COTTONWOOD - Athletes from around the Northern California converged on the track facility at West Valley High School to compete in the Northern Section's track & field championships. The championship, known as the Section Finals, determines who out of the Northern Section will advance to the state meet. Since the section is one of the smallest in the state, only the winner of each event will be moving on to the competition held at Buchanan HS Veterans Memorial Stadium in Clovis, California. Additional athletes can advance if they meet a stiff qualifying standard which in most cases is near or a little better than section records. So not a likely possibility.

Northern California's volatile weather this spring displayed some unusual stability with the two final track meets of the season having quite similar conditions. If anything, the section championships were a little more favorable with less wind but slightly warmer temperatures (low 90s) at least for the field event competition and early track events, which this year included the inaugural running of the 4x800 relay.

Since this meet is not a team competition, the meet was not scored. Years ago, the section decided to end team competition at the Division level. This was so small schools would not be handicapped at the section finals where schools of all sizes would compete with the larger schools that would be in a better position to have more at-large qualifiers and potential scorers.

Many section leaders came through and will make their way to state. They include Pleasant Valley junior Kayla Johnson, with top marks in the long jump and triple jump coming into the meet, won both while coming up one place short in the high jump. This performance netted her the female winner of the Bob Russell award. She edged out University Prep senior Emma Gaddy, who was also a double winner (200m & 400m) but didn't compete in any other events.

For the boys, two Foothill teammates ended up co-Bob Russell award winners as Cougar senior Caden Rowe claimed titles in both the long & short hurdle event and ran a leg on the winning 4x400 relay while senior Chris Hall was victorious in the long and triple jumps and ran a leg on the winning 4x100 relay.

Shasta sophomore Talyn Hanly fateful decision to attempt a difficult 400/800 double (she was the section leader in the 800m coming into the meet) with only twenty minutes separating the two events. After losing a tough battle with Emma Gaddy in the 400m, after leading a good portion of the race only to lose by .02 of a second as a late race dive at the line comes up a little short. In the 800m, Pleasant Valley sophomore Holly Alchin, after losing to Hanly at the league and division championships takes a different tactic by going out hard from the get go and forcing her Shasta competitor to run a faster pace than desirable after such a short turn-around from her previous race. Hanly, after briefly taking the lead with about 200m to go, lost another heart breaker coming down the homestretch as Alchin edged past her for the win. Thus Hanly comes away losing two races in a half an hour by less than 2/10 of a second.

While no scratches of any significance were made in the field, such was not the case on the track. With a state berth on the line many athletes, but especially distance runners, choose to put all their eggs in one basket. Concentrating on one event despite qualifying in one or two more. PV's Jackson Hein dropped the 1600m in favor of the 800m. Yreka's Henry Baun, skipped the 1600m and 800m, to focus on the 3200m.

Baun and Hein absence in the 1600m opened the door for someone else to grab a section title not expected to be available. The most likely benefactors of their absence were two sophomores, Kyle Cleek of Providence Christian and Carter Murphy of Chico. Cleek took point early on and had a healthy lead halfway through but then paid the price for this overly aggressive start. Murphy, a distant second much of the race, sensing a slowing of the race leader accelerated away from the chase pack to ultimately chase down and pass a visibly slowing Cleek down the homestretch.

One pleasant surprise of the meet was the runner-up performance's of Trinity's Sara Keating in both the 100m & 200m. The unheralded senior had never run track before this season, came into the meet as MVL and Division III champion in both events. Prior to this year she focused on swimming instead. Another newbie to the track scene was Chico senior Jasmine Guzeldere, who athletic pursuit prior to this year was also swimming, finished 4th in the 3200m with a personal best time of 11:57.25. This was a little more than half a minute improvement over her previous best.

The Trinity boys in perhaps the biggest surprise of the meet easily bested prerace favorite Pleasant Valley in the 4x800 relay. The Wolves with no runners having run under 2:05 in the 800m (PV had two) it seemed like a very tall order. But they treated the race as a golden opportunity to get to state (see article below) while the Vikings mostly saw it as a throw away race in which they could/should win without too much effort. An opening 800m around 2:01.5 quickly disabused the Vikings of an easy victory, two 2:05 legs subsequently expanded the Trinity lead to over 100m by the time their strongest runner, Jackson Poburko gained control of the baton. Jackson Hein, the Viking's anchor, gave chase but once it became obvious that he wasn't making much headway in reducing the lead his pace significantly slowed to saved himself for later in the meet (a winning performance in the 800m, and a crazy fast closing 400m in the 1600 relay). As it was Poburko closing 800m was 1:58.5 significantly faster than any open 800m he has run this year.



Here are top girls from the NSCIF track and field championships:

GIRLS TRACK EVENTS
100: Kylie Atteberry, Las Plumas (12.65); Sara Keating, Trinity (12.82); Nicole Weaver, West Valley (12.84).

