After 2 weeks of early morning wake up calls and long bus rides, the Chico State track team benefited from some home cookin' and beautiful spring weather last Saturday at the Wildcat Invitational. School records, personal records and all-time top 10 marks were being recorded all day long. The meet included a trials and finals format for the high hurdles and the 100 dashes. Our timing official, Scott Fairley, set up a 2nd camera so that the dashes and hurdles could have the north wind blowing from behind. Although the forecasted winds did not add much of an aid it did bring the fans to the west side to help support the pole vault and long jumps. There was a great energy in the bleachers where alumni spottings were prevalent. Plenty of Chico heritage in the visiting team's coaching staffs also, including the Godfather of Chico State Track Kirk Freitas (Butte College), Howdy Atkinson (Yuba College) and Jordan Alford-Helems (East Bay...formerly Hayward State).

On Saturday the 'Cats hosted their first home track meet of the season, The Wildcat Invitational. It was a low key affair with a handful of local schools in attendance (Humboldt, OIT, CS East Bay, and a few of the local JC's). Knowing the competition or weather conditions wouldn't be present to achieve good marks in the longer distance events, it was a scheduled mid distance day for the good portion of the Wildcat distance roster. 5k/10k/steeplers would step down to 15/8 doubles, and our mid distance team would enjoy deeper competition in their fields. The injection of talent into the 15/8 events, coupled with warm temps that approached 80 degrees, with little to no wind, allowed for some surprisingly fast early season marks.

Women's 1500m: Knowing that the competition would be lacking for fast marks, a plan was hatched to have several of our top athletes rabbit races for one another. Senior Ayla Granados drew the pacing duties for the 1500m, where she would try to help teammate Bailey Henshaw take a crack at the 4:40 barrier. Henshaw would later return the favor for Granados and teammate Olivia Watt in the 800m event.

Granados did a superb job of getting the women's 1500m out near the desired 74 second pace per lap. Unfortunately though, Cal East Bay's Imani Heath surged down the backstretch after the 73 second 400m split (this made no sense as Heath has never broken 4:50) seizing the lead. Predictably Heath began to slow, which disrupted the pacing of Granados in the second lap (77.8 split). After making their way around the tiring Heath Ayla got the pace back on a 75 second pace rhythm and Henshaw and Humboldt's Devon Kelsey followed suite. Granados led the duo to the bell before stepping off the track. It was now a two woman race at the front, and a familiar one at that. Henshaw and Kelsey tangled many times in their JC days, as the pair was two of the state's top mid distance runners while competing for College of Sequoias and Cuesta CC. Today the Wildcat would take home the title as Henshaw powered home with a 74 final lap while claiming a 4:43 PR. Distance group teammates Tiffany Heflin and Jackie Mansoor would finish 3rd and 4th with Pr's as well.

In the second heat Wildcat red shirting true frosh Madison Grenier and Hannah Dorman enjoyed a 1-2 finish with 4:57/4:59 final times.

Men's 1500m (2 heats) The men's 1500 was paced by Alex McGuirk (3:54/8:56 credentials for 15/Steeple). McGuirk broke a clavicle in the winter in a non running related accident, and has been working into competitive shape after the 6 week layoff. On Saturday the Junior did a wonderful job of pacing at the front of the men's fast heat of the 1500m. McGuirk hit 400m in 62.2 with a large group of 'Cats on his heels, and ran the next circuit in 64 seconds (2:07 split). Sensing that the pack behind him was ready for a strong second half, McGuirk shifted gears and ran the 300m to the bell lap in 45 seconds.

The clock read 2:52 as Alex stepped off the track, leaving and a good number of Chico runners in a great position to go well under the 4:00 mark. Senior Phil Graber seized the lead and kept the 60 second pace rhythm alive as he surged down the backstretch. Red shirting soph Nick Grubiss followed closely, as did steeple specialist Barron Maizland. Before hitting the 200m to go mark Grubiss grabbed the front and threw all cards on the table. Maizland swung around the tiring Graber and followed Grubiss. Wildcat Assistant and '13 NCAA 1500m qualifier Tony Palermini was also closing well, with RS Frosh Ryan Rampoldi hot on his heels.

