Buchanan rules TRAC track again, but Clovis North star Foster absent

The Tri-River Athletic Conference track and field championships were balanced with news that’s becoming almost customary – a Buchanan sweep of team titles – and yet another potentially devastating development involving Clovis North star Rhesa Foster.

Signed with 2015 NCAA champion Oregon and possessing a range of skills rivaled by few in the state, Foster missed the TRAC finals at her school’s venue Thursday with what Broncos coach Rich Brazil calls a “slight hamstring strain.”

He says Foster has been examined by doctors and will see another Monday.

“We won’t know anymore until then,” he says. “We’re being very cautious.”

This comes after Foster missed her junior season because of ACL, MCL and meniscus injuries suffered on one play in volleyball in September 2014.

She has already qualified in four events for Wednesday’s North Area meet at Clovis East.

That’s one of four meets that qualifies entrants for the section Masters Championships on May 21 at Buchanan’s Veterans Memorial Stadium. And the Masters then advances entrants for the CIF State Championships at the same facility June 3-4.

Foster entered the week leading the section in the 100 (11.84), 100 high hurdles (14.17) and long jump (20-2 1/2 ) and second in the 200 (24.49), as well as state-ranked in the 100 (No. 8), 100 hurdles (No. 4) and long jump (No. 3).

Her 20-3 long jump as a sophomore ranks fourth all-time in the section, according to historian Ron Blackwood.

Foster established herself by winning the section long jump and placing third in the state as a freshman. She repeated her section title as a sophomore and figured to be a lock to match Clovis’ Jenna Prandini (2008-11) as the only four-time Masters long jump gold medalist in the history of section girls competition that began in 1972.

Buchanan swept the TRAC team titles Thursday for the fourth time in eight years and seventh since 2000.

The Bears boys (125), pushed by Clovis (111) and Central (108), were powered by Paramveer Chohan, who delivered gold in the 400 (48.73), 100 high hurdles (14.70) and 300 intermediate hurdles (39.50). His season best of 37.05 in the 300 hurdles is a section record and was ranked second in the state entering the week.

Buchanan’s boys, in winning their eighth straight TRAC championship and 13th overall, also got wins from Chris Kolar in the 1,600 (4:23.63), Hayden Hansen in the 3,200 (9:50.56) and Chuby Dunu in the triple jump (43-4 1/2 ).

The performance of the day came from Clovis North shot putter McKay Johnson, whose winning 63-7 1/2 launch is No. 10 all-time in the section and stands No. 3 nationally for the season. He also won the discus at 178-7 3/4 . He has a season best of 185-0.

Buchanan’s girls matched the boys with a 13th league title since the school launched its program in 1993.

Winning three golds each for Buchanan were Remington Mahlum in the 100 high hurdles (15.53), 300 low hurdles (45.80) and triple jump (37-8 1/2 ), and Hannah Waller in the 100 (12.29), 200 (24.36) and 1,600 relay (section-leading 3:51.97).

Oregon-bound Waller, the state’s defending 400 champion, won 14 TRAC golds in her four-year career – seven individual and seven relays.

Also winning for the Bears girls were Meagen Lowe in the 800 (2:16.32) and Cari Acosta in the discus (129-5 3/4).

Clovis North’s Lauren Moffett, headed to Vanderbilt, pulled the difficult distance double by sweeping the 1,600 (4:56.91) and 3,200 (11:12.10). She’s the section defending champion in both and Nos. 4 and 8 all-time in the events at 4:50.25 and 10:37.01, according to Blackwood.

CMAC track – Bullard sprinter Charles Williams, Madera South distance star Eduardo Herrera and Sanger hurdler Matai Lealaimatafao posted double wins in the County/Metro Athletic Conference boys finals.

Williams, first and second in the section 200 and 100 finals in 2015, won the 200 (21.76) and 400 (49.70); Herrera swept the 1,600 (4:16.73) and 3,200 (9:21.68); and Lealaimatafo owned the 100 high (15.78) and 300 intermediate (41.30) hurdles.

Herrera, who has signed with Colorado, ranks third and fourth in the state in the 1,600 (4:03.57) and 3,200 (8:55.01).

In the CMAC girls, Madera South swept the sprints (12.39 100, 25.84 200), Madera’s Jasmine Gonzalez won the distances (5:15.68 for the 1,600, 11:35.89 for the 3,200) and Bullard’s Gianna Dickson doubled in the hurdles (15.40 in the 100, 48.31 for the 300).

Section Scholar-Athlete awards – The section recognized 26 of the region’s top scholar-athletes with $500 scholarships at Wyndham Hotel in Visalia.

Boys winners: Eduardo Herrera, Madera South; Eric Niino, Madera; Grant Robertson, Independence; Michael Sassano, Liberty-Madera Ranchos; Romello Harris, Tulare; Jonathan Moreno, Riverdale; Bailey Gong, Central Valley Christian; Jared Hill, Clovis; Logan Kearnan, Redwood; Zachary Williams, Liberty-Bakersfield; Andrew Contreras, Fresno; Sammie Adams, Kern Valley.

Girls winners: Payton Armijo, Highland; Sydney Quintero, Highland; Margaret Lucio, Sierra Pacific; Tristen Myers, Mission Oak; Falon Wilson, Stockdale; Annie Refier, Immanuel; Jayme Budwig, Fowler; Sandra Pena, Independence; Esmeralda Sandoval, Madera South; Abbey Ervin, Buchanan; Giustine DeVera, Hoover; Ashton Peckinpah, Redwood; Kinlee Rix, Sierra; Rebecca Gallis, Kern Valley.

This story was originally published May 7, 2016 at 8:11 PM with the headline "Buchanan rules TRAC track again, but Clovis North star Foster absent."