6
4 Kristen Para, San Benito, 13.27, 4
Girls 200-Meter Dash
1 Raquel Butler, Gilroy, 26.05, 10
2 Lynn Larkin, Notre Dame, 27.32, 8
3 Heather Molyneaux, Live Oak, 27.47, 6
6 Michelle Sanchez, San Benito, 28.22, 1
7 Kristen Para, San Benito, 28.81
Girls 400-Meter Dash
1 Raquel Butler, Gilroy 57.68, 10
2 Jamie O’brian, San Benito, 60.23, 8
3 Josselyn Perez, Salinas, 63.56, 6
4 Michelle Sanchez, San Benito, 64.07, 4
Girls 800-Meter Run
1 Christine Jones, Live Oak, 2:20.08, 10
2 Amanda Boyd, San Benito, 2:24.17, 8
3 Alyssa Flores, Salinas, 2:26.14, 6
7 Jamilla Saqqa, San Benito, 2:38.81
10 Lee Ann Morales, San Benito, 2:52.54
Girls 1600-Meter Run
1 Christine Jones, Live Oak, 5:15.14, 10
2 Alex Bell, Salinas, 5:28.72, 8
3 Stephanie Radtke, Gilroy, 5:32.40, 6
Girls 3200-Meter Run
1 Jaclyn Fowler, Salinas, 12:07.92, 10
2 Alex Bell, Salinas, 12:14.32, 8
3 Lisa Herrera, Live Oak, 12:17.95, 6
5 Teralynn Hill, San Benito, 12:54.37, 2
9 Jamilla Saqqa, San Benito, 13:48.58
10 Tiffany Davies, San Benito, 13:57.04
13 Lee Ann Morales, San Benito, 14:42.87
Girls 100-Meter Hurdles
1 Stephanie Christie, Salinas, 16.45, 10
2 Theresa Woods, Notre Dame, 17.72, 8
3 Anna Fernando, North Salinas, 17.97, 6
4 Jennifer Anaya, San Benito, 18.16, 4
6 Tatiana Schiwek, San Benito, 18.62, 1
9 Briana Colorado, San Benito, 22.58
Girls 300-Meter Hurdles
1 Jamie O’ brian, San Benito, 46.32, 10
2 Stephanie Christie, Salinas, 49.12, 8
3 D. Hernandez, North Salinas, 51.05, 6
8 Jennifer Anaya, San Benito, 55.05
9 Briana Colorado, San Benito, 58.67
Girls 4×100-Meter Relay
1 North Salinas, 51.70, 10
2 San Benito, 52.29, 8
3 Salinas, 52.63, 6
Girls 4×400-Meter Relay
1 Salinas, 4:13.38, 10
2 San Benito, 4:16.13, 8
3 North Salinas, 4:19.62, 6
4 Notre Dame Salinas, 4:22.33, 4
5 Gilroy, 4:35.42, 2
Girls High Jump
1 Leah Parsons, Notre Dame, 5-02.00, 10
2 Kristen Para, San Benito, 4-10.00, 8
3 D. Andrewson, San Benito, J4-10.00, 6
7 Tatiana Schiwek, San Benito, 4-02.00
Girls Pole Vault
1 A. Fernando, North Salinas, 8-09.00, 10
2 Allie Estes, Notre Dame, J8-09.00, 8
3 M. Francisco, North Salinas, 8-06.00, 6
6 Mary Von Urff, San Benito, 7-06.00, 0.5
Girls Long Jump
1 K. Montgomery, Salinas, 16-04.75, 10
2 T. Hernandez, North Salinas, 16-03.00, 8
3 Leah Parsons, Notre Dame, 15-08.50, 6
5 Amanda Boyd, San Benito, 15-05.75, 2
9 D. Andrewson, San Benito, 14-09.00
Girls Triple Jump
1 D. Andrewson, San Benito, 36-00.25, 10
2 Kristen Montgomery, Salinas, 34-08.75, 8
3 Jaime Flores, San Benito, 33-11.25, 6
5 Tracy Hopkins, San Benito, 31-06.25, 2
7 Leslie Schipper, San Benito, 30-04.50
Girls Shot Put
1 Mary Von Urff, San Benito, 31-02.75, 10
2 Tanya Tenorio, Live Oak, 30-02.25, 8
3 Crystal Baez, Notre Dame, 30-00.75, 6
Girls Discus Throw
1 Azucena Atanacio, Live Oak, 105-06, 10
2 Sierra Barozza, Gilroy 105-04, 8
3 Crystal Baez, Notre Dame, 101-02, 6
5 Mary Von Urff, San Benito, 97-08, 2
7 Cristyna Osborne, San Benito, 89-07
Boys 100-Meter Dash
1 R. Drummer, North Salinas, 10.71, 10
2 Matt Bradford, Salinas, 11.08, 8
3 Lucio Gutierrez, Gilroy 11.34, 6
4 Chuck Thompson, San Benito, 11.35, 4
6 Eddie Merlo, San Benito, 11.49, 1
7 Willie Sanchez, San Benito, 11.54
Boys 200-Meter Dash
1 R. Drummer, North Salinas, 21.86, 10
