Despite competing without several of our top distance runners (Sickness and injuries) the 'Cats took some nice steps forward this weekend, while competing at the Stanford and Mike Fanelli Invites in the Bay Area. Headlining the weekend was Marissa D'Atri's 2nd place run (at Fanelli) in the 5k where she dropped a 16:30 mark (#4 A.T. CSUC) while ripping a 5:10 final 1600. There were plenty of other PR's of course, so please follow along for some quick recaps of the action.

First, I'll list each athlete and their weekend accomplishments: 

 
Women:  
 
Marissa D'Atri (Jr). 5k: 16:30 (#4 A.T. CSUC, #5 NCAA),  4:53 1600m DMR Leg 
 
Hannah Tiffany: (Fr) 10k: 36:08 (debut) #15 NCAA  
Katie Hawley (Jr) 1500: 4:38 seasons best,   DMR 1200 leg: 3:37  
Jasmine Fletcher (Fr) 5k: 17:48 PR, DMR 1200 leg: 3:46 
Jennifer Ruiz (So) 10k: 37:38 (Debut)  
Natalie Dinen (So) 800m: 2:19, DMR 800m: 2:24 
Paulina Guerrero (Fr): :63.3 400 leg DMR  
Sienna Bianchi: (Fr): 4:53 1500 PR, 2:22 800m (seasonal best)  
Jacqueline Cascione (Jr): 39:03 10k (Debut)  
Natalia Muro (Fr): 2:26 800m, :64.2 DMR 400m split  
Sophie Pelletier (So): 39:44 10k (Debut)  
Alexi Steinmaus (So): 4:57 1500, 2:25 DMR 800m split.  
Avery Lambrite (Sr): 18:45 5k, 5:19 DMR 1600m split.  
Esmeralda Aguayo (Jr): 18:54 5k  
 
Men:  
 
Jack Emanuel (Sr): 5,000m: @ Stanford 14:09 (#5 NCAA, #1 CCAA), 4:15 DMR split 
Cameron Duquette (Sr) 10,000m: 30:19  
Joshua O'Neill (So) 10,000m: 30:38  
Dylan White (So) 10,000m: 30:51  
Daniel Hernandez (So) 5,000m: 14:41 (PR), 3:06 DMR 1200m split.  
Brian Hastings (So) 1500: 3:56, 800m: 1:56  
Anders Beil (Fr) Steeple:  9:32  PR  
Damian Garcia (Fr):800m  1:51.74 (PR), 4:03 1500 (Suffered tough fall during race)  
Patrick Roehling (So): 1:54 800, 49.7 
Lionel Inhphom (Fr) 800m: 1:57.1  
Bennett Woodward (So) 1500: 4:04 (Just returning from injury)  
Jack Hacker (Sr) 5k: 15:20  
Nicholas Guzman (Fr) 5k: 15:25

Thursday Highlights:

Women's 10k: RS Frosh Hannah Tiffany enjoyed a very nice debut over the 25 lap distance. From the early going Tiffany worked with a chase group that was operating in the 86-87 range per lap, while a group of 4-5 ran ahead at a 35:30 clip. During the 3rd mile Tiffany separated from her group, and ran much of the race solo, chasing the group ahead. She would catch and pass several who had gone out harder, but was never able to make up the gap on the eventual first and second placers. Even 18:04 splits per 5k, netted the Grass Valley native a 3rd place (36:08) finish. Her debut performance gave her an NCAA provisional mark, and lands her just over 10 seconds off the school's #10 A.T. mark.

Also enjoying a great debut was Sophomore Jennifer Ruiz. A year ago at this meet Jenny recorded her first sub 19 minute 5k (18:57). One year later Ruiz would return and record back-to-back sub 18:50 5k's (average between the two halves). Her 37:38 mark puts her in the scoring discussions looking ahead to CCAA's. Jacqueline Cascione had hoped to run under 38 minutes, but struggled throughout, eventually recording a 39:03 debut mark. Teammate Sophie Pelletier had a similar first attempt at the 25 lapper, finishing in a tough 39:44 time.

