07.14.08
Posted in Schools, Championships, Taft, Olympics at 4:46 pm by Administrator
Dear Prospective Donor,
One of our own, Billy Nelson, is going to the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China to represent our community and the United States of American in the Track & Field games. That is an accomplishment to be lauded greatly in and of itself, as Billy has been a decorated athlete both from the Wildcats of Taft Union High School and for the Buffaloes of Colorado and is continuing those accomplishments well thereafter. However, the predicament does not lay with Billy, per say. Rather, it is in getting his family (his soon-to-be wife, Alisa, his one year-old daughter, Arabella, and his mother, Rhonda, & stepfather, Bill) to China to be with Billy during this monumental, yet extremely trying time in each of their lives. It is for this reason I am writing you in hopes of garnering your assistance in sending them to Beijing along with Billy.
After researching the costs involved (i.e. airfare, hotel stay, meals, and transportation - not to mention the costs of obtaining their required passports and tourist visas), we’ve determined it is going to cost upwards of $15,000 to send Alisa, Arabella, Rhonda and Bill to Beijing for the Olympic Games. Our goal is to raise at least $10,000 to aid them in this endeavor.
Therefore, it is with an extremely humble, yet gracious heart that we ask for you assistance in making their Olympic dream come true. It is not very often that our own town sends an athlete to represent not only us, but our entire country on the world’s largest and most prestigious stage. This journey will be rewarding, yet mentally and physically arduous nonetheless, which is why we’re striving to send Billy’s family with him to these Olympic Games.
Should you be interested in assisting us in any matter, please find our contact information attached, along with information regarding the fund to which donations can be made. Any and all donations will be greatly appreciated and duly recognized. This is an event which is not only for Billy and his family, but for our community as well - a fact which Billy had overtly stressed in our discussions in this regard.
In closing, on behalf of Billy and his family, we extend our most sincere gratitude - as it is with your help and generosities that we will make this dream a reality.
Kindest Regards,
Bill & Rhonda Blythe, Josh Bryant, Don Schock, and (most importantly) Billy, Alisa, and Arabella.
Contact Information:
Josh Bryant
661-477-3230 (cell)
661-765-3058 (Work Office, Direct)
joshuarobertbryant@hotmail.com
josharobertbryant@gmail.com
Don Schock
661-979-1549 (cell)
661-765-5330 (Work)
dschock_30@hotmail.com
don@genprod.com
Donations Can Be Made to the Following:
“The Billy Nelson Olympic Fund”
United Security Bank
523 Cascade Place
Taft, Ca 93268
(661) 763-5151
We’re selling commemorative and supportive T-shorts to raise funds for Billy & his family! T-shirt’s are being prepared and distributed courtesy of Pride Athletics here in Taft for $15.00 each, IN ANY SIZE, with $10 from each shirt going to the fund and the rest covering the cost of the shirts themselves! Please give the Dayton’s a big hug & ‘Thank You” for their support while you’re buying your shirt, supporting our hometown hero, and supporting this great cause! Orders can be placed by contacting those above or by going directly to Pride Athletics, or by calling them at the number below.
Pride Athletics
716 Center St.
Taft, Ca 93268
(661) 765 - 9194
We’ll also be holding a car wash (or two) to help raise funds. Please contact us for more details.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT AND HELP - WE APPRECIATE IT!!!!
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06.27.08
Posted in Schools, Championships, Kern Track Results, Track Meets, Upcoming, BHS, CSUB, Shafter, Taft, Olympics, Bakersfield at 5:53 am by Administrator
Men’s 110m Hurdles
Thomas Mack University of California, Berkeley Berkeley, CA 13.74 - BAKERSFIELD HS
Men’s 3000m Steeplechase
William Nelson University of Colorado Longmont, CO 8:28.85 - TAFT HS (CE)
Men’s Shot Put
Chris Figures unattached Bakersfield, CA 20.38 - SOUTH HS (BAK)
Men’s Hammer Throw
Arnaldo Cueto unattached Bakersfield, CA 68.50 - CAL ST BAKERSFIELD - HS ??
