Four meets in eight days, a total of six meets over 14 … the last couple of weeks have been busy for the track and field Cougars.
“We finished the dual meet part of league, had a great day at Pacific Grove, and got the frosh-soph league meet done,” said head coach Roger Beeman.
The track teams finished the dual meet part of league competition on Wednesday, May 4 at Hilmar. Both the varsity boys (93-45) and the varsity girls (85-49) were victorious. The previous week, the boys lost at Ripon 84-52, and the girls won 76-60.
“The standings going into the League Championship meet (Thursday at Riverbank) put the boys’ team in fourth place and the girls’ team tied for second,” Beeman explained. “Riverbank boys and Hughson girls are the league leaders.”
Earlier, Cougar athletes headed to an invitational competition.
“The last Saturday in April was a beautiful day in Pacific Grove where the Cougars had their last invitational meet of the season,” Beeman said. “Escalon athletes brought home a total of 43 medals. Twenty-three schools from around the Central Coast and the Bay Area competed.”
Jackie Lau was the meet champion in the 200m (28.41), and Christian Brunetti was the champion in the 65m hurdles (11.20). All five of the relays medaled: varsity boys 4x100 (4th), frosh-soph boys 4x100 (3rd), frosh-soph boys 4x400 (2nd), frosh-soph girls 4x100 (2nd), and frosh-soph girls 4x400 (1st).
Monday, May 2 was the frosh-soph TVL Championship Meet at Ripon.
“Escalon’s girls won the league title, topping second place Hilmar by 25 points,” said Beeman. “Escalon’s boys took second, a mere seven points behind first place Hilmar.”
The girls were led by double-champions Jackie Lau (100m 13.16, 200m 27.73) and Sidney Lima (100m hurdles 18.31, 300m hurdles 51.64). Madisyn Widmer (3200m), Jessikka Gonzales (high jump), and the 4x400 relay team were also league champions. Also medaling for the Cougars were Annie Wyrick (2nd in both hurdle races), Gabby Rigg (2nd 400m, 4th 800m), Gonzales (2nd triple jump, 4th 400m), Widmer (4th 1600), Kristen Gutierrez (5th triple jump), Mikayla Vega (2nd pole vault, 4th 300 hurdles), Lexi Johnson (2nd high jump, 4th discus), and Kaitlyn Matsunami (5th shot put, 6th discus).
The boys were led by double-champion Zach Pickett (400m 54.55, 800m 2:25.68). Also taking first place were Chris Brunetti (triple jump), Josh Teske (pole vault), and the 4x100 relay team. Other medalists were Rex Robbins (2nd in both the 100m and 200m), Troy Bedell (2nd in both the 1600m and 3200m), Brunetti (6th 110m hurdles, 4th 100m), Teske (5th 200m), Pickett (4th high jump), Chase Granis (2nd long jump, 3rd triple jump), Jaden Lopez (6th in both the 800m and 1600m), Isaias Martinez (5th 400m), Tanner Ellis (2nd 800m, 6th 400m), Frank Leal (6th triple jump) and Thaddeus Stern (6th 200m).
The top three athletes in each event at the TVL league championships on Thursday will advance to the Divisional Meet (for divisions 3 4, 5, and 6) next Tuesday and Thursday at Stanislaus State. From there, the top five finishers advance to the Sac-Joaquin Masters Meet. Finally, the top three at Masters advance to State.
