This is the time of the year that San Benito pole vaulter Josh
Schroder looks forward to.
This is the time of the year that San Benito pole vaulter Josh Schroder looks forward to.
Sure, he enjoyed setting a new school record in the duel meet against Palma and yes, he was happy with the Tri-County Athletic League title even though he was a bit short of breaking the meet record.
But all of his training and all of his work has merely led up to today when Schroder will look to secure his second straight trip to the CIF State Championships. He’ll be joined by the other top vaulters in the section at the Central Coast Section finals at Gilroy High. The field events begin at 4pm and the running events start at 6pm.
Last season he and Todd Merrigan became the first ‘Baler teammates to qualify for state in the same event. This year, he broke Merrigan’s school record when he cleared 15-9 1/4 against Palma, breaking the mark of 15-6 set by Merrigan. But in the TCAL championships, Schroder came up short in his bid to capture Merrigan’s meet record when his top clearance was 15-0.
In last week’s Central Cast Section semifinals, Schroder – who will attend Cal State Northridge on a track scholarship – settled for a fifth-place finish with a mark of 13-6, something he’s definitely capable of improving upon to earn a top-three finish to qualify for state. The boys pole vault competition is expected to begin at 6:20pm.
Also looking to make a state meet appearance in senior thrower Morgan O’Laughlin. She’ll enter today as the fifth seed with her mark of 113-8 behind Milpitas’ Kathryn Daniels (127-4), Soquel’s Jenica Hadley (125-2), Santa Clara’s Linda Oseso (121-7) and Notre Dame-Belmont’s Alyssa Osai (114-2).
Rigo Vasquez, who is a three-time state meet qualifier in cross country, will look to add a trip to the state meet in track to his resume. He enters the competition as the ninth seed.
Sophomore Ryan Shorey is the seventh seed in the 400 meters at 50.71 and junior Lila Yoldi holds the seventh seed in the shot put at 35-1 3/4.
The rest of the day figures to provide plenty of excitement with some of the top athletes in the area and state competing.
The day’s first event – the girls pole vault – features state and national leader Tori Anthony (14-2 1/2) of Castilleja. She’ll be challenged by St. Francis’ Natasha Barthel.
Mt. Pleasant’s Vashti Thomas comes in as the top seed in the long jump (20-2) and triple jump (40-11 3/4), as well as the 100 hurdles (13.62). Her teammate, Jeneba Tarmoh, is the defending state champion in the 100 and 200 meters and is the top seed in both events.
Mt. Pleasant also brings the top seed in the 4×100 relay (46.68) and the 4×400 relay (3:58.02) and the Cardinals should figure to make noise in the team title race.
The girls 300 hurdles expects to be competitive, led by Carmel’s Thea Lee (44.62). Stephanie LeFever of Aptos (45.52) and Nicole Sliva of Archbishop Mitty (45.62) should battle along with Lee, who is also the second seed in the 400 (56.73).
The girls 200 looks to be a photo finish race with entries Mt. Pleasant’s Tarmoh, Scotts Valley’s Haley Huxtable (24.58), Pinewood’s Angela Gradiska (24.61), Valley Christian’s Dahlys Marshall (24.67) and Milpitas’ Eileen Nguyen (24.69) all battling for state meet entry.
On the boys side, the discus leads off with a battle between Drew Gordon of Archbishop Mitty (173-09) and two throwers from Los Gatos, Colin Quirke (172-07) and Randall Horn (166-05). Cesar Puga of Alisal is seeded in fifth at 153-09.
Quirke is the top seed in the boys shot put at 60-08.25 with St. Francis’ Andy Vargas (58-10) and Bellarmine’s Stephen Powell (56-07.5) seeded second and third.
The boys long jump has the top four qualifiers over 23 feet, with Reggie Topps of North Monterey County seeded first at 23-09.75.
On the track, the 4×100 relay should get the boys running events off to a great start. Bellarmine (42.91), Seaside (42.96), Serra (43.04), Pioneer (43.07), Oak Grove (43.19), Palo Alto (43.27) Archbishop Mitty (43.40) and Palma (43.48) are all less than a second apart.
The 1,600 will follow and features one of the stronger fields in recent years, led by Carlmont’s Brad Surh (4:16.45), Aptos’ Rylan Hunt (4:16.94) and Watsonville’s Miguel Zepeda (4:18.75). Sobrato’s Lance Wolfsmith is seeded 10th in that field.
Los Altos’ Eric Hersey is the top seeded hurdler with times of 14.29 in the 110 hurdles and 38.50 in the 300 hurdles and has high hopes of a double state meet qualification.
The boys 800 should be one the night’s best races, led by Oak Grove’s Sebastian Sam (1:55.51), Mt. View’s Robbie Reed (1:55.71), Carlmont’s Nick Palladino (1:55.74), Monta Vista’s Simon Bill (1:56.52), Los Gatos’ Jon Berthet (1:56.41) and Serra’s Chuck Stimson (1:56.87).
The 4×400 relay also expects to be one of the best events. Archbishop Mitty (3:22.61), Bellarmine (3:23.57), Palma (3:24.95), Pioneer (3:26.01), Palo Alto (3:26.12) and North Salinas (3:26.15) will all contend in a race that ends the boys competition and is typically one of the more exciting races of any meet.
