Central boys 400-meter relay dominates at CIF State track and field meet
On the first day of the CIF State track and field championships, the Central High boys 400-meter relay team was not trying to exert all of its energy.
And yet, the Grizzlies relay team of Jeremiah Walker, Cameron Tarver, Elijah Lindsey and Imari Conley still managed to put on quite the dominant performance.
Central posted the fastest mark throughout the three heats of the preliminary round Friday at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Clovis, clocking 40.92 seconds to advance to Saturday’s championship.
The top nine teams moved onto the finals, which includes Buchanan, which crossed at 41.59.
“Today was just, ‘Let’s get our nervousness out of the way,’” Lindsey said. “Be prepared for tomorrow.”
Added Walker: “I’m glad we didn’t run super-fast today because I didn’t want us to be burned out for tomorrow.”
The Central boys entered the state meet as the favorite after clocking 40.63 at the Central Section Masters.
Central girls relay
The Central girls 400 relay also advanced to Saturday’s final.
The Grizzlies team of Iyanna Fuller, Keytonna Ross, Tionna Clements and Taleeah Hoggatt logged the eighth-best mark Friday at 48.15 seconds.
They are the only Central Section team to advance after Clovis North just missed finishing among the top nine and instead placed 10th at 48.28.
Local football star shines in track
Clovis High football star Nathan Johnson, who’s committed to Utah as a quarterback, advanced to the championships in the long jump and 100-meter sprint.
Johnson cleared 23 feet, 9 3/4 inches, accomplished on his first jump.
Then Johnson went on to win his prelim heat in the 100-meter run at 10.43 seconds, which was third best mark for the day.
Johnson entered the meet second on the leaders list in the 100 and No. 2 in the Central Section all-time with a time of 10.36 seconds.
“I’m happy with how today went,” Johnson said. “In my mind, I just wanted to qualify for (Saturday). You do what you got to do to just qualify for the championship. It’s my last track meet. Got to go 150% now tomorrow.”
And to think, Johnson almost skipped his senior season of track and field to begin focusing on football.
But after a couple of conversations with Clovis track and field coach E.J. Jackson, who formerly was a strength and conditioning assistant with the Fresno State football team, Johnson decided to compete in track and field one more year.
It also helped that Johnson didn’t get the Utah football coaching staff’s blessing to compete in track and field, the Utes coaching staff encouraged him to do track.
“Honestly, running track and them being excited, it pumped me up,” Johnson said. “It’s my senior year, my last season of track ever, just trying to make the best of it.
“And it’s been a great decision to come back out. We’ll see what happens now tomorrow.”
Other Fresno-area athletes to advance to Saturday’s championship are:
- Sierra Cornett of Buchahan in the girls 1,600-meter run after taking eighth at 4:52.49
- Nailea Fields of Caruthers and Feyi Olukanni of Clovis East in the girls discus, placing fourth and fifth, respectively with marks of 144 feet and 143-1
- Sydnie Vanek of Clovis in the long jump with the third-best mark so far at 19-11 3/4.
- Christopher Caudillo Clovis in the boys 1,600, taking eighth at 4:14.72.
- And Caleb Johnson of Clovis in the boys high jump, tied with other jumpers after they all cleared 6-4.
State track welcomed back with nice weather
State track and field athletes and fans were treated to breezy conditions with a high of 86 degrees Friday.
This was the 12th year the state meet held at Veterans Memorial Stadium on the Buchanan High campus.
The state championship had not been conducted the past two years because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“So great to be back,” said Brian Weaver, the Buchanan track and field coach who also served as the meet director. “It’s just a culmination of two years in the hope of getting back of what we know as normal.
“The excitement of everyone, from the coaches and athlete and fans, and the officials wanting to me here, it’s just truly something special to come together again for this meet.”
The lack of a state meet the past two years did mean that the Clovis North boys and Buchanan girls entered the meet as the defending state champs, having last won the team title in 2019.
Lack of state meet experience
Because there had not been a state meet the past two years, there weren’t many athletes who came into Friday’s action with state meet experience.
And that opened up the possibility for even more upsets since few athletes could bank of their past experiences at state to help calm their nerves of competing in front of a large, enthusiastic crowd.
“In track and field, when there’s been a hiatus, it’s held back (athletes) with the technical things,” Weaver said of this year’s marks and times compared to past seasons. “But ultimately, the cream really rises to the top.”
Not all about winning
The odds were stacked against Clovis East’s young track and field team of advancing to Saturday’s championship.
Simply reaching state was viewed as a great goal with most of the Timberwolves being underclassmen.
Clovis East had five athletes reach the state meet.
Only one advanced out of the prelims.
Still, Timberwolves coach Jim Farmer believes this weekend’s experience should go a long way in helping his team develop further.
“For us, being young, getting here was a big step for us,” Farmer said. “Our goal been to just set a personal record, compete hard.
“Being young, it’s not necessarily a bad thing because they don’t know what’s next to them and how good or fast their competition is. But being young and getting our butt kicked, as long as we learn from it, this will be good.”
This story was originally published May 27, 2022 at 6:14 PM.