Women’s Discus Throw
Rachel Varner unattached Bakersfield, CA 56.72 - BAKERSFIELD HS
Anastasia Jelmini unattached Bakersfield, CA 56.06 - SHAFTER HS
Cecilia Barnes unattached Bakersfield, CA 61.99 - CLOVIS WEST HS (FRESNO
california preps at the olympic trials HERE
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06.21.08
Posted in Profiles, Athletes, Schools, Kern Track Results, Foothill, Shafter, Taft, North, Golden Valley, Liberty, Stockdale, Centennial, South, Rankings, Track, Garces, Frontier, Burroughs, Bakersfield, Bakersfield Christian at 7:04 am by Administrator
2008 All-Area girls track and field selections
The Bakersfield Californian | Friday, Jun 20 2008 8:35 PM
Last Updated: Friday, Jun 20 2008 8:51 PM
Athlete of the Year
ANNA JELMINI
Shafter, junior
– Dominated California with 169-4 discus and 48-3.5 shot put throws
– Could have won both state championships with any of her shot throws and three of her discus throws
– Despite the state’s best competition, easily won area and section meets
– Fired a 183-11 at Salinas for a provisional Olympic Trials qualifying mark
ALANA ALEXANDER
Centennial, junior
– Qualified for state finals in long jump and triple jump, finishing seventh and ninth
– Central Section champion in triple jump with 38-3.75
– Was top three in four different Southwest Yosemite League events: third in 100 hurdles, second in 300 hurdles, long jump and triple jump champion
ALEX COLLATZ
Stockdale, freshman
– Perhaps area’s most versatile athlete, she qualified for state in discus and triple jump
– Finished fourth in state discus finals with throw of 150-3
– Best discus mark of 159-4 ranked in nation’s top 10 and was No. 8 freshman throw in state history
– Ended state triple-jump run in 17th place
TAYLOR JACKSON
Frontier, sophomore
– Dominated hurdles in Kern County, with best time in 100 and 300 by nearly a second
– Was second in 300 hurdles and third in 100 hurdles at section meet and finished in state’s top 25 in both
– Double champion at league and area meets
AMANDA KLINCHUCH
Liberty, junior
– Area’s premier pole vaulter cleared season-best 11-6 at Central Section meet, finishing second in a vault-off
– Hit 11-3 in state prelims to finish in a tie for 13th, one spot from a vault-off for the finals
– Won South Area meet by nearly three feet
KAYLA KOVAR
Burroughs, junior
– Threw better than 150 in discus five times at state meet, finishing third with 154-10 in finals
– Finished second in Southern Section with 153-1
– Season-high throw of 157-8 in state prelims ranks top 10 in nation
ASHLEE THOMAS
Centennial, senior
– South Area champion in 800 and second in 400
– Fourth in section in 800 (2:19.77) and seventh in 400 (58.90)
– Southwest Yosemite League champion in both events
CAREY TUUAMALEMALO
Taft, senior
– Qualified for state meet in discus with 130-9 throw at section meet
– Finished 13th in state prelims with 128-1 throw
– Led Wildcats to South Sequoia League team title with top-three finishes in both throwing events
BRUSHAY WANDICK
Bakersfield, junior
– Triple champion at area meet, winning 400 relay, 100 and 200
– After narrowly missing state in 400 relay and 100 (fourth in both), finished third in 200 meters in 24.69
– Finished 21st in state, running a 25.60Second team
SECOND TEAM
Shanea Anderson, Stockdale
Sarah Baker, Bakersfield
Candace Carlson, North
Shinead McDonald, Bakersfield
Melissa Merrill, Bakersfield Christian
Monica Morley, Centennial
Cassandra Salazar, Shafter
Erica Wilcox, Liberty
HONORABLE MENTION
Boron: Morgan Frier
Foothill: Natalie Fernandez
Frontier: Kirby Ellis, Halle Meadows
Garces: Monica Guzman, Kelly Hosey, Victoria Riley
Golden Valley: Shanesha Epps
Rosamond: Jasmine Moore
South: Candice Nichols
Stockdale: Jenise Anderson
Taft: Bryanna Bacot
Shafter’s Jelmini named All-Area Girls Track and Field Athlete of the Year
BY ZACH EWING, Californian staff writer
zewing@bakersfield.com | Friday, Jun 20 2008 10:33 PM
Last Updated: Friday, Jun 20 2008 10:53 PM
Everything Anna Jelmini did this year — from the undefeated season to the 183-11 discus throw to, of course, the double state championship — can be traced back to a crowded, noisy Body Xchange gym on Calloway Drive and the next set of weights.
“Every time it got hard,” Jelmini said, “I thought of the state meet. Then I kept working harder.”
That singular determination in the fall made the spring’s competitions a formality. Jelmini went unbeaten — and never really was tested — in winning state championships in the shot put and discus.
The Shafter junior, who single-handedly lifted the Generals to fourth place in the state, is an easy choice for The Californian’s Girls Track and Field Athlete of the Year.
Jelmini herself can tell you how dominant she was with a story of how other throwers treated her — if you don’t mind her blushing.
“Everyone was really nice, and they’re like, ‘If you want to see real throwing, look at her,’” Jelmini said. “It sounds weird hearing them say that.”
Competitors so impressed they turned into fans? Yowza.
“I didn’t expect to come out and dominate right away; I had to work after it,” Jelmini said. “But once I was up there, I just continued to work to stay up there.”
“Up there” meant having top-5 marks nationally in both events, and, after a mid-season trip to Salinas, the No. 1 mark in the discus, a spectacular 183-11 that sent her into the Central Section record books and allows her to compete in this month’s U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Ore.
“It was unreal,” Jelmini said of the big throw. “It was amazing. I was like, ‘Was that me? Did that really go that far?’”
Salinas is famous for its windy discus arena, often propelling throwers to big marks, but Jelmini is no fluke. She won the state discus crown with a throw of 169-4 (no one within eight feet) and the shot put title with a 48-3.5 (winner by more than five feet). She had a discus throw well past 180 at state, but it was a foul by inches.
“She is very athletic, she’s very responsive, she picks things up well and she’s very quickly able to adjust,” Shafter throwing coach Matt Godbehere said.
Godbehere or his wife, former Bakersfield High and UCLA great Dawn Dumble, have been coaching Jelmini since she was in grade school. After she finished fourth in the discus and seventh in the shot at last year’s state finals, he primed for a breakout junior season.
“We sat down last summer and discussed goals and how we were going to get there,” Godbehere said. “Based on that conversation, we set a schedule for training. … Numbers I wanted in the weight room that I was shooting for this time of year, she was doing it in the fall.
“From the get-go, she stayed way ahead of the curve. It was exciting.”
Now, Jelmini has bigger meets in mind than even the state. She won the discus Friday at the USA Junior Outdoor Championships in Columbus, Ohio, and will compete in the shot put today. Next is the World Junior Championships July 8-13 in Poland — and the Olympic trials.