Men's 10k: The 'Cats would send 5 to the line between the two 10k heats. Cameron Duquette (defending CCAA Champ-30:00 PR), Joshua O'Neill (30:19 PR), Dylan White (Debut), Travis Selby (Debut), and Jayden Olea (Debut).

American 50k record holder CJ Albertson took the front of the 10k recording even 70 second laps (29:10 pace) and several DI guys chasing regional marks latched onto his heels. A massive chase pack formed behind, most of whom appeared to either be trying to run under 30 min, or between that and 30:30. As the pace dawdled from the sub 72 second per lap tempo needed to break 30, Cameron Duquette moved to the front of the chase group, keeping the tempo within reason of breaking 30. Chabot's Muhamed Ahmed helped with some laps, but as the race wore on, no one seemed able or willing to help Cameron at the front.

The second half of the race brought a lot of 72-73 second laps. With less than 1 mile remaining APU's Salvador Capatillo (Ironically the only guy in the chase pack who had a sub 30 PR to his name) threw in a 67 second lap to blow the chase pack into pieces. Duquette, having done a ton of work at the front of the group was unable to respond, and would eventually cross the line 5th in a disappointing 30:19 finish time. Having tagged along in the back of the main group for as long as they were able, Joshua O'Neill (30:38) and Dylan White (30:51) held on well for 11th and 14th place finishes. Unfortunately Olea (Side stitch) and Selby (not 100 percent) DNF'd on the day.

Women's Steeple: RS Frosh Hannah Wirth is a very effective hurdler, and the water jump is coming together nicely. She had a Very tough first outing over the barriers at the Yuba meet a few weeks ago, but on Thursday she would slice over 30 seconds off her debut time with an 11:45 clocking. There's still a lot more out there for the Del Oro alumna, but this was a nice step forward.

Men's Steeple: It's been a tough season for our 4 male steeplers.. Daniel Hernandez has struggled with some hip issues that hampered some of our steeple prep.. Bennett Woodward developed sciatic issues a few weeks ago, and has yet to run one this season. Hunter Dougherty debut'd with a 9:37 at Yuba a few weeks ago, but had to sit out Fanelli due to a foot issue. So on Thursday it was up to RS frosh Anders Beil to represent the 'Cats over the barriers. Knowing he needed to have a solid run to help his chances of getting into the upcoming APU meet, Anders set out on a mission to run 9:30 or better (PR was 10:00-ish from the '22 season). A solid hurdler and water jumper, Anders did a great job of maximizing his opportunity on Thursday racing to a big 9:33 PR. There's no doubt that the Central Catholic HS alum has a lot to look forward to in the event.

Friday Highlights:

Women's 5000m: Marissa D'Atri spent much of last year's track season kicking off Covid layoff rust. At the end of the year she would win our conference championships in the steeple and 5k, before earning All American honors in the steeple. Her 5k PR at the end of the season was a modest 17:08. This year D'Atri opened the season with a 4:38/17:07 double at the Wildcat Invite, battling College of the Redwoods' Hannah Hartwell in both races. On Friday Hartwell (16:48 PR) and D'Atri, would join a field where the leaders were hoping to break 16:30. In fact, Cal Poly supplied a pacer for the first mile, getting the pack through 4 laps a little behind pace (5:20ish).

By mid race and with the rabbit having stepped aside, D'Atri took the lead and pulled the lead group through much of the second half of the run. 3200m was reached in 10:40 (16:40 pace) and Marissa notched repeated 79 second laps for circuits 9, 10, and 11. As a group of 4 approached the metric 3 mile (15:50's for Marissa) Hartwell made a big move, as did Fullerton's top gal Mia Bergman, and SLO's Schuyler Gooley. Having led through the toughest laps of the race Marissa was on the ropes in 4th position coming off the final turn, but found a gear of her own and re-passed the SLO and Fullerton runners. As things would turn out, Hartwell would take the win (16:28), with Marissa crossing 2nd in 16:30.25. The new PR makes Marissa the 4th fastest 5k'er in school history, and places her within 5 seconds of Katie Lee's 18 year old school record. The mark should also punch her ticket to a second NCAA track and field championship.