2 Matt Bradford, Salinas, 22.53, 8
3 Luke Lippencott, Palma, 23.10, 6
4 Tamar Elbanhawy, San Benito, 23.18, 4
5 Jesse Rice, San Benito, 23.36, 2
7 Eddie Merlo, San Benito, 23.70
Boys 400-Meter Dash
1 Jesse Rice, San Benito, 51.09, 10
2 Luke Lippencott, Palma, 51.09, 8
3 Scott Edwards, Palma, 52.49, 6
4 Merben Woo, North Salinas, 52.55, 4
5 Tamar Elbanhawy, San Benito, 52.81, 2
6 Andrew Reyes, Palma, 53.58, 1
7 Ben Bradford, Salinas, 54.02
8 Aryan Olivas, Salinas, 55.43
9 Alfredo Ortega, Salinas, 56.36
Boys 800 Meter Run
1 Jeremy Waltz, Salinas, 2:01.35, 10
2 Scott Edwards, Palma, 2:01.76, 8
3 Jesus Atanacio, Live Oak, 2:02.19, 6
4 Jonathan Rivera, San Benito, 2:02.79, 4
5 Victor Hernandez, San Benito, 2:06.69, 2
9 Albert Sandoval, San Benito, 2:11.37
Boys 1600 Meter Run
1 Jonathan Rivera, San Benito, 4:26.59, 10
2 Omar Mendoza, Salinas, 4:28.74, 8
3 Billy Wong, Live Oak, 4:31.33, 6
7 Albert Sandoval, San Benito, 4:43.93
9 Victor Hernandez, San Benito, 4:49.53
Boys 3200-Meter Run
1 Omar Mendoza, Salinas, 10:01.92, 10
2 Jonathan Rivera, San Benito, 10:11.92, 8
3 Billy Wong, Live Oak, 10:18.75, 6
4 Ringo Vasquez, San Benito, 10:22.47, 4
7 Josh Vasquez, San Benito, 10:31.34
8 Albert Sandoval, San Benito, 10:46.10
Boys 110-Meter Hurdles
1 Brandon Powell, Live Oak, 15.29, 10
2 L.J. Lumpkin, Palma, 15.59, 8
3 Tommy Marquez, Palma, 15.69, 6
4 Jonathan DiSalvo, San Benito, 16.15, 4
7 Eddie Merlo, San Benito, 16.46
8 Siljef Tabancay, San Benito, 16.68
Boys 300 Meter Hurdles
1 Jonathan DiSalvo, San Benito, 40.73, 10
2 Selwyn Daye, North Salinas, 41.18, 8
3 Siljef Tabancay, San Benito, 41.39, 6
9 Raul Marta, San Benito, 46.68
Boys 4×100-Meter Relay
1 North Salinas, 43.41, 10
2 Salinas, 43.89, 8
3 San Benito, 44.46, 6
4 Gilroy, 44.55, 4
5 Palma, 45.04, 2
Boys 4×400-Meter Relay
1 North Salinas, 3:29.24, 10
2 San Benito, 3:29.34, 8
3 Palma, 3:29.39, 6
4 Salinas, 3:38.55, 4
5 Live Oak, 3:50.17, 2
6 Gilroy, 3:55.77
Boys High Jump
1 Frank Valadez, Gilroy, 5-10.00, 10
2 Chris Hauswirth, Salinas, J5-10.00, 7
2 Ryan Hershey, Salinas, J5-10.00, 7
5 Todd Merrigan, San Benito, 5-06.00, 1.5
8 Francisco Faria, San Benito, 5-04.00
Boys Pole Vault
1 Matt Wynne, San Benito, 13-04.00, 10
2 Todd Merrigan, San Benito, J13-04.00, 8
3 Chris Hauswirth, Salinas, 13-00.00, 6
4 Ryan Sesody, San Benito, 12-06.00, 4
6 Chris Uribe, San Benito, 11-06.00, 1
Boys Long Jump
1 Siljef Tabancay, San Benito, 21-08.50, 10
2 Ben Bradford, Salinas, 20-10.00, 8
3 Cory Barone, Salinas, 20-06.00, 6
6 Jonathan Araiza, San Benito, 19-08.75, 1
7 Willie Sanchez, San Benito, 19-06.50
Boys Triple Jump
1 Merben Woo, North Salinas, 42-02.00, 10
2 Matt Fyock, Salinas, 41-10.75, 8
3 Ben Bradford, Salinas, 41-10.00, 6
6 Siljef Tabancay, San Benito, 38-10.00, 1
8 Jonathan Araiza, San Benito, 38-03.00
Boys Shot Put
1 Robert Best, Gilroy, 48-02.00, 10
2 Joe Newman, Palma, 48-01.00, 8
3 Jesse Grace, San Benito, 46-11.50, 6
4 Chris Stephens, San Benito, 43-06.50, 4
7 Nick Kosteilney, San Benito, 38-11.50
Boys Discus Throw
1 Robert Best, Gilroy, 151-04, 10
2 Chris Stephens, San Benito, 143-08, 8
3 Derek Hentschke, Gilroy, 129-10, 6
4 Jesse Grace, San Benito, 123-06, 4
6 Nick Kosteilney, San Benito, 118-09, 1
* Top three advance to CCS