200: Emma Gaddy, University Prep (26.01); Sara Keating, Trinity (26.23); Kylie Atteberry, Las Plumas (26.25

400: Emma Gaddy, University Prep (58.73); Talyn Hanly, Shasta (58.75); Abbigail Guichard, Pleasant Valley (1:00.49).

800: Holly Alchin, Pleasant Valley (2:22.14); Talyn Hanly, Shasta (2:22.28); Paris Esther, Orland (2:24.38).

1,600: Elixabeth Merrill, Shasta (5:18.14); Mattie Whipple, Yreka (5:20.08); Paulina Mertens, Orland (5:31.64).

3,200: Erin Mckinnon, Foothill (11:39.22); Chloe Alchin, Pleasant Valley (11:47.50); Elixabeth Merrill, Shasta (11:54.05).

100 hurdles: Giselle Rodriguez-Sanchez, Fall River (15.21); Madeline Towner, Mt Shasta (17.12); AnaGloria Estrella Luevano, Gridley (17.19).

300 hurdles: AnaGloria Estrella Luevano, Gridley (47.60); Giselle Rodriguez-Sanchez, Fall River (47.62); Tannah Taff, West Valley (49.06).

4x100 relay: Pleasant Valley (50.13); Foothill (50.31); Shasta (50.38).

4x400 relay: Pleasant Valley (4:05.34); West Valley (4:09.97); Orland (4:12.60).

4x800 relay: Pleasant Valley (10:04.73); Hope (10:19.91); Chico (10:22.01).

GIRLS FIELD EVENTS
High Jump: Jaedyn Lynn, Shasta(4-10); Kayla Johnson, Pleasant Valley (4-10); Theresa Barlow, Foothill (4-10).

Shot Put: Angela Schykerynec, Orland (39-07.50); Chloe White Pleasant Valley (34-10.75); Taylor Ford, Anderson (33-05).

Triple Jump: Kayla Johnson, Pleasant Valley (35-02); Theresa Barlow, Foothill (34-00.25); Sidney Allard, Gridley (33-04.25).

Discus: Shelbie Rogers, West Valley (138-00); Evie Turner, Foothill (126-10); Dailey Whitchurch, Trinity (115-08).

Long Jump: Kayla Johnson, Pleasant Valley (17-05.75); Kylie Atteberry, Las Plumas (16-11); Kasey Williams, Foothill (16-03.25).

Pole Vault: Elise Toste, Corning (9-03); Trinity Cervantes, Las Plumas (9-00); Bella Morgado, Las Plumas (8-06).






COTTOWOOD - Rogers reaches state milestone after being nearly paralyzed in accident
West Valley junior thrower Shelbie Rogers waited eagerly to showcase her growth in front of small but vocal group of track and field fans at her school. Rogers had waited patiently to make her return to the track after a hunting accident in Alabama nearly ruined her athletic career. She had broken her back and nearly severed her spine. Now, about 18 months later she was fully healthy and needs only a belt to support her lower back.

Among the fans in attendance at the meet was her sister Natalie Rogers, a Cal Poly San Luis Obispo University thrower who holds the West Valley school records in the shotput and discus with marks that are second and eighth best in section history respectively. Now, it was Shelbie's turn to make history of her own. Rogers spun, torqued and twisted before releasing and whipping the discus 138 feet and three inches. The distance was more than ten feet further than she's ever thrown before and also proved to be a mark none of her competitors could touch. "It's always been my dream to go to state because my sister has done it," Rogers said. "It's just awesome that my sister and all my family was there to witness it."

So less then two years from a near devastating injury, Rogers is a CIF Northern Section discus champion just like her sister. "She has gone through so much and accomplished so much," Natalie Rogers said of Shelbie. "The fact she's out here competing after that bad of an injury just makes me so happy. I tell everyone I want to be like her when I grow up because of how strong and the kind of person she is. Rogers competed in two other events at the section championships. She finished third in the shot put and sixth in the 100m hurdles.

Trinity with underdog mindset makes history
Trinity freshman Jackson Poburko, senior Kyle Cox and twin seniors Chris and Liam Brennan were presented with an opportunity to write themselves into the CIF Northern Section track and field history books. Coach Joanne Harper challenged the four boys in February to try and win the 4 x 800 relay at the section championship. It was a race that hadn't been tested in major competitions around the state until Friday.

The boys embraced the opportunity set forth by their coach and soon their training for the relay became an obsession. Poburko, Cox and the Brennans practiced Monday through Friday for three months, much of it in the mountains surrounding Weaverville while waiting for the section championships to arrive. Still they weren't surprised they came into the meet an underdog, they were after all an unkwown, untested commodity.