When she’s done with that, she’ll come back to Shafter, Bakersfield and Body Xchange and continue working on a career that already has her on the short list of Kern County greats.
“It seems like those other people are on a whole different pedestal,” Jelmini said. “But it’s pretty cool that I’m up there with them.”
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05.15.08
Posted in Schools, Championships, Valley, Grand Masters, Kern Track Results, Foothill, BHS, Shafter, Taft, North, Stockdale, Centennial, Ridgeview, Race Summary, Frontier, Noise Flash!!! at 9:39 am by Administrator
Locals claim 10 titles in Masters track meet
Foothill’s Ragans, Shafter’s Jelmini sweep weight events
BY ZACH EWING, Californian staff writer
zewing@bakersfield.com | Wednesday, May 14 2008 11:31 PM
Last Updated: Wednesday, May 14 2008 11:41 PM
North High’s Anthony Mitchell shed the 400-meter race from his duties at last week’s Central Section South Area meet, preferring to concentrate on the 800.
The decision paid off Wednesday at the section Grand Masters meet, with Mitchell winning a championship in 1:54.19. But afterward, Mitchell was thinking back to his choice.
“I should have ran the 400, too,” he said, his mouth spreading into a grin. “Just from watching that race, I knew I could have done well.”
Mitchell’s 800 conquest was one of 10 section championships for Kern County, a run highlighted by double victories by Foothill thrower Dayshan Ragans, Foothill distance runner Chris Schwartz and Shafter thrower Anna Jelmini.
Team standings were unavailable at press time because of a scoring error, but it appeared Fresno-Central won the boys title and Clovis West easily took the girls. Foothill was in the boys’ top three, and Centennial’s girls were fourth.
Ragans, after launching a couple of discus throws around 210 feet in warm-ups, settled for a 199-2 and a second straight section title. He threw 60-7 in the shot put for an easy repeat victory there also.
“I felt good in both events,” Ragans said. “I feel I could be better, but I’m happy with my performance.”
As for Jelmini, she actually seemed slightly disappointed in her discus-shot put double victory. She threw 162-5 in the discus and 44-0.75 in the shot but felt she could have done better.
“There’s a couple things I need to work on, and I think I’ll have it,” Jelmini said.
As for Schwartz, he won two close races, the 1,600 in 4:15.80 and the 3,200 in 9:24.19. Schwartz, the state’s Division I cross country champion, said he had to slow himself down early in the two-mile race to keep a good pace. He was thrilled with the results.
“There’s state, the 9:01 (a PR in the 3,200), I tripled at league, and then here,” Schwartz said. “That’s four good things I’ve done this year.”
Schwartz, along with the two local throwers who own the best marks in California, have been turning in these kinds of performances all season long. Contrast that with Ridgeview triple jumper Johnny Carter, a freshman who came from near anonymity — his best mark of the season came in a frosh/soph meet — to be a section champion. He led the Wolf Pack’s 1-3 finish in the event with a personal-record 48-3.
“I’m just blessed to have the talent,” Carter said. “It’s only my second year jumping.”
Ridgeview’s Chris Kelly was third in 46-11.5. Shafter’s Tyler Thompson finished second in 47-3.
Bakersfield High’s 400 relay team opened the meet by edging Clovis East for the section championship in 42.28. The Drillers then closed running festivities with a surprise third-place finish in the 1,600, behind only section leaders Fresno-Edison and Liberty. Their time was a personal record by about three seconds (3:20.06).
“I knew it was going to be close coming in” Bakersfield High coach Steven Anderson said. “And just looking at our times, I had a guy I thought could be quicker.”
The other local section champ is Centennial’s Alana Alexander, who used an early 38-3.75 triple jump to edge Clovis’s Jenna Prandini by three-quarters of an inch. Alexander had to wait until the end to know she was a champion for sure; Prandini ended the competition with a 38-0.
The top three finishers in each event move on to the state finals May 30-31 at Cerritos College in Norwalk. There are also two statewide wild cards who will qualify — the best marks from any athlete not in a qualifying position.
Among notable local qualifiers:
* Versatile Isiah Purvis of Liberty, who lost the 400 in the final 20 meters, finishing five-hundreths of a second (with a 49.13) behind Edison’s Maurice Lewis, but then ran an astounding anchor leg of the 1,600 relay. He was hand-timed at a 47.6 and nearly erased Edison’s big lead in the race. In between, Purvis placed second in the 200 (21.96).
* BHS sprinter Brushay Wandick, after seeing her 400 relay team finish fourth and finishing in fourth in the 100 by one-hundreth of a second (12.01 to a 12.00 from Fresno-Bullard’s Lynn Williams), rebounded to earn a state qualification in the 200. She finished third in 24.69.
* Frontier’s Taylor Jackson, a sophomore who qualified in both the 100 and 300 hurdles. She finished third in the 100 (15.04) and second in the 300 (44.86).
* Stockdale freshman Alex Collatz, who also finished fourth in the triple jump, was part of a 1-2-3 Kern County finish in the discus. Jelmini was first, Collatz second (148-6) and Taft’s Carey Tuuamalemalo third (130-9).
* Centennial’s high finish in the girls team race was buoyed by plenty of high finishes, but the Golden Hawks had just one state qualifier: Alana Alexander, who was third in the long jump (17-6.75) before holding off Prandini in the triple.
* Shafter’s Tyler Thompson also qualified in the long jump and triple jump, finishing second in both.
