On Saturday the Chico State track teams ventured to the beautiful San Francisco State oval for the Johnny Mathis Invitational. Success was had by all groups, with school records falling and a good number of personal bests achieved. The two Chico squads easily trounced the competition in the team scored meet as well.

On the distance front San Francisco has always been a productive venue for us. Temperatures rarely rise above 75 degrees (the track sits within a mile of the ocean), and the sunken stadium is surrounded by giant eucalyptus trees that somehow mute the prevailing winds. Partly due to these conditions many of our school's all time best distance marks have been recorded at this gorgeous facility. Several more of these all time marks were recorded on Saturday in the women's 1500m final so we'll start there this week.

Women's 1500m: Senior Ayla Granados and Sophomore Olivia Watt have enjoyed quite a season thus far. A year ago Granados was just coming off injury at this point in the season, and just had enough time to nab an NCAA qualifying 4:29 1500m in our last chance meet in May. This year Ayla has enjoyed all of the basework that January, February and March could bring, and early results have reflected this. Her 9:52 3k PR put her among the best ever Wildcats a few weeks ago. Her 2:13 in the 800 last week, shows that her speed is coming around nicely as well. Watt has PR'd at all distances already this spring, including some very impressive doubles, and of course there was that 2:12.5 800m PR a week ago. With an awesome field lined up around them Ayla and Olivia were visibly excited for the opportunity to take a crack at an early season sub 4:30 run.

From the gun the talented field hovered around a 72 second clip per lap. 72.0's equals 4:30 pace, so the pace couldn't have been any better for the pair. Each hit 400 in 72 and 800m in 2:25 while buried in the lead pack. USF's German Under-23 Champ Elena Burkard (2:11/4:27/9:35/16:50 PR's from pre NCAA days) escaped the lead pack during the third lap and gapped the field by several seconds. The Wildcat pair were relatively stuck in the thick lead pack and stayed patient through a momentum building 71 third lap split (3:36-1200m). With 300m left Granados left the pack and took the fore of the chase pack with Watt battling Megan Rolland (10:teens steepler) down the backstretch, running just off Granados' heels. Both Granados and Watt closed quite well as each recorded 51-point final 300m splits. The burst of speed brought both closer to the tiring Burkard, but Granados would finish second just 1 second behind the German star. Watt lost a sprint to the line to Rolland, but that small loss was completely wiped out by the fact that she'd dropped her PR from 4:39 to 4:28 in one race! Watt went from being outside the NCAA provisional zone to having a mark that has always ended at the big dance. Granados' 4:28.6 solidifies her spot as the #2 1500m runner in school history just under 1 second off Kara Lubieniecki's PR mark. Watt became the school's #3 all time performer with her 4:28.90 gem. Frosh McCall Habermehl also enjoyed a PR with her 5:00 run in the second heat.

Men's 1500m: The men's 1500m had a lot of potential on paper with a solid group of PR's lined up and a rabbit prepared to take them through 800m in 2:04. Chico's Isaac Chavez bolted into position behind the pacer Tom Kloos while teammate Dayne Gradone (3:53 PR) tucked into the large front pack. Unfortunately as Kloos sailed through 400m right on pace, Chavez failed to follow the leader and soon a gap formed between Kloos and the pack. It took some time for guys to make their way around Chavez, but the delayed response left the pack with a 65 second second circuit. Now Things continued to dawdle as the group ran a 47.8 second 300m split to the bell and predictably the real racing now began. With plenty of fire-power in the field the top 6-7 closed the final circuit between 58-60 seconds. Gradone's 60.5 closer left him 5th overall, and Chavez' 59ish took him from being out of contention to the 6th spot at the finish. Although no Pr's were recorded the two Chico competitors were able to practice their tactical racing, while recording 3:55 and 3:56 early season marks.

Men's Steeplechase: Chico would send Barron Maizland (9:17 PR) and Omar Pulido (9:33 PR) to the line against USF's Thomas Bradley. Bradley put up a solid fight, but the Chico pair would cruise to an eventual 1-2 finish. Maizland would get out aggressive (4:52-1600 splits) as did Pulido (4:55) but each would hold on well with Maizland taking the eventual win in an NCAA provisional 9:20 Pr. Pulido would hit the tape in 9:26, less than 2 seconds off the NCAA standard. SF's Bradley would finish in 9:40 respectively.

Men's 800m: CSU Fullerton transfer AJ Pulice has only been back running regularly for 2 weeks after a near 2 week layoff due to an injury. He didn't look rusty at all on Saturday as the Senior seized the lead at the bell and pressed a very solid third 200m. Although he gave up some spots down the final stretch, Pulice still sliced an impressive 2 seconds off his 1:58 from last week's race. If his health can be preserved AJ should be a factor in the 2 lapper as we get closer to the championship season ahead.

Women's 800m: The women's 800m would be an interesting race. Chico would send a fresh Bailey Henshaw (2:11 PR) and a doubled Olivia Watt to the line against USF's fresh 2:10/4:16 (8/15) runner Sophie Curl. Determined to take a crack at a solid time Henshaw took the front by 200m and led the pack through a relatively honest 66 first lap split. Henshaw kept the front through 600m before Curl made her way by the tiring Henshaw. Watt hung with the pair ahead, and Academy of the Arts alum Jenny Bergen was also within striking distance. Down the final stretch Olivia Watt showed no signs of the earlier 10 second PR in the 1500 as she powered by USF's Curl for the eventual 2:14.42 win. Bergen would sneak in for 2nd at 2:14.9, and Henshaw would finish third with a 2:14.96.