Trinity, in lane three, was positioned outside of Yreka in two and Pleasant Valley in one. The Vikings led by sophomore Jackson Hein and his older brother Austin. Jackson, the eventual 2023 champion in the 800 meters and at one time in the season the section leader from the 400m to 3200m. Austin, no slouch himself, going into the race had run an 800m faster than any of the Wolves had. Yet by the time Poburko got the baton his three teammates had given him a full turn lead (around 100m) over the Vikings. Pleasant Valley's anchor Hein with a more important race in a couple hours wisely decided to throw in the towel and concede the race to the Wolves. Not knowing this Poburko worked hard to expand his lead on the Vikings as evidenced by his running a swift 1:58.5 split . This gave Trinity a finish time and section record of 8:10.54, an impressive achievement considering none of the four athletes involved had run an open 800m under 2:05 much less under 2:02.8 or what they ended up averaging.

"I'm going to tell everyone about the hard work it took and the guts it took" Liam Brennan said. "We were the underdogs and we knew Pleasant Valley was strong. Probably way stronger than we were, but Kyle didn't give up, Chris didn't give up. I held the lead they gave me and Jackson finished it up. It took so much courage from us." "I wanted to thank Coach Harper for believing in us," Brennan added.

Gaddy and Hanly battle to photo finish
U-Prep senior Emma Gaddy and Shasta sophomore Talyn Hanly went back and forth with each other, nearly mimicking each other's step. The two ran tight before Gaddy ran through the finish line and Hanly lunged then fell in her attempt to finish first. Running judges ruled Gaddy's chest was ahead of Hanly and won the 400 meters in 58.73 seconds. Hanly finished in 58.75 seconds just two-hundredths of a second slower than Gaddy.

"I just knew that I had to drive my arms because driving my arms is what makes my legs move better," Gaddy said. "I was just focusing on my arm movement so I could get turn over faster." Later in the meet Gaddy won the 200 meters and will race in both events at the CIF State meet. Gaddy, who played starting point guard during the winter, credited basketball for helping her improve her speed. "All I was doing during the basketball was run and run over and over," Gaddy said. "It got me in shape for track."



McKinnon claims her first section title on final try
Foothill senior Erin McKinnon was accepted onto the track and field and cross country team at Utah Tech University in St. George, Utah. Nevermind that McKinnon hadn't won a section championship during her brief high school career. Not in two seasons of track and field in the 1600 meters or the 3200 meters or in one season of cross country. So, when faced with the possibility of racing for the final time for her high school, McKinnon decided she was going to run harder and with more purpose than in her previous races.

"The knowledge of knowing this could be my last high school race, I went in figuring I had nothing to lose," McKinnon said. "In this situation specifically I hadn't pushed and I had more to give." McKinnon took an early lead in the 3,200 meters and held the pace while pursued by Pleasant Valley senior Chloe Alchin and Shasta's Elizabeth Merrill, winner of the 1600m and somebody she'd never beaten before. Merrill appeared content to stay close and let others lead until Alchin took the lead for 200 meters on lap six. The move did drop Merrill but McKinnon was not bothered returning to the lead by lap's end. McKinnon made her final push with 300 meters to go, separating herself from Alchin to win her first CIF Northern Section title. "I haven't always wanted it this much," McKinnon said. "I didn't want this to be the end and I wanted one more chance. The race strategy didn't work out as planned, it actually worked out better."

Rodriguez adds one more title to impressive sports resume
Fall River senior Giselle Rodriguez achieved a roomful of accolades during her four years in high school. She was a two-time CIF NorCal Division VI volleyball champion, a two-time CIF Northern Section winning guard in basketball and was named one of six Record Searchlight Rotary Scholar Athlete finalists in 2023. Should it be mentioned that Rodriguez was a two-event champion, in the 100-meter and 300-meter hurdles, as well in 2022? Rodriguez added another championship on Friday. Rodriguez won the 100-meter hurdles for the second consecutive year in 16.40 seconds and missed out on a fourth by .02 second in losing to AnaGloria Luevano of Gridley in the 300m hurdles. "It's just all the training I get," Rodriguez said. "As soon as I get done with track, I go straight into softball and then I go to Enterprise High School coaches. I get as much help as possible and just work hard."

Merrill makes return to state
Shasta sophomore Elle Merrill maintained her cool and calm disposition while being trailed by Yreka junior Mattie Whipple. Whipple and Merrill have battled back and fourth over pace control during their races in the 1600 and 3200 events. Merrill kept her cool and used a last boost to edge Whipple to win the 1600 meters race. Merrill's time was 5:18.14. "I knew going in I was seeded second, which was true based on my division time, but I went in thinking I couldn't lose," Merrill said. "My goal was to stay in front of them the whole time and I was decided to beat em on the stretch."