Ridgeview’s Chris Kelly soars during one of his triple jumps at the section meet at Liberty Wednesday. Ridgeview’s Johnny Carter gets air during one of his triple jumps during the section meet at Liberty High Wednesday afternoon. Just a freshman, Carter and teammate Chris Kelly had the two best jumps heading into the competition.
Centennial’s Alana Alexander lands after one of her long jumps at Wednesday’s section track and field championships at Liberty High.
Chris Schwartz of Foothill had the eighth best qualifying time in the 1,600, but pulled away from top qualifier Jonathan Sanchez to win the event at the Central Section track and field championships Wednesday.
BHS anchor Johnny Norwood takes off after receiving the baton from teammate Jerek Johnson during the 4×100 relay at Wednesday’s Central Section Grand Masters. At left is Stockdale anchor Brandon Henderson (with baton) and teammate Adam Lewis.
Isiah Purvis of Liberty was so close to victory in the boys 400 meters, but Edison’s Maurice Lewis closed in the final yards to win the race. Stockdale’s Daniel Lozano (not pictured) was third.
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Posted in Driller of the Week, Schools, Boys, Girls, Championships, Grand Masters, Kern Track Results, Track Meets, Upcoming, McFarland, Foothill, Results, BHS, Wasco, Shafter, Taft, North, East, Golden Valley, Liberty, Stockdale, Centennial, Delano, South, West, Ridgeview, Highland, Driller Noise, Garces, South Area, Frontier, Tehachapi, Burroughs, Noise Flash!!!, Bakersfield, Bakersfield Christian at 6:28 am by Administrator
Central Section Grand Masters
At Liberty
Team standings–unavailable.
400 relay–1. Bakersfield (Hunt, Turner, Johnson, Norwood), 42.28; 2. Clovis East (Bourbon, Scott, Smith, Woods), 42.58; 3. Redwood (Stewart, Ray, Root, Coles), 43.07; 4. Central (Newsome, Bigelow, Hammack, Phillips), 43.15. 1,600–1. Chris Schwartz, Foot, 4:15.80; 2. Jonathan Sanchez, Buch, 4:17.48; 3. Eric Battles, CW, 4:20.34; 4. Jesse Arellano, Mad, 4:21.56. 110H–1. Ethan DeJongh, MtW, 14.49; 2. Sean Johnson, Buch, 14.66; 3. Jon Funch, CW, 14.81; 4. Isiah Crunk, Wash, 15.17. 400–1. Maurice Lewis, Ed, 49.08; 2. Isiah Purvis, Lib, 49.13; 3. Daniel Lozano, Stock, 49.35; 4. Jelani Hendrix, Ed, 49.62. 100–1. Brendon Bigelow, Central, 10.62; 2. Emmanuel Turner, Bak, 10.81; 3. Matt Sumlin, Gar, 10.91; 4. Chris Lopez, GW, 10.98. 800–1. Anthony Mitchell, North, 1:54.19; 2. Aric Champagne, MtW, 1:54.97; 3. Andrew Campbell, CW, 1:55.69; 4. Arturo Ramirez, Centennial, 1:55.83. 300H–1. DeJongh, MtW, 37.93; 2. Cody Alves, Sel, 37.94; 3. James Smith, CE, 39.03; 4. Sean Johnson, Buch, 39.28. 200–1. Brendon Bigelow, Central, 21.29; 2. Isiah Purvis, Lib, 21.96; 3. Mario Navarette, Sanger, 22.04; 4. Chris Lopez, GW, 22.29. 3,200–1. Chris Schwartz, Foot, 9:24.19; 2. Jonathan Sanchez, Buch, 9:24.99; 3. Jon Ross, CE, 9:26.42; 4. Danny Vartanien, Buch, 9:26.42. 1,600 relay–1. Edison (Hendrix, Carter, Boughton, Lewis), 3:17.86; 2. Liberty (Hill, Garside, Affentranger, Purvis), 3:18.95; 3. Bakersfield (Miller, Turner, Johnson, Gooden), 3:20.06; 4. Clovis East (Ellis, Defonska, Woods, Smith), 3:22.40. PV–1. Andrew Lohse, Mad, 15-0; 2. Michael Peterson, CE, 15-0J; 3. Jeff Brenner, Cl, 14-6; 4. Frankie Puente, Sel, 14-0. SP–1. Dayshan Ragans, Foot, 60-7; 2. Matt Darr, Fron, 52-8.75; 3. Troy Rush, CW, 52-8.5; 4. Christian Millard, CE, 51-10.5. TJ–1. Johnny Carter, Ridge, 48-3; 2. Tyler Thompson, Shaf, 47-3; 3. Chris Kelly, Ridge, 46-11.5; 4. Jordan Smith, Central, 46-10.5. D–1. Dayshan Ragans, Foot, 199-2; 2. Jacob Budwig, Fowl, 168-8; 3. Niko Gomes, Cl, 164-10; 4. Matt Darr, Fron, 157-7. LJ–1. Kenny Phillips, Central, 23-4; 2. Tyler Thompson, Shaf, 21-11.5; 3. Dillon Root, Red, 21-11; 4. Kevin Norwood, GV, 21-8.75. HJ–1. Kenny Phillips, Central, 6-8; 2. Isiah Griggs, Bak, 6-6; 3. George Robbins, West, 6-4; 4. Jeff Brenner, Cl, 6-4J.
Notes: Top three in each event advance to state meet, May 30-31 in Norwalk. The two wild cards with the best times/marks from all sections also advance.
Girls track
Central Section Grand Masters
At Liberty
Team standings–unavailable.