Also enjoying a great 5k on the day was true frosh Jasmine Fletcher who started near the back of her heat in the early going (many ahead were out very quick). A very evenly splitted effort brought the Portland native through 3k right at her HS PR (10:40), and a solid final mile moved her up to 4th place in her heat. Her final time (17:48) was her first time under the 18 minute mark, and moves her into the Top 10 in the CCAA for the season. Teammates Avery Lambrite (18:45) and Esmeralda Aguayo (18:54) both recorded seasonal best marks as well.

Men's 5000m: Jack Emanuel ran fine 14:09 5k at Stanford (Heat 4), less than a quarter second off of his PR. This time leads the CCAA by a little over 12 seconds and is a provisional mark for the NCAA (and 9th overall in D2 this year so far). Meanwhile back at San Francisco State, Daniel Hernandez would lead the 'Cats in the 5k on Friday with a 14:41 PR. Senior Jack Hacker would record a seasonal best 15:20, and red shirting frosh Nicholas Guzman would follow in 15:25.

Women's 1500m: Junior Katie Hawley recorded her first sub 4:40 1500 of the year with her 4:38 effort on Friday. Next across the line for the 'Cats was RS Frosh Paulina Guerrero who Pr'd with a 4:52 heat win. Finishing just behind Guerrero in her heat was red shirting true frosh Sienna Bianchi. Alexi Steinmaus would finish with a seasonal best 4:57 in her heat.

Men's 1500m: True frosh Damian Garcia has looked Very good in training, and had pegged the USA Junior Championships standard as a goal for the Fanelli meet. Running in heat 1 with teammate Brian Hastings, Garcia looked very good rolling through 800m in 2:04 (Hastings followed in 2:05). As a tightly bunched lead group ran down the backstretch toward the 600m-to-go mark, an athlete from Long Beach State became antsy and jumped into lane two, directly in front of Damian. The Chico athlete's foot struck the Long Beach athlete's spike and the two became entangled and hit the track hard. It took a few seconds for Damian to get up and begin running again, but the fall had been too hard to fight back from and he would finish in 4:03. The Long Beach athlete didn't finish the race. Hastings would go on to record a 3:56 seasonal best time, chipping time away from his seasonal debut in Yuba several weeks before. Both Garcia and Hastings would return for the 800 the following day.



Saturday Highlights:

Women's 800m: Sophomore Natalie Dinin finished the '22 season with her first and only sub 2:20 800 clocking. This year the Bella Vista alum dipped under the 2:20 threshold much sooner in the year while recording a 2:19.80 run at Fanelli. Sienna Bianchi would double back from the 15 the previous day with a 2:22. Natalia Muro would follow with a 2:26 seasonal best.

Men's 800m: Red Shirting true frosh Damian Garcia stepped to the line of the 800 with a 1:54 PR, but training had indicated that there was much more in the tank. The US Junior Champs mark of 1:51.54 was out there as an outside goal, but that would require a massive PR in only his second 2 lapper of the year. As was his 1500 the day before, Garcia's 8 was a big chippy at times, with elbows being rubbed and surges being injected, in order to maintain positioning in the pack. Damian handled the physical heat quite well and competed hard to finish 4th in the fastest heat, recording a 1:51.74 time (less than a quarter of a second off the USA standard!).

A little later, sophomore Patrick Roehling would record an even splitted heat win in 1:54. Teammate Walker Doucette would also post a seasonal best 1:55, as did Brian Hastings who doubled back from the 15 with a 1:56 2-lapper. Frosh Lionel Inhphom notched a 1:57.1 PR on the day as well.

