A quick trip ‘up the hill’ proved fruitful for the young running, jumping and throwing Cougars.

The Escalon boys’ and girls’ frosh-soph track teams competed in the Calaveras Invitational on Saturday and came home with 26 medals.

“This was Escalon’s best performance in recent years, despite tough competition from schools such as Bear River, Manteca, Bear Creek, Calaveras, and Bret Harte,” noted coach Roger Beeman.

The Cougars were paced by meet champions and double medal winners Yajaira Salinas and Nora Nash. Salinas won the 800m in 2:36.92 and was third in the 1600m. Nash won the 1600m in 5:53.16 and was fifth in the 800m. Second place medal winners were Sammy Lattig (54.84 - 800m), David Escove-Eaton (101’9” - Discus), CJ Gumbs (5’2” High Jump), and Cydney Keener 24’1” - Triple Jump). Keener also took fourth in the long jump.

Other solid Cougar performers earning medals were Farley Moore (3rd 400m), Ashley Carreira (5th 400m), Monique Williams (5th 100m Hurdles), Caleb Hansen (3rd 110m High Hurdles), and double medal winners Ryan Schuurman (3rd Pole Vault, 5th HJ), Caitlin Pehl (4th Discus, 5th Shot Put).

Additional medals were won by the 4x100m relay teams. The boys’ team of Lattig, Hansen, Victor Meza, and Blake Stone took fifth. Two girls’ teams placed. Gabby Avalos, Ashley Carreira, Alicia Williams, and Monique Williams took second; and Grace Eckhardt, Gillian Goodman, Farley Moore, and Kaitlin Jaime took third.

The Cougar squads are next in action Saturday, March 29 at the Brenda Invitational at Stanislaus State in Turlock.