400 relay–1. Edison (Eng, Scott, Thompson, Sears), 47.16; 2. Bullard (J. Williams, Riddlesprigger, Baisch, L. Williams), 48.17; 3. Tulare Western, 48.73; 4. Bakersfield (Torres, Belt, Brown, Wandick), 48.80. 1,600–1. Saleh Barsarian, Cl, 5:02.98; 2. Meghan Marvin, Cl, 5:03.02; 3. Chloe Allen, CW, 5:04.62; 4. Allison Gonzales, Ex, 5:11.52; 100H–1. Alyssa Monteverde, CW, 14.59; 2. Brianny Williams, Ed, 14.60; 3. Taylor Jackson, Fr, 15.04; 4. Jen Melton, CW, 15.37. 400–1. Breanna Thompson, Ed, 56.64; 2. Dedrea Wyrik, Sun, 57.49; 3. Lasasha Aldredge, Central, 58.12; 4. Taylor Donaldson, Reed, 58.13. 100–1. Megan Del Pino, CW, 11.66; 2. Jenna Prandini, Cl, 11.74; 3. Lynn Williams, Bul, 12.00; 4. Brushay Wandick, Bak, 12.01. 800–1. Allysa Mejia, Reed, 2:17.47; 2. Molly Pahkamaa, ElD, 2:17.73; 3. Katie Fry, Ex, 2:18.74; 4. Ashlee Thomas, Centennial, 2:19.77. 300H–1. Alyssa Monteverde, CW, 43.92; 2. Taylor Jackson, Fron, 44.86; 3. Brianny Williams, Ed, 45.69; 4. Alana Alexander, Centennial, 46.12. 200–1. Megan Del Pino, CW, 23.94; 2. Dominique Whittington, Lem, 24.65; 3. Brushay Wandick, Bak, 24.69; 4. Breanna Thompson, Ed, 24.90. 3,200–1. Jordan Hasay, MP, 10:24.78; 2. Meghan Marvin, Cl, 10:59.96; 3. Chloe Allen, CW, 11:06.19; 4. Corina Mendoza, Mad, 11:32.06. 1,600 relay–1. Edison (Burk, Thompson, Scott, Smith), 3:54.89; 2. Stockdale (Cady, Anderson, Mello, S. Anderson), 3:58.26; 3. Clovis West (Laidley, Capriotti, Del Pino, Monteverde), 3:59.02; 4. Reedley, 3:59.07. D–1. Anna Jelmini, Shaf, 162-5; 2. Alex Collatz, Stock, 148-6; 3. Carey Tuuamalemalo, Taft, 130-9; 4. Janae Coffee, CW, 121-6. LJ–1. Jenna Prandini, Cl, 18-7.25; 2. Lynn Williams, Bul, 18-0.75; 3. Alana Alexander, Centennial, 17-6.75; 4. Ja’Nia Sears, Ed, 17-6.5. HJ–1. Alyssa Monteverde, CW, 5-4; 2. Cristina Muro, GW, 5-2; 3. Katherine Mahr, Buch, 5-2; 4. Marish Riddlesprigger, Bul, 5-2J. SP–1. Anna Jelmini, Shaf, 44-0.75; 2. Destanie Yarbrough, CE, 37-10; 3. Heather Vermillion, Red, 37-9; 4. Tasha Firstone, CW, 36-6.5. TJ–1. Alana Alexander, Centennial, 38-3.75; 2. Jenna Prandini, Cl, 38-3; 3. Goziam Okolie, 36-10.5; 4. Alex Collatz, Stock, 36-2. PV–1. Allison Berryhill, CW, 11-6; 2. Amanda Klinchuch, Lib, 11-6J; 3. Cheree Jones, King, 10-6; 4. Emily Falkenstein, Buch, 10-6J.
Notes: Top three in each event advance to state meet, May 30-31 in Norwalk. The two wild cards with the best times/marks from all sections also advance.
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05.14.08
Posted in Profiles, Coaches, Athletes, Schools, Championships, Valley, Grand Masters, College, Signings, Track Meets, Upcoming, McFarland, Foothill, Results, CSUB, Wasco, Shafter, Taft, North, East, Golden Valley, Liberty, Stockdale, Centennial, South, West, Ridgeview, Highland, Garces, Frontier, Tehachapi, Burroughs, Noise Flash!!!, Bakersfield at 6:47 am by Administrator
Today’s (May 14) Central Section Grand Masters Track and Field Meet glance
The Bakersfield Californian | Tuesday, May 13 2008 11:07 PM
Last Updated: Tuesday, May 13 2008 11:12 PM
CIF Central Section Grand Masters
Where: Liberty High School
Directions: From Rosedale Highway, take Calloway Drive south. Turn right on Brimhall Road, left on Jewetta Avenue and immediately right on Patrick Henry Drive.
Advancement: Top three boys and girls in each event qualify for CIF State Championships, May 30-31 at Cerritos College in Norwalk.
Non-weight events glance
Sprints
Boys favorites: Fresno-Central’s Brendon Bigelow in both the 100 and 200 meters. Hanford West’s Vontrail Love could challenge in the 100, as could Liberty’s Isiah Purvis in the 200. Bakersfield High and Clovis East are the teams to beat in the 400 relay.
Locals to watch: Purvis is a real threat in the 200, and Bakersfield’s Emmanuel Turner (boys) and Brushay Wandick (girls) are coming on strong in the 100.