Grubiss would find the tape first notching his first sub 4:00 1500 in a big way (3:52!). Barron Maizland would cut his PR from 3:56 to 3:52 as he notched his first NCAA provisional qualifier of the season. Phil Graber would finish third in a near-PR 3:54. Palermini was next in 3:55 and Ryan Rampoldi would hit the line just steps later with his first sub 4:00 effort (3:56).

Heat II brought a good number of PR's as well. Geoff Bogan would score the win, and narrowly missed the 4:00 barrier w/ his 4:00.84 run.

Women's 800m: Women's 800m: Having enjoyed the fruits of Ayla Granados' pacing labors in the earlier 1500m Bailey Henshaw returned to the 800m prepared to return the favor and hopefully help Wildcats Olivia Watt and Ayla Granados to 2-lap Pr's. Granados had been sick late in the week and didn't appear to be 100 percent on Saturday, but she still prepared to take a crack at sub 2:13 (her PR). Watt's PR coming into the race was 2:14, but recent workouts (and races) have indicated potential for a much faster time.

As the gun sounded Henshaw seized the lead and her teammates followed through a fairly aggressive 30.3 opening 200m (Ooops!) Hearing this split Henshaw settled a bit and the trio hit the bell in 64.3. Having run the second 200m a bit slower than the desired tempo, it was tough for Henshaw to bring the pace back down, but she powered the backstretch hitting a 34.0 for the 3rd 200m (1:38 split). With 200m remaining Watt now had the lead and hammered through the final turn with a gritting Granados on her heels. Olivia Watt would hit the tape first having covered the final 200m in 33.7 stopping the clock in a 2:12.5 PR.

Granados would give up a second over the final straight, but still narrowly missed her low 2:13 PR from the '13 season (when she was focusing on the mid distances). Both had achieved NCAA provisional marks and Watt moved up the Wildcat All Time Top-10 into the 4th all time position, less than a second shy of our school record. Speaking of this record, it will certainly be in jeopardy this season, as Watt, Granados and Henshaw are all quite capable of running in the 2:10 range with continued training and some tapering. Coach Trevino's Erin Eicholtz held off Humboldt's Devon Kelsey to give the 'Cats a 1-3 sweep.

Men's 800m: Barron Maizland capped an impressive day at the track with a second PR and a win in the 800m, doubling back from his 3:52 with a 1:55. Playing his cards right, Maizland pulled victory out of the halls of defeat mowing down the remaining runners ahead of him at the last possible moment. Phil Graber looked strong doubling back from the 1500 as well with his 3rd place 1:56 showing. Ryan Rampoldi (training with the distance group) enjoyed a great double as well (3:56/1:57).

Next up: For the 'Cats will be the Johnny Mathis Invite @ SF State this Saturday. Expect plenty of 5k action, as well as some quality mid distance action.

Coach Hanf take on the meet:
Of the many highlights for the day, the one race that really stands out was the women's 400 meter relay. Since 1993 the time of 47.23 run by Brandy Slaughter-Felicia Harris-Debbie McGuigan and Erin McLaughlin has been our top mark. 21 years later, Amilia Santos-Ashley Jones-Aja Erskine and Kasey Barnett lowered the school record to 46.98. Our wildcat sprinters now sit atop the CCAA and are listed 3rd in the nation! Barnett anchored that record setting team after winning the long jump and pole vault, both with NCAA provisional qualifying marks. She was 3 for 3 with national qualifying marks. For the 3rd straight week she was named CCAA female athlete of the week! She improved her personal record in the vault to 12'10.25" and currently sits in the #1 spot for the NCAA rankings. She is only 1/2" below 2010 NCAA champion Katrina Rodriguez's best mark and 2 1/2" inches shy of the school record set by NCAA champion Christa Tebbs in 2002. Her long jump distance of 19'2.5" is also the best mark in division 2.

