High School track and field: Hollister holds off Palma for boys and girls team titles

HOLLISTER – The projected point total prior to the meet was 105. Perhaps if Palma could scrap a point here on the track, or gather an extra place in the field events, it could contend for boys team honors.

When the Gabilan Division track and field finals were completed, three quarters of the team had recorded personal records in their specialties, as the Chieftains amassed 133 points.

Yet, while Palma was within striking range of perennial power and host Hollister Friday, head coach Jason Smith knew he needed to have a lead going into the final two events to have a shot.

“We went in knowing we needed to likely make up 40 points,” said Smith, who has guided the program to six Gabilan Division boys team titles. “We made up 15. We did what we could with everything we had.”

The Balers outscored Palma 20-2 over the two final events to secure another team title, posting a 161-133 win. Hollister also won the girls’ team title with a 134-100 decision over the Chieftains.

“We knew we had to win the meet before the final two events,” Smith said. “Hollister is just deeper than us. Other than losing, it was one of the most fun meets I’ve been a part of. The kids competed super hard.”

It clearly wasn’t for a lack of effort, particularly from Ozzy Godoy, who added the 400 meters to a day that includes both hurdle races and the pole vault.

Godoy, who reached the state meet in the 300 intermediate hurdles last year and has a best of 38.46, defended his Gabilan Division hurdles title roughly an hour after finishing second in the 400 (52.21).

“I’m sure he’ll be glad to drop the 400 next week,” said Smith, in reference to next Friday’s Pacific Coast Athletic League Masters Meet at Monte Vista Christian.

Godoy also claimed titles in the 110 high hurdles (14.86), leading a 1-2 sweep along with runner-up Sabastian Ponce, and the pole vault (13-feet-6), supplying Palma with 38 points.

The Chieftains were able to pile up eight or more points in seven events, with Liam Henderson winning the 100 meters and finishing second in 200. Michael Ochoa captured the shot put, with Angel Gonzalez claiming the long jump.

Yet, for every win Palma picked up, the Balers turned to their depth, outscoring them in four of those events, producing points in 15 of the 16 events contested.

“There were events where we felt if we could have flipped the script, it might have been tighter,” Smith said. “The biggest gap was the distance events. We have to get more depth. But I can’t think of one kid that didn’t give us their best effort.”

That includes the girls’ side, where the Chieftains finished a surprising second in just their second year of having girls track, giving the Balers a scare.

“We knew we couldn’t beat Hollister,” Smith said. “But we were shocked at how close we were. We had a lot of league champions. We’re only losing one senior. As our enrollment grows with girls, so will this program.”

Elsie Sargenti brought home three league championships for Palma, leading a 1-2 sweep in the 100 hurdles (15.02), clocking 45.45 in the 300 low hurdles, and running a leg on the winning 400 relay team (49.09).

Sargenti is the only senior on the school record-setting 400 relay team, that included sophomores Emily Veliz and Adalyn Jefferson, and freshman Joshelland Berring.

Jefferson produced 17 points for Palma, finishing second in the long jump behind Salinas’ Annabella Rodriguez, and third in the 100 and 200. Berring took second in the 100 hurdles and fourth in the 100 meters.

The Chieftains also got league titles from Carolina Lorca in the shot put and Isabella Sando in the pole vault.

Salinas, who knocked off Hollister in a dual meet earlier this year, finished fourth overall, with Jazzy Coronado sweeping the 200 (25.06) and 400 (57.39). Prienna Chavez won the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 for the Balers.

Santa Lucia Division

What a difference having a facility makes. Two years without a track made practices challenging at Gonzales, along with dwindling numbers.

A state-of-the-art bright orange all-weather track glistened off the sunset Friday, as the host Spartans will be hanging the program’s first-ever track and field championship banner, winning the Santa Lucia boys team title.

“This is what happens when you invest in your athletes,” Gonzales track coach and athletic director Margie Daniels said. “We had 76 kids come out this year. We were able to maintain consistent numbers. Our practices were so much more efficient.”

The Spartans, who have had track for more than a century, outdistanced Marina in the boys division, while Greenfield captured the girls team title.

Producing points in every event, Gonzales also had four league champions, with Josiah Guerrero winning the long jump and running a leg on the 1,600 relay team. Silvestre Arellanes won the jump, and Josh Mariscal the triple jump.

“In the past, those who came out either wanted to throw or run the 100,” Daniels said. “We filled every event. We educated them on why this is a team sport. We reminded them of their purpose. We didn’t just get placements, but good marks.”

This is Daniels’ second league title this year as a coach, having won a boys’ cross country title in the fall. Liz Bagale defended her shot put title and captured the discus for Gonzales.

Cypress Division

Matthew Ruiz had a day to remember, capturing the 100 (11.30) and 200 (23.03), while running legs on two winning relay teams as North Salinas won the Cypress Division league title with a 171-93 win over runner-up Seaside.

Teammate Javier Luna was a double event winner for the Vikings, capturing the 800 and 1,600, while Anarae Ashurst was a league champion in the shot put and discus.

Behind 100 and 200 meter champion Kyrsten Kuramura, host Rancho San Juan piled up 146 points in outdistancing St. Francis of Watsonville.

Kuramura also ran legs on two winning relay teams for the Trailblazers, while teammate Lizette Vera outran the pack for wins in the 1,600 and 3,200.

Naomi Raymundo, who helped Trinity’s boys golf team to a Cypress Division title last Tuesday, was a double event winner, claiming the pole vault and the shot put.

Peyton Orradre was a triple event winner for runner-up St. Francis, taking home titles in the 300 low hurdles, long jump and triple jump.

Mission Division

Silas Schultz and Sergen Serttunc led a 1-2 finish in the triple jump as Pacific Grove produced 109 points in bringing home the boys Mission Division team title at Watsonville High.

While the Breakers won just two individual titles — Trenton Maciel in high jump, they produced points in 13 of the 16 events, scoring eight more points in nine events.

Jasper Bolante was a double event winner for Carmel, outdistancing the field in the 1,600 (4:23.23) and 3,200 (9:37.65). Monterey’s Kitiona Tautolo — a Central Coast Section finalist last spring, won the shot put with a mark of 49-2, while teammate Quinn Johnson sailed 22-feet in the long jump.

Izzy Bertolucci was a triple event winner for Pacific Grove in the girls division, sweeping the 100 and 200 meters, and claiming the long jump.

Anna Conca won the 800, 1,600 and 3,200, and ran a leg on the winning 1,600 relay team, leading Monte Vista to a girls team title. Calista Neves was a league champion in the triple jump and high jump for Monterey.

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