Middle distance
Boys favorites: North’s Anthony Mitchell has the section’s best times in the 400 and 800, but he didn’t run at the 400 in last week’s South Area meet, choosing to focus on the longer race. Expect him to win it. Liberty’s Purvis, Stockdale’s Daniel Lozano and Clovis-Buchanan’s James Smith could fill the void in the 400.
Locals to watch: Mitchell, Lozano and Purvis, plus the Liberty 1,600 relay team, which was fourth in state last year and leads the section by nearly two seconds. On the girls side, Ashlee Thomas of Centennial has a chance in the 800 and Stockdale’s relay team will be close.
Distance events
Boys favorites: Foothill’s Chris Schwartz wasn’t the Division I state cross country champion for no reason. He has the best 3,200 time in the section by 22 seconds. He’ll take on Eric Battles of Clovis West and Jonathan Sanchez of Clovis-Buchanan in the 1,600.
Girls favorites: Can you say Hasay? It would be the shock of the meet if San Luis Obispo-Mission Prep phenom Joran Hasay didn’t win both events. The junior leads the nation with a 1,600 time of 4:42.50 and a 3,200 time of 10:03.07.
Locals to watch: Besides Schwartz, keep an eye on North’s Cody Gragg and Candace Carlson.
Hurdles
Locals to watch: With a good day, Taylor Jackson could give Frontier its first section title. On the boys side, East’s Eddie Morrow is a threat in the 300 hurdles.
Jumps
Locals to watch: The Ridgeview boys duo of Chris Kelly and Johnny Carter hold the section’s best two triple jump marks. Collatz also is a freshman phenom in the triple.
– Zach Ewing
High school track and field: FLYIN’ HIGH
Foothill’s Ragans, Shafter’s Jelmini are two of the top high school throwers in nation
BY ZACH EWING * CALIFORNIAN STAFF WRITER
zewing@bakersfield.com | Tuesday, May 13 2008 11:13 PM
Last Updated: Tuesday, May 13 2008 11:22 PM
On the surface, Anna Jelmini of Shafter and Dayshan Ragans of Foothill High are easy to lump together. After all, each of them represents the next harvest of Kern County’s incredible throwing crop, the next local able to throw a shot put or a discus farther than almost anyone in the country. Each is a heavy favorite at today’s Central Section championships at Liberty. Presuming they advance, Jelmini and Ragans likely will enter the state championships May 30-31 at Cerritos College in Norwalk with the best marks in California in both throwing events.
Foothill High’s Dayshan Ragans is a favorite to win the discus and shot put and today’s Central Section championships at Liberty.
They also have a presence on national top-10 lists — Jelmini has the nation’s best high school girls discus throw and the fifth-best shot put mark, and Ragans is fifth on the boys discus list.
“To be able to do something like that is pretty amazing,” said Alan Collatz, head track and field coach at Cal State Bakersfield and one of the forefathers of Kern County’s throwing success. “I mean, you know, all across the nation, they train just hard. So for someone out of this area, out of Kern County, to be so high on the list, it’s something special. It doesn’t happen all the time, that’s for sure.”
But you don’t have to dig very deep to learn that though Jelmini and Ragans have ended up in the same place, their backgrounds are about as dissimilar as can be.
It’s like a reverse fork in the road.
Just really blessed
Anna Jelmini’s entry into Kern County throwing lore started in the fourth grade at an after-school program. The earliest kids are allowed to throw the discus is fifth grade, so she started that a year later.
Her coaching has also been some of the best Kern County has to offer — and that’s pretty darn good coaching.
Dawn Dumble-Godbehere, a former state champion at Bakersfield High and NCAA champion at UCLA, started working with Jelmini in the sixth grade. John Rexroth spelled Dumble while she was pregnant during Jelmini’s seventh-grade year.
Dumble was impressed, and Jelmini was on her way.
“Anna’s always been real athletic,” said her dad, Rick Jelmini. “She’s a basketball player, been a swimmer for a long time, could have even played volleyball. (Dumble) will just tell you Anna picks things up really fast. She kind of converted Anna to a spin style, and she has good balance and things like that.”
Now coached at Shafter by Dumble’s husband, Matt Godbehere, Anna Jelmini has blossomed into a technically sound, self-analyzing thrower.
“(The success) hasn’t really sunk in yet,” Jelmini said. “Bakersfield has had some really great throwers. I’m just really blessed. I’m just trying to work hard.”
Last year, as a sophomore, Jelmini was fourth in the state in the discus (throwing a 153-5) and seventh in the shot put (41-11.5). Either of those places would be considered a disappointment this year, considering Jelmini has the best discus mark (183-11) in the state by more than 24 feet and the best shot mark (49-2.5) by about 41/2 feet.
Her 183-11 discus throw at the Bill Kearney Invitational in Salinas on April 19 set a Central Section record and equaled the fourth-best throw ever by an American high schooler.
“She’s been working really hard in the last three years, and she’s really seeing the dividends this year,” Godbehere said. “She loves to throw, she’s aware of what it’s going to take for her to get better and she’s willing to put in the work to do that.”
Jelmini isn’t yet sure where she’ll attend college, but throwing has been a huge part of her life thus far, and that will almost certainly continue.
“Sometimes you see kids sign (with a college) their senior year, and then you just don’t see their names anymore,” said Rick Jelmini, who said the family has returned more than 30 questionnaires to Division I colleges. “But Anna’s never satisfied. She’s not going to get burned out.”
The four-leaf clover
Dayshan Ragans probably won’t get burned out either, at least not any time soon. He’s only been throwing for three years.
Nope, that’s not a typo. Ragans was plucked out of his freshman P.E. class at Foothill because he was the first student ever to out-throw track coach Joe Cooper.