Barnett's teammate Brooke Whitburn, also a Chico native, reached the national list as well with her jump of 19'1.25". This moves her past Teri Ciapponi into 6th on the all-time list. It was a 1/4" shy of the freshmen's PR. Whitburn triple jumped 37'2" (9th all-time) and hit a javelin PR of 105'. Jones, who runs the second leg on our record setting relay team was a double winner in the sprints hitting season-best times of 12.26 and 25.26. Santos placed 2nd in the 100 (12.36) after running a 12.24 PR in the prelims. Santos has been the leadoff runner in all 4 of her seasons at Chico and appears on the top 10 list on 5 different squads, landing on the list in each of her years. Erskine shattered her own PR by winning the 400 in 56.73 (5th best all-time).

Chico State currently has the top two 800m runners in the nation as well, as Olivia Watt (2:12. 55) and Ayla Granados (2:13.54) went 1-2 in the "half-mile". Watt's time moves her past Johntay Cokley, Kayla Silva, Granados, Anna Eicholtz and Dallase Scott into 4th on the all-time list. The sophomore trails only nationally ranked athletes Neicy Sandelin, Margaret Pridgen and Lindsey Brown. Tori Mason is back to running fast times in the hurdles. The soph ran 14.91 in the prelims and won the finals in 14.92. El Camino JC transfer Karlie Castro-Kahn won the 400m hurdles in a season-best time of 65.63 while frosh Rose Stephens (Davis HS) and Mason rounded out the sweep in times of 65.78 and 65.96. Bam, Bam, Bam! 1-2-3!

Our men's team lit it up as well albeit not with the same magnitude on the top 10 list. Many big-time performances were showcased on the home track. School record holder Hakeem Dyson started the fun, running the fastest hurdle race in the prelims at 14.73. Teammates Sean Goetzl (14.81) JP Smith (15.15 and Teddy Elsenbaumer (15.33) were the next 3 to qualify. John Brunk (16.04) also made it in to the finals. Smith bounced back 15 minutes later to run the second fastest time in the 100 prelims (11.00). Chad Baur, Scott Pater and Joey Johnson all qualified for finals as well. Dyson would come back later and win the finals in a time of 14.57 (an NCAA provisional mark) while Goetzl would place 2nd with a lifetime best 14.73 (8th on all-time list). Both are juniors. Johnson would post the top Wildcat time in the 100, placing 4th in 10.98, his first time below 11s in a Chico uniform. Chico native Nick Sloggy won a tightly contested 400m battle with his teammate Brunk and Chabot College standout Willie Latin. Sloggy's time of 48.46 is a new personal best. Brunk ran his second best time ever (48.74) while Latin would post a 49.03. He later paired up with a Chico State alum (Nick Evans) and a couple of Chico State redshirts (Ron Taylor and Luke Williams) to place 2nd in the 4 x 400 which was won by Chico State (Smith, Brunk, Elsenbaumer, Sloggy) in a season best time of 3:17. Elsenbaumer, Smith, Brunk and Johnson teamed up in the 4 x 100 with a winning time of 41.50 (only .12 from breaking into the top 10).

Many of our talented steeplers and 5K runners were entered into a 1500/800 double. Newcomer Barron Maizland had a magical day ripping two PRs, placing 2nd behind Chico Red Shirt Nick Grubiss' 3:52.56 (his first time under 4:00!) and winning the 800 in 1:55.68. His 3:52.94 in the 1500 is a provisional mark. Chico native Phil Graber was 3rd in 3:54.84 which is a new PR for him. RS frosh Ryan Rampoldi, followed up his 3:56 with a 1:56.

In the Field events Derek Nichols threw a CCAA leading 150'2" to win the discus. A pair of our redshirts had success as well. Sophomore Justin Woo cleared 15'1" to win the vault while junior Ron Taylor jumped a PR 23'9" in the LJ to place second. JP was third at 23'0". Teddy Elsenbaumer was 2nd in the vault at 14'7". Michael Souza remains undefeated for the year in the HJ clearing 2.05 (6'8 3/4") before attempting a season-best 2.10 (6'10 3/4") a mark that will surely qualify him for nationals. Unfortunately he'll need to wait another week to help secure his berth to the NCAA meet. We travel to San Francisco State this weekend to compete in the Johnny Mathis Invitational. Hope to see you Bay Area folks there. Enjoy your Corned Beef and Cabbage!