Women's DMR: The Chico women had won the last two editions of the Fanelli DMR, and in '22 broke the meet record with their 12:07 school best run. Defending the title became a whole lot harder when UC Riverside entered a solid foursome in SF on Saturday, but the 'Cats would be up to the challenge of trying to defend their title (and record). Katie Hawley got the 'Cats off to a solid start, leading much of the 1200m leg (3:37 final split), but over the final circuit UCR's runner eased by Hawley, putting a 2 second deficit into the 'Cats after leg-1. The 'Cats 2nd and 3rd legs (Natalia Muro and Natalie Dinin) had each just finished the open 800m less than an hour before the DMR start (not the greatest scheduling by meet officials), which gave our opponents even more daylight, approaching the 1600m anchor leg. Muro would run a 64 second 400, while Dinin bounced back with a 2:24 800, just minutes after her 2:19 in the open. Marissa D'Atri would take the handoff in the 1600 but was staring at at least a 10 second gap between herself and UCR's anchor. As it turns out UCR's anchor had just smashed their school record in the 10k the evening before, running an impressive 32:59 at Stanford. Marissa gave her a great run, recording a 4:53 split for the 4 laps, but UCR would take the win, and the meet record with an 11:50 finish time. Marissa's speedy anchor did get the 'Cats just under the 12 minute mark (11:59) which is a school record! Lost in the race for the win was the impressive run by our "B" squad, who placed 5th in 12:36. Their splits: Jasmine Fletcher: 3:46, Paulina Guerrero: :63, Alexi Steinmaus: 2:25, and Avery Lambrite: 5:19.

Men's DMR: As with the Chico women, the men entered the meet as defending champions and meet record holders. Last year the 'Cats managed to take the win, with a sub 10 clocking. Coming into this season things looked good for a repeat of past years' results, but unfortunately our team has absorbed a number of tough hits in recent weeks, including the loss of 3:44 1500m guy Rory Abberton, who's dealing with some health issues unrelated to running. With Abberton out, and minus 3:48 1500m guy Brian Hastings (doing 15/8 double instead) and Bennett Woodward (3:53 15 PR) the 'Cats were left with piecing a team together in hopes of pulling off a miracle.

Daniel Hernandez (bouncing back from his 14:41 the day before) led the 'Cats off with a solid 3:06 split for the 1200 leg, which kept us within 2-3 seconds of the lead (UCR). The 'Cats second leg was a definite highlight for the Chico crew as Patrick Roehling crushed a 49.7 split while overhauling Humboldt's 400m leg. The 'Cats took a slight lead into the 800m leg, where Walker Doucette (minutes removed from a 1:55 open 800m) was up against Humboldt's 1:51.1 guy Aris Valerio. Unfortunately for us, Valario came to play, and smashed a 1:50 split, tagging quite a few seconds onto the 'Cats (1:58 for Doucette). The Lumberjacks now appeared to be in control heading into the anchor, with Chico handing off in second (Jack Emanuel) and UCR in third just 1-2 seconds behind.

Before the action began to heat up, yours truly spoke to Emanuel about the possibility of taking the handoff with a gap to make up, with the main point being, Do Not try to attack the deficit all at once.

Unfortunately the UCR athlete decided to absolutely smash the initial 400m, flying by Emanuel on the first backstretch. Seeing that Jack was going with him, I sprinted to the 200m mark so I could give Emanuel his first half-lap split. "26, 27." I yelled as Emanuel sprinted by, literally shaking his head as he entered the second turn. Emanuel stepped off the gas a bit, but the damage was done, as he rolled through intermediate splits of 60/2:03, while not being wired (physiologically) for such an aggressive approach. The UCR guy caught and passed Humboldt's anchor, as did Jack in the first 800m, but the Lumberjack stuck on Emanuel's heels, knowing that he'd done a Lot of work to make up the deficit between them. The final laps brought an eventual UCR win (10:03), and a Humboldt come-back for 2nd (10:06), and Emanuel holding on for 3rd (10:11//4:16 split). Not exactly the outcome we'd hoped for, but it's hard to absorb as many setbacks as we have thus-far in a season, and not have it affect the end result. Expect a determined group of 'Cats to toe the line next year!


Up Next: the 'Cats will send a small group down to a Stanislaus meet this Saturday. Most of the roster is gearing up for next week's Bryan Clay Invite at APU. Stay tuned and thanks for the support!