It didn’t take long for Ragans to figure out that throwing is what he wanted to do. Wayne Brewer — like Godbehere, a former CSUB thrower — came to Foothill before Ragans’ sophomore year and has groomed him into the state’s premier high school thrower.
“We were lucky to get him,” Brewer said. “It was like finding a four-leaf clover. Seriously, he’s so raw. He hasn’t even been throwing four years.”
But he is strong, especially in his lower body. Ragans can squat 500 pounds and hang-clean more than 300. And to boot, Brewer said Ragans soaks up information better than anyone he’s coached.
“Genetics has a lot to do with it,” Brewer said. “But he’s like a sponge. I can tell him something, and he goes out and does it. No questions asked.”
Ragans took second in the state in the discus last season but fouled out in the shot put finals. This year, he has a 20-foot cushion in the discus with a 203-7 over the next-best throw and a better-than-two-foot margin in the shot put with a 63-4.75.
Ragans has had to come on quickly to the sport, but he also has extra motivation for excelling.
He’s signed to continue the county’s throwing pipeline at CSUB next year, and he’s counting the days till the state meet — not only because those dates represent his goal in throwing, but because it’s the day he can move away from home.
Ragans said his family life can be difficult and that throwing offers an escape. He declined to speak specifically, other than to say, “I don’t want to be another statistic.
“I wake up, and it’s just like a countdown,” he said. “It’s going to be like a new beginning, coming into a new world.”
Meanwhile, a double state championship, obviously, isn’t out of the question.
“My goal is breaking that state record,” Ragans said. “… I have a lot of fun throwing. I went out, and I didn’t realize I what I was capable of.”
The paths converge
Shafter is a smaller school than Foothill, so the schools have different travel plans and often compete in separate divisions. But today, at the section finals at Liberty, Jelmini’s and Ragan’s roads come together again.
They’ll be joined by yet another Kern County thrower of the future in Stockdale’s Alex Collatz, who owns a Central Section record with a 159-4 discus throw as a freshman — that’s behind only Jelmini in the state and is third in the nation.
In the Southern Section, Burroughs junior Kayla Kovar has top-five marks in the state in both throwing events.
“This area is amazing for throws,” said Scott Semar, who coached Collatz at CSUB in the mid-1980s and then oversaw the golden era of Kern County throwing at Bakersfield High from 1987-91.
Young Alex Collatz is a prime example of the area’s recurring success. Collatz’s father is the same Alan Collatz who coaches at CSUB.
Alan Collatz and Semar have helped produce dozens of state-, national- and even world-class throwers from the county, not to mention half of the throwing coaches at Bakersfield high schools.
“It has been very successful here for many, many years, and a lot of it started with Scott Semar when he was out here,” Alan Collatz said. “Then I came out here. Throwers tend to come here. We’ve been lucky, and they’ve worked hard and gone out in the community.”
And groomed prodigious athletes like Ragans and Jelmini. And there we go lumping them together again. It’s not hard. Heck, they even use the same, spinning, style.
But Collatz is wary of pronouncing Ragans and Jelmini so similar.
“You can look at the 10 best throwers in the United States, and they all do something different,” Collatz said. “None of them are the same. This guys starts a little lower, or this guy is more upright, this guy sweeps a little wider. There is no one way.
“… But one is (Jelmini and Ragans) are hard workers. Two is they’re strong athletes. And three is they’re well-coached. You put hard work with physical abilities with good technical coaching, and you’re going to be successful.”
Different methods, different paths, very similar results. And Kern County has two more extraordinary throwers.
“There has been a lot of great throwing over the years,” Godbehere said. “… A lot of people have taken interest in throws. Is it the athletes or the coaching? Probably a combination of all of it.”
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05.01.08
Posted in Schools, Championships, Kern Track Results, Track Meets, Upcoming, Results, Wasco, Shafter, Taft, Arvin, Tehachapi, Bakersfield Christian, SSL at 7:02 am by Administrator
South Sequoia League Championships
At Cal State Bakersfield
Boys
Team standings–Shafter 188, Tehachapi 96, Taft 88, Bakersfield Christian 46, Arvin 36, Wasco 36.
400 relay–Tehachapi (Roemer, Strauss, Olofson, Davis), 45.24; 1,600–Snider, Te, 4:36.8; 110 hurdles–Wemberly, W, 16.06; 400–Botts, Ta, 51.27; 100–Ames, S, 11.47; 800–Snider, Te, 2:05.52; 300 hurdles–Williams, A, 43.08; 200–T. Thompson, 22.93; 3,200–Wittenberg, S, 10:16.3; 1,600 relay–Shafter (V. Rodriguez, Barrios, Giles, D. Rodriguez), 3:34.03; SP–Laird, BC, 48-3.5; D–A. Thompson, S, 139-5.5; HJ–T. Thompson, S, 6-2; PV–Valencia, W, 11-0; LJ–T. Thompson, S, 21-4; TJ–T. Thompson, S, 46-11.
Girls
Team standings–Taft 182, Shafter 114, Tehachapi 79, Bakersfield Christian 74, Arvin 43, Wasco 0.