Reynolds credits rivals on becoming fastest man in the North State
West Valley senior Ian Reynolds had improved his sprinting times week to week. After setting a school record in the 100 meters on May 12 in 10.89 seconds , Reynolds went for his history again. While his latest sprint didn't break any records, he still became only the first person from his school to break 11 seconds on Friday night. His time of 10.91 seconds edged out Borchert of Foothill, who finished in 10.93 seconds. Reynolds said he became faster while training with Borchert and trading tips on becoming a faster runner. "With track there's not a lot of trash talking because there isn't a lot of physicality," Reynolds said. "Everyone just runs their best race. You're going to push the best of your abilities. Everyone is pushing each other and at the end of the day you get a personal record win and everyone is happy for everyone else."

Hall and Rowe each qualify three events for Foothill
Foothill junior Chris Hall and senior Caden Rowe put together three commanding performances in two individual events and their respective relays. Rowe won the 110-meter hurdles in 15.41 seconds and 300-meter hurdles in 39.66 seconds by a wide margin despite clipping a few late hurdles in both races. Hall took the triple jump title with a distance of 43 feet and six inches and long jump title in 22 feet and 2.275 inches. Hall helped win the 4 x 100-meter relay in 42.91 seconds and Rowe helped Foothill take first the 4 x 400-meter relay in 3 minutes and 27.26 seconds. Hall is joined by teammates junior Alonzo Borchert, freshman Mason Calvert and sophomore Ryan McNally for the 4 x 100-meter state relay. Rowe is teaming up with Calvert, junior Logan Borg and senior Brandon Berens in the state 4 x 400-meter relay. Rowe credited working with Shasta College assistant hurdling coach J.P. O'Hara on improving his personal records. "Shoutout to J.P.," Rowe said. "I worked a lot on driving through the hurdles and obviously staying low and driving my arms. Driving my arms helps me stay low and I worked on my start a lot." Hall said his success in track comes from the continuing workouts he performs during football season. "I've been doing box jumps and plyometrics work that I used for speed during football and I learned it translated to track," Hall said. "Once I figured out those workouts transferred to track, I changed my training. I've learned I can get to places in track and so I've changed my focus a little bit."

Here are top boys from the NSCIF track and field championships:

BOYS TRACK EVENTS
100: Ian Reynolds, West Valley (10.91); Alonzo Borchart, Foothill (10.93); Jordon Morrow, Corning (10.96). .

200: Parker Williams, Pleasant Valley (22.23); Ian Reynolds, West Valley (22.37); Carter Gregerson, Pleasant Valley (22.82). .

400: Logan Borg, Foothill (50.29); Nolan Fashner, West Valley (51.39); Isaiah Larceval, West Valley (51.45).

800: Jackson Hein, Pleasant Valley (1:56.92); Logan Borg, Foothill (2:03.20); Aden Lechaman, Enterprise (2:04.19).

1,600: Carter Murphy, Chico (4:28.84); Kyle Cleek, Providence Christian (4:30.05); Jayden Stabel, Paradise Adventist (4:31.97). .

3,200: Charlie Brennan, Chico (9:27.10); Henry Baun, Yreka (9:30.30); Matt Anderson, Chico (9:57.25).

110 hurdles: Caden Rowe, Foothill (15.41) Carter Kroschel, Fall River (15.78) Davis Smith, Foothill (15.94) .

300 hurdles: Caden Rowe, Foothill (39.66), Tristan Young, Enterprise (42.17), Hudson Edwards, Foothill (42.54).

4x100 relay:Foothill (42.91); West Valley (42.98); Pleasant Valley (43.22).

4x400 relay: Foothill (3:27.26); Pleasant Valley (3:29.85); Enterprise (3:31.48).

4x800 relay: Trinity (8:10.54); Pleasant Valley (8:40.43); Enterprise (8:41.64). Not only a section title but a section record.

BOYS FIELD EVENTS
Discus: Matt Larsen, Durham (153-00); Trent Kingston, Shasta (146-06); Nathaniel Mero, Mt Shasta (138-00).

Long Jump: Chris Hall, Foothill (22-02.75); Rashaan Bussey, Lassen (21-01.75); Parker Williams, Pleasant Valley (20-05).

Pole Vault: Logan Meredith, Orland (14-02); Austin Lawrence, Orland (11-06); Anthony Hernandez, West Valley (11-06). Second title for Meredith

High Jump: Owen Evans, West Valley (6-02); Jacob Martin, Pleasant Valley (6-00); Ean Davis, Etna (6-00).

Shot Put: Emmanuel Limon, Shasta (47-07); Van Chambers, Pleasant Valley (46-09.50); Magnus Neilsen, Chico (46-06.25).

Triple Jump: Chris Hall, Foothill (43-06); Jacob Wagner, Enterprise (42-10); Owen Evans, West Valley (41-10.50).