While the official ribbon cutting to dedicate the renovated Engel Field/Memorial Stadium complex on the campus of Escalon High School was last October, this past week saw another milestone.
Escalon’s track and field team was able to host a home meet – the first in more than a decade – as a result of the extensive improvements to the facility. The varsity girls defeated Hughson in the April 17 home meet while the boys fell to the Huskies.
Another home meet is scheduled for April 24, and the Cougars are looking forward to doing battle on their own turf.
For senior Chloe Farley, it has been a good experience, finally competing at a true home meet.
“Exciting, it’s nice to finally be able to host and have people here, not have to travel,” Farley said. “Last year was kind of makeshift, trying to figure out how to practice and where to practice but it’s exciting to have the new rings, the new track and all that.”
The senior added that it is “absolutely” a source of pride for the track and field athletes to have a state-of-the-art facility.
“I think it’s very exciting for people and I think it brought a lot more out,” she said of more EHS students getting involved in the sport.
Farley won both the shot put and discus for Escalon in the meet against Hughson. Also taking first place honors in the various varsity events were Megan Silva in the 100 and 200; Rebecca Wampler in the 400; Kylie Fast in the 800 and 1600. The 4-by-100 relay team of Alondra Gonzalez, Brynn Caton, Alyssa Ball and Megan Silva took first; as did the 4-by-400 team of Rebecca Wampler, Lauren Rodriguez, Emma Churchill and Madisyn Vandykhuizen. Rachelle Barker won the high jump, Alondra Gonzalez won both the long jump and triple jump.
First place finishers for the varsity boys for Escalon included Calan Crumbley in the 400; Andrew Morales in the 800 and 1600; Jose Calderon in the 3200. Also, Ben Lora in the shot put; Jose Romero in the discus; John Konradi in the high jump.
Several members of the team took a trip to a meet in Oregon over the weekend and came back with some new personal bests; look for results of that competition and the April 24 home meet in the May 1 issue of The Times.