400 relay–Tehachapi (Tildahll, Fechner, Evans, Danielson), 52.45; 1,600–Salazar, S, 5:27.12; 100 hurdles–Merrill, BC, 16.61; 400–Merrill, BC, 1:00.44; 100–Fechner, Te, 13.54; 800–Thompson, Ta, 2:28.31; 300 hurdles–Merrill, BC, 46.82; 200–Cornajo, Ta, 28.16; 3,200–Salazar, S, 12:34.1; 1,600 relay–Taft (Megee, Cornejo, Thompson, Swope), 4:21.18; SP–Jelmini, S, 47-0.5; D–Jelmini, S, 169-0; HJ–Devereaux, Te, 4-8; PV–Doak, Ta, 8-6; LJ–Merrill, BC, 14-0.25; TJ–Smth, BC, 32-2.25.
F/S–Taft 177, Wasco 137, Tehachapi 86, Arvin 47, Bakersfield Christian 0, Shafter 0.
Shafter boys get 4 wins by Thompson, unexpected victory in 100 from Ames
BY ZACH EWING, Californian staff writer
zewing@bakersfield.com | Wednesday, Apr 30 2008 11:37 PM
Last Updated: Wednesday, Apr 30 2008 11:40 PM
There certainly were bigger stars for Shafter’s track and field team on its way to the South Sequoia League boys title.
But to run away with the meet, the Generals needed some big points they didn’t expect. Enter Joseph Ames.
Ames came from the seventh seed to win the 100-meter dash in 11.47 and set personal records in the triple jump and long jump to place in the top four in both events Wednesday.
“I didn’t do anything special,” Ames said. “One of those days. My coach said, before you run the 100, get your jumps in. And I went out there and jumped.”
As for the biggest scorer, Tyler Thompson won four events — the 200 (22.93), high jump (6-2), long jump (21-4) and triple jump (46-11) to help Shafter accumulate 188 points. Tehachapi was second in the boys standings with 96 and Taft third with 88.
“Tyler had a good day,” Shafter coach Dirk McJunkin said. “And the kids we’ve asked to step up in four events at a championship meet were good. Those types of things are pretty impressive.”
The biggest story on the girls side, of course, was Shafter junior Anna Jelmini, who started her path toward what could be a dual state championship.
Shafter throwing coach Matt Godbehere said Jelmini hasn’t backed off her weight training at all, and so he didn’t automatically expect excellent marks from her.
Try a 47-0.5 in the shot put — Jelmini’s second-best throw ever — and a solid 169-0 in the discus, both winning marks.
“That’s a big double,” Godbehere said. “… It’s not necessarily that we want to bust out or anything, but just be solid. Be consistent.”
Jelmini — and the rest of each event’s top 18 — move on to the small-school area meet next week at Exeter.
“It’s the test of how you’ve been doing all season,” Jelmini said. “I’m not starting to back off yet on my lifting, but I think this is a good stepping stone.”
Taft posted a strong victory in the girls team standings, posting a 182 to Shafter’s 114 and Tehachapi’s 79.
The Wildcats had just three event winners — Chesney Doak, 8-6 in the pole vault, Megan Thompson, 2:28.31 in the 800 and the 1,600 relay team in 4:21.18 — but put together 20 top-three finishes.
“I wouldn’t say there’s one thing we’re strong in; we really cover every field,” Taft coach Paul Martinez said. “There’s not an event that we don’t place in the top three.”
Bakersfield Christian’s Melissa Merrill also shined, winning four events: 100 hurdles in 16.61, 400 in 1:00.44, 300 hurdles in 46.82 and long jump in 14-0.25.
Other girls multiple winners were Shafter’s Cassandra Salazar (1,600 and 3,200) and Jelmini.
On the boys side, multiple winners were Thompson and Tehachapi’s Josh Snider (800 and 1,600).
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10.21.07
Posted in Invitationals, Kern XC Results, Back in the Day, Schools, Results, Info, BHS, Results, McFarland, Foothill, Wasco, Shafter, Taft, North, East, Liberty, Stockdale, Centennial, Delano, South, West, Ridgeview, Highland, Arvin, DyeStatCal, Garces, Driller All-Time, Cross Country, Boys, Girls, 2006, Frontier, Tehachapi, Burroughs, XC Course Records, Hart Park, Kern All-Time at 3:51 pm by Administrator
complete kern invite results on dyestacal.com
complete kern invite results (excel needed)
what a nice day for a cross country meet. it was cool and cloudy and the racing was hot. i have not found the complete results (i will post them when i get them). but i do know that mcfarland won the varsity and frosh/soph boys team races. the girls varsity team race was close and i dont know who won.
chris schwartz (foothill) and candace carlson (north) ran away with the individual titles. i spoke to chris a bit and he was please with his race but just missed breaking 15 minutes. he also told me that someone stole his batman cape that he wore at mt sac. he is looking forward to next weekend’s chess tournament (he won a trophy last year) too.
i look forward to him winning a state title. speaking of state titles, i think mcfarland will be getting one this year. they got amazing depth, great coaches and are fierce competitors. it has been a pleasure to be able watch them and chris run this year at many meets.
on thursday, we return for the league meets. the seyl races should be good ones. the highland boys are undefeated and there is a three way tie for second (foothill, bakersfield and liberty). the battle for second behind chris in the individual race should be good too.
on the girls side, foothill is undefeated and bakersfield’s only lost was to foothill. so if bakersfield wins the league meet. then foothill and bakersfield will be co-champs. the individual girls race should be between foothil and bakersfield too.
kern invite 2007 photos HERE
2007 driller results HERE
Never in doubt
North’s Carlson, Foothill’s Schwartz claim cross country titles
BY JEFF EVANS, Californian staff writer
e-mail: jevans@bakersfield.com | Saturday, Oct 27 2007 11:40 PM
Last Updated: Saturday, Oct 27 2007 11:45 PM
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