Freshman Yajaira Salinas is a section champion, taking first place in the finals of the 800 meter run at the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section track and field D IV-V competition on May 22.

Salinas turned in a time of 2:19.85 to earn the section crown and move on to the Master’s Meet at Elk Grove High School this week. She ran to a third place finish in the Tuesday, May 20 preliminaries of the event, in 2:27.15 to qualify for the finals, then took nearly eight seconds off her time for the Thursday finals.

Several Cougars attended the competition, with some closing out their season in the meet at Stanislaus State in Turlock.

Caleb Hansen, a sophomore, was 15th in the boys 110 meter hurdles preliminary round in 16.98. Sophomore Sam Lattig finished in 10th place in the preliminaries of the 400 meter dash, running it in 53.92.

In the finals of the girls high jump, junior Leone Rivers finished tied for 15th with a jump of 4-04 and she also was 10th overall in the pole vault, clearing 7-09 as she competed in two events.

Senior David Esparza finished just out of the Master’s qualifying, taking seventh place in the boys pole vault, clearing 11-08.

In the discus, Matt Gallego continues on to the Master’s Meet with a fourth place finish, the junior recording a throw of 139-06. Senior Blaine Nebe closed out his career with a ninth place finish, recording a throw of 125-00 in the finals.