Paradise boys 1,600 relay team shines at Division I finals
Chico's Hailey Fune sets new Northern Section record in hurdles

Friday May 10, 2019
By Sharon Martin/Chico E-R Sports reporter, Photos & some editing by Tom Cushman

CHICO - The Paradise High boys 1,600-meter relay team was just short of capturing a victory in the Northern Section Division I championships last season. We've been talking about (breaking the record) all season. It shows how hard we've been working together as a team and training as a team. It really paid off today," Roehling said. "Last year we barely lost to Foothill (note: Not once but three times). It was really disheartening. We've all taken that and are just trying to look past that."

The 1,600 relay victory was the second win for Roehling on the day as he posted a victory in the 800. Roehling, who led through the opening lap, but faded to sixth with 200m to go before rallying and going all out to make a final pass in the closing meters of the race to grab the win in 2:00.28, barely besting Chico's Riley Farrell, who finished in 2:00.50. "I was able to kick and caught four people (coming down the home stretch)," Roehling said. Teammate Mackay also had another victory when he won the 400 in 51.23. Paradise had one more victory as Trevor Thurman's PR leap of 19 feet, 4 1/4 inches was good enough for the win in the long jump.

The overall team titles were won by Foothill in both girls and boys. The Foothill boys totaled 115 points while Pleasant Valley took second with 84 and Chico third with 82. On the girls side, Foothill totaled 208 points while Chico took second with 106 and PV finished in third with 68.

The PV boys were led by victories from junior Dante Jackson. Jackson won the 200 in 22.5 and the 100 in 10.97 to set a new personal record. Caleb Cooley took second in both the 100 (11.14) and 200 (22.95) setting a PR in both races. The closest race of the day came in the 400 relay when both Foothill and PV tied at the finish line. Cooley, Max Pollack, Dalton Walker and Jackson finished in 42.67.

The Chico High boys team had plenty of victories as well. Charlie Giannini continued his dominance in the distance races by winning the 1,600 in 4:27.70 and the 3,200 in 10:01.05. Giannini held off teammate Jaxon Leduc, who took second in the 3,200 in 10:01.90. Griffin Rhoads-Albert won the shot put with a heave of 46-8.

Chico's Hailey Fune set a new section record when she posted a 14.62 to win the 100 hurdles. The mark is the quickest time since West Valley's Alyssa Christensen recorded a 14.66 in 2007 section meet. My start didn't feel that good so in the beginning I thought this isn't a PR. Even at the end I went to my coach and said 'this is not fast,'" Fune said. "Now I know that I can do more." Fune, the defending section champion for both the hurdles and triple jump, won the triple jump on Friday. Fune recorded a scratch on each of her first two leaps before recording a 34 3/4 mark on her final jump to win the event. Fune, along with teammates Mary Blaugh, Sophie Hanf and anchor Aisha Camara, were 0.1 seconds short of defeating Foothill in the 400 relay. Foothill won in 50.64 while Chico finished in 50.65.

Nahkia Clements made a late run on the final 100 meters in the 800 race. Clements passed Enterprise's Caroline Forseth to win in 2:28.60, in a new seasonal best for the junior Panther. Chico's Britta Bundy was also a double winner by taking the 1,600 in 5:39.23 and the 3,200 in 12:27.41. Freshman Sophie Sims took second to Bundy in the very tactical 1,600 by finishing in 5:39.40. I knew that today I had to get back mentally. I was taking it easy in preparation for sections and hopefully state," Bundy said. "This is one meet that I thought 'OK I can do this.'" The PV girls were led by Subrina Tuitele as she won the shot put in 36-4 1/2.

Corning High's Addie Galantine won the 300 hurdles in 48.51. The top finishers in each D-I event automatically qualify for the section championships held on May 17 at West Valley High in Cottonwood

BOYS

100: PV's Dante Jackson won with a PR in 10.97, followed by PV's Caleb Cooley (PR of 11.14) and Foothill's Riley Doyle, who set a PR in 11.21.

200: PV's Jackson won in 22.50 and Cooley finished with a PR inn 22.95 for second. Shasta's Josh Akana was third with a PR in 23.29.

400: Paradise's Jared Mackay won in 51.23, Foothill's Jayden Gordon was second in 52.52 and teammate Isaiah Putnam was third in 52.65. Enterprise's Jacob Garrett was fourth in 53.09, Foothill's Josiah Palumbo was fifth in 53.94 and Carlos Sanchez was sixth in 54.20.

800: Paradise's Patrick Roehling (2:00.28) edged Chico's Riley Farrell (2:00.50) for the D-I title. Enterprise's Garrett was third (2:01.30).

1,600: Chico's Charlie Giannini won in 4:27.70 and Enterprise's Nick Torres was second in 4:33.71.

3,200: Chico's Giannini won in 10:01.05 as the Panthers went 1-2-3 with Jaxon Leduc (10:01.90) second and Mario Giannini third (10:03.64). Shasta's Luke Bland was fourth in 10:09.97).