Women's 5,000m: With most of the top seeds on paper going into the 5k wearing the Chico uniform, Ayla Granados was solicited to do some pacing at the front at an 85 second clip. For nearly 3k a line of Sara Mikesell, Jessica Varela, Quetta Peinado, and Bekah Bahra followed their pacer/teammate at the desired pace. Santa Clara's Kelly Ryan was also happy to have a group to work with around her desired pace. As the pack was about mid way through the third kilometer of the race, gaps began to form between the group. Bahra was the first to crack and fall off the pace, and the 85 second laps seemed just a bit too quick for Mikesell as well as the senior allowed a 4-5 second cushion to develop between herself and Granados by 3200m.

The final mile saw a shake-up among the leaders with Humboldt's Devin Kelsey bridging up and through some of the tiring Chico women. Senior All American Sara Mikesell would rally over the final 1600m (covered around 5:35) to take the convincing victory (17:41). Humboldt's Kelsey would finish second (17:48) with Jessica Varela (17:49) and teammate Quetta Peinado (17:57) giving the 'Cats 3 of the top 4.

Men's 5,000m: The men's 5k was a bit of a mixed bag for the Chico men. Several top returners DNF'd for various reasons, while some of the younger red shirts enjoyed huge PR runs.

Leading the way on the "surprising young runners" list was red shirting true frosh Kyle Medina. Medina who was best known as an 800m runner a year ago while a senior at Ventura HS (1:53 prep best) would step up to the 12.5 lapper for the first time on Saturday. From the gun Medina jumped in behind pace-setter Tom Kloos, who had plans of 69 second laps (set up for his athlete Rajpaul Pannu). Kyle would be pulled through 3200m on the heels of Kloos in a new 8 lap pr of 9:19 before Kloos stepped off the oval.

With the lead and 2 k of running ahead Medina kept the pace in the 71 second range before Pannu took the front and left the young Wildcat in his wake. Moving up from behind was another young Wildcat redshirt Nick Grubiss (14:57 PR). Grubiss followed teammate/pacer Dayne Gradone through much of the early race before bridging up to Medina. Familiar working with one another, the two did a great job of hammering through the final kilometer together. Predictably the final lap was a swift one and Grubiss would find the tape second overall (behind Pannu) with a new 14:32 PR. Medina used his 800m wheels to finish off a superb 14:33 debut for third place. Fellow red shirt Falco DiGiallonardo would take 4th place in 14:44 with Phil Graber taking fifth with a 14:45 pr. Medina's mark was an all time True Frosh record for the Wildcats.

Overall we had a pretty solid day in San Francisco and now the Distance 'Cats will enjoy a much needed week off of racing before returning to the SF Distance Carnival and Stanford Invitationals.

Coach Hanf take on the meet:
To quote Rory Miller from our sports information our team was boffo in the Bay Area last weekend. CCAA member San Francisco hosted the 32nd annual Johnny Mathis Invitational last Friday and Sat. Both our men and women brought home team titles- the ladies scored 313 and the men 348. SF State was the closest team to our gals with a score of 162 while Humboldt was the 2nd place men's team at 103. Other teams in the competition were the University of San Francisco, Academy of Art, San Jose State, Santa Clara and St. Mary's.

History was made in the pole vault when Kasey Barnett cleared 13'1" (3.99m) to eclipse the 12-year old school record held by NCAA champion Christa Tebbs. Barnett cleared it on her first attempt and then took 3 tries at the automatic qualifying mark of 13'3 1/2" (4.05). She also set a personal record in the 100, placing 2nd in a time of 12.06 (.06 from a prov. mark) and improved her "B" mark in the long jump with a winning distance of 19'3". Heptathletes Kylie Herman (17'6 3/4") and Sarah Hockensmith (17'6) were 3rd and 4th. Today Barnett was named the CCAA athlete of the week for the 4th week in a row! There was no denying her as this was her best performance ever as track athlete!

Also making history were Ayla Granados and Olivia Watt. Both ladies posted provisional qualifying marks in the 1500 as they ran the 2nd and 3rd fastest times in school history. Granados placed second in a time of 4:28.67 while Watt was 3rd in 4:28.90. Watt doubled back to win the 800 in 2:14.42 while teammate Bailey Henshaw placed 2nd in 2:14.96. In the hurdles Tori Mason was a double winner, she ran her season best times in both distances: 100H (14.87) and 400H (64.63).

Baron Maizland followed up his 1500 NCAA "B" mark performance at the Wildcat with another "B" mark, winning the 3K Steeplechase in 9:20.52. Omar Pulido was 2nd in a time of 9:36.83 (a 6 second PR) JP Smith broke the 22 second mark in the 200 for the first time in his career with a winning effort of 21.98. Nick Sloggy was victorious in the 400 in a time of 49.49. In the Discus, Derek Nichols threw the best mark in the CCAA, improving his PR to 157'7" in winning effort. Dallas Wilson also PRd (145'6") and threw the shot in a PR of 47'4".

Teddy Elsenbaumer ran his first 400m hurdle race of the year and won in a time of 54.56. One of the most impressive performances by any Chico athlete were from two of our redshirts: Nick Grubiss and Kyle Medina. Both hit BIG PRs, Grubiss placed 2nd in 14:32 and Medina was 3rd in 14:33. According to reliable sources Nick's time was the best 5K ever by a true freshmen!

We are back home again this weekend for the D2 Challenge. Stanford is the following week as is the San Francisco Distance Carnival and our mid-year Hep/Dec. 3 decathletes will head to Santa Barbara for the Sam Adams decathlon while the rest of the crew and the heps will head to the Mondo track at Delta College. Hope to see more alumni at the upcoming meets. Always a treat running in to you at our meets! On April 11 and 12 we host our final home meet, the Chico Distance Carnival and Twilight Invitational. Coach O