Jackson Hein resets section record on his way to placing at state,
Chico girls impressive performance in 3200m relay also sets section mark.

Saturday June 2, 2025
By Justin Couchot / Chico Enterprise-Record with significant editing by Tom Cushman

CLOVIS - Pleasant Valley's Jackson Hein and Chico High's team of Ava-Marie Csutoras, Sienna Jones, Mira Sidhu and Taylor Wellersdick had impressive performances at the 105th CIF State Track and Field Championships at Veteran's Memorial Stadium at Buchanan High School in Clovis, with each setting new Northern Section records.

While the Northern Section had many competitors from several different schools, Pleasant Valley senior Jackson Hein had the most impressive performance of all. The University of California, Berkeley-commit Hein placed in the top-5 at the CIF State meet for his third consecutive season in the 800-meter race, and this year broke the Northern Section record he set last year.

Hein, qualified for the Saturday finals by winning his heat in the preliminary round on Friday where he used his explosive kick to accelerate away from the field and improve upon the section record he set in last year's 800m final. His heat race in a time of 1:50.87, beating the section record he set last year (1:51.61). The heat victory allowed Hein to automatically qualify for the finals. In a slightly more tactical final he finished with a time of 1:51.67. The final four competitors were separated by just .43 seconds, with Wilson's Wyland Obando winning the race (1:51.24) followed by Jesuit's Lucas Alberts, J Serra Catholic's Alden Morales and Hein.

Hein's three-straight top-5 finishes in the CIF State meet puts him in an elite group among Northern Section track & field athletes. The last two athletes in the Northern Section to finish in the top five of their event for three consecutive years were Tim Nelson from Liberty Christian in 2001-2003 in the 3,200, and Nicole Teeter from West Valley in the 800m from 1989-1991. Nelson went on to compete in the 2007 World Championships, and Teeter was a two-time Olympian in the 800m in 2004 and 2008. Chico's Tonya Alston was the only section athlete to advance into the finals 4 years in a row. She did it in the high jump and placed in the last three of them (1976-1979). It should also be noted that Nelson, Teter and Alston also set and continue to hold the section record in their perfered event.

The Chico team composed of a junior, Taylor Wellersdick and three seniors, Ava-Marie Csutoras, Sienna Jones and Mira Sidhu also set a new Northern Section record competing in the 4 x 800 meter relay Saturday night. In the very competitive race final, they finished 15th out of 17 teams with a time of 9 minutes and 17.83 seconds. By averaging under 2:20 per 800m they bested the previous Northern Section record by nearly 18 seconds. To do this Csutoras, despite missing most of the season becuase of health concerns, opened for the Panthers with a time very close to her personal best while Wellersdick closed with a split (2:15.00) over five seconds faster than her open 800m best. Sandwiched in between, Jones and Sihdu rans times close to 2:20 and sligtly better than their personal record pace.

In other competition Chico High's Constantino Thompson set a new personal best in the high jump with a mark of 6-foot-7 to qualify for the finals Saturday. Unfortunately in the finals, Thompson was unable to clear the opening height of 6-foot-5.

Shasta's Kosi Iwvalla, who set his school record and 4th best section mark in the long jump at section, remained hot at state by advancing into the finals where he finished 5th with his 23-04 jump.

Orland's Paulina Martins competed in the 1,600-meter prelims Friday and 3200m finals on Saturday, Martins placed 16th out of 28 competitors in the 1,600 with a time of 5:00.65 Friday. The next day she placed 15th out of 27 in the 3,200-meter final with a fine time of 10:41.42. Her 3200m time was a personal best and makes her the second fastest in Northern Section history. Two other Trojans competed at state. Logan Meredith, a four time section champion, no-heighted in the pole vault while Ben Pendo competed in the ambulatory 100-meter, 200-meter and 400-meter races.

In other competition from Pleasant Valley, the girls 1,600 relay team consisting of Holly Alchin, Kate Marinello, Avery Hankins and Katie Enos finished 27th overall (and one of five teams that didn't break 4 minutes) yet their time of 4:01.58 is the best in school history and 12th fastest in Northern Section ever. PV's Quentin Clarke competed in the 3,200 meter final and placed 22nd out of 24 competitors with a time of 9:52.93.

Las Plumas' Jayden Newkirk competed in the long jump, as well as the 100 and 200-meter prelims. Newkirk placed 21st in long jump with a mark of 21-9 1/2, finished 20th in the 100-meter race in 10.81 seconds, and placed 20th overall in the 200-meter race in 21.67 to garner his only personal best.

CORE Butte's Briana Hayes competed in the prelims of the 800-meter race Friday. Hayes placed 20th overall in 2:14.77, the 9th fastest time in Northern Section history.