110 hurdles: Foothill's Dylan Northrup won in 14.83, followed by Chico's Noah Trento (PR of 15.32), Enterprise's Lucas Wright (15.74) and Foothill's Dustin Mast (PR of 16.75).

300 hurdles: Foothill's Northrup won in 40.01. Enterprise's Wright was second with a PR of 41.16 and the Hornets' Kye Carter was fourth with a PR of 43.08.

4×100 Relay: Foothill's team of Tyler Carey, Putnam, Doyle and Gordon edged PV with a photo-finish. Recorded time was Foothill with 42.67 and PV with 42.67 but the Cougars were credited with the win.

4×400 Relay: Paradise won in 3:22.50, besting Foothill's team of Putnam, Sanchez, Palumbo, and Gordon in 3:28.31. Enterprise's team of Khristian Clements, Garrett, Dixon Moore and Torres was third (3:34.85).

Shot put: Chico's Griffin Rhoads-Albert won in 46-8. Enterprise's Jayden Campbell was fourth with a PR of 43-5. Foothill's Jaden Arnold was fifth with a PR of 42-5.

Discus: Las Plumas' Jordan Knoefler won in 138-9. Enterprise's James Ziegler was fourth in 122-4 and Foothill's Tyler Doe was fifth in 122-0.

High Jump: Enterprise's Wright won with a PR jump of 6-4. PVs Cameron Nolen was second at 6-0. Foothill's Dawson Greene was fourth with a PR of 5-10 and Shasta's Nick Lindsay was fifth at 5-8.

Pole Vault: Las Plumas' Nicholas Small won with a PR of 14-6. Foothill's Layton Paloutzian was second with a PR of 14-0 and teammate Henry Humphrey was fourth at 11-6. Shasta's Lindsay was fifth (PR 11-0).

Long Jump: Paradise's Trevor Thurman won with a PR of 19-4.25 with Foothill taking second and third with Northrup (19-1) and Putnam (18-8).

Triple Jump: Foothill's Caleb Rowe won with a jump of 42-9. Enterprise's Wright was second with a PR of 42-4.

GIRLS

100: Shasta had the top two finishers with Arlene Garcia winning with a personal record of 12.82 seconds and Chloe Whitmire following her with a PR of 12.98. Foothill's Melody Wu was third (12.98).

200: Foothill's Wu won with a PR in 26.53. Foothill's Zoey Bishop was second with a PR of 26.72 and Shasta's Whitmore was third in 26.91.

400: Foothill's Bishop won with a PR of 1:00.22, beating Chico's Mary Blaugh (1:00.74) and Foothill's Grace Dudley (1:02.21).

800: Chico's Nahkia Clements won in 2:28.60. Enterprise's Caroline Forseth was second in 2:29.51.

1,600: Chico went one-two with Britta Bundy (5:39.23) and Sophie Sims (5:39.40). Foothill's Rize Oliveira was third (5:41.53).

3,200: Chico's Bundy won in 12:27.41, edging Foothill's Payton Osborne (12:28.15).

100 hurdles: Chico's Hailey Fune won with a PR of 14.62. Foothill had the next four finishers in Kira Porzio (17.04), Presley Hamilton (17.05), Savana Dutton (17.57) and Melissa Mitchell (17.86).

300 hurdles: Corning's Addie Galantine won in 48.51. Foothill's Dutton was third (49.64), Porzio was fourth (50.30) and Abigail Halverson was fifth (51.84).

4×100 Relay: Foothill's team of Sophie Porzio, Wu, Bishop and Teagan Richards won in 50.64, edging Chico (50.65). Shasta was fourth.

4×400 Relay: Foothill's team of Wu, Dudley, Richards and Bishop won in 4:08.54, edging Chico (4:09.70).

Shot put: Pleasant Valley's Subrina Tuitele won with a throw of 36 feet, 4.5 inches. Shasta's Julianna Flores was second with a PR of 34-4 and Enterprise's Arika Baxter was third (34-1).

Discus: Foothill's Kiana Emerson won in 124-7 and Shasta's Lilly MacMillan was second with a PR of 108-5.5.

High Jump: Foothill's Kira Porzio won with a jump of 5-4. The Cougars had the next three placers in Ella Lee (5-2) Jennifer Rhyne (5-2) and Rachel Wyhlidko (5-0).

Pole Vault: Foothill's Matteya Ruiz won, clearing 10-6. Shasta's Allaya Magee was second (9-6) and Foothill's Dudley was third (9-6).

Long Jump: Foothill's Kira Porzio won with a jump of 15-9 as the Cougars took the top four spots. Sophie Porzio was second (15-8.75), Dudley was third (15-8.75) and Lee was fourth (14-11.25). Shasta's Kaitlynn Cox was fifth (14-8).

Triple Jump: Chico's Hailey Fune won with a jump of 34-0.75. Shasta's Natalie Muse was second with a PR of 32-11. Foothill's Lee (32-6.25) and Ruiz (32-2.5) were third and fourth, respectively.