07.22.08
Posted in Championships, Kern Track Results, Track Meets, Upcoming, Results, Clubs at 7:08 am by Administrator
Andrew Jimenez, 13, of Jacobsen Middle School of Tehachapi won his age group in the shot put at the Junior Olympics Region 14 Championship with a mark of 42 feet,1 1/4 inches uly 12 in Livermore. Jimenez qualified for the USA Track and Field National Championships in Omaha Nebraska.
* Gabriel Gaeta, a Freedom Middle School seventh-grader, won the Midget boys 80-meter hurdles race at the California State Games July 12 in Vista. Gaeta’s winning time was 13.20 seconds. He competed in a field of 16 hurdlers in the 11- and 12-year-old boys division.
Gaeta also won the 80-meter hurdles race, Midget division, at the Valley School Championships May 17 in Clovis. In addition, he won the 80-meter hurdles race at the Kern County Track and Field Championships May 10 at Liberty High School in Bakersfield.
The 12-year-old Bakersfield native is coached by Freedom Middle School teacher David Brown and Frontier High School track and field coach David Gaeta.
* Eight Kern County Firefighter Activity League athletes qualified to compete in the National Junior Olympics based on their performances at the Region 14 Championships July 11-13 in Livermore.
The KFAL’s boys intermediate 4×800 relay team won its division in 8 minutes, 34.33 seonds. Relay members were Caleb Barger, Francisco Nava, Marco Perez, Stephen Burke and Alejandro Hernandez.
Evan Eggenberg won the high jump 5-73/4 in the youth boys division.
Alyssa Bennett was third in the midget girls discus (69-61/4), and Kaulyn Lee-McNeill was third in the youth girls 200 (32.55).
Another winner was Erik Garcia of the McFarland Track Club in the youth boys 3,000 meters (9:53). Garcia also was third in the 1500 in 4:36
The McFarland Track Club’s midget boys 3,000 meters relay team of Abran Ayon, Christian Romero, Abel Mota, Daniel Garcia was second (10:37).
They all qualified for this week’s national Junior Olympics in Omaha, Neb.
* Bowen Anderson, 12, recently won the 80-meter hurdles and was third in the long jump and high jump in a West Coast championship meet. He will compete July 29 in a national pentathlon competition in Detroit.
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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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05.21.08
Posted in Profiles, Driller of the Week, Athletes, Schools, Boys, Championships, Valley, State, Kern Track Results, Drillers, Track Meets, Upcoming, Results, BHS, CSUB, DyeStatCal, Noise Flash!!!, Bakersfield at 10:36 pm by Administrator
the driller’s isiah griggs is the #2 sophomore in the state as of 05/21/08. he came in second at the valley with a PR of 6′6 and has qualified for the state meet.
what makes his jump even more amazing is that bhs doesnt even have proper high jump facilities. our high jump gear is locked away in a storage bin and when we do bring it out, there isnt a proper place to set it out.
despite this, isiah (with the help of csub’s alex haver) contiunes to improve. one hopes he can make 6′8 at state.
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05.16.08
Posted in Yada Yada, Profiles, Athletes, Championships, Sports, Track Meets, Upcoming, WTF, Olympics, Noise Flash!!! at 3:26 pm by Administrator
Amputee runner Oscar Pistorius wins appeal
By COLLEEN BARRY, Associated Press Writer
MILAN, Italy (AP)—His Olympic dream suddenly revived, Oscar Pistorius can get back to what he loves most—running.
The double-amputee sprinter from South Africa was cleared Friday to compete in his bid to qualify for the Beijing Games.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport overturned a ruling by the International Association of Athletics Federations that barred the 21-year-old runner from the Olympics and any other able-bodied competition because of his prosthetic racing blades.
Pistorius broke into a broad smile to a roomful of applause when the decision was announced. He reached toward his manager, Peet van Zyl, for a victory handshake.
“I am ecstatic,” Pistorius said. “When I found out I was crying. It is a battle that has been going on for far too long. It’s a great day for sport. I think this day is going to go down in history for the equality of disabled people.”
He is the first to acknowledge it will be a challenge to make it to the Aug. 8-24 Beijing Games. He holds the 400-meter Paralympic world record of 46.56, but must reach the qualifying time of 45.55 to compete in the individual event in Beijing.
“My hopes are very big for the Olympics for 2008,” Pistorius said. “I think the time period at the moment is very short. Obviously, I have the opportunity, so I am not going to let it go … but it is going to be very difficult in order to run those times.”
However, Pistorius also could be invited to join the South African relay team, which would not require him to qualify.
“We are very much hopeful that he will be part and parcel of our team,” said Leonard Chuene, president of Athletics South Africa.
If Pistorius does go to the Olympics, he will be competing alongside another amputee South African athlete: Natalie du Toit, who qualified for Beijing in open-water swimming.
Pistorius was born without fibulas—the long, thin outer bone between the knee and ankle—and was 11 months old when his legs were amputated below the knee.
“Oscar Pistorius is a determined and gutsy athlete who will now no doubt put all his energy into reaching the qualification standards for the Olympic Games,” the International Olympic Committee said in a statement. “If he makes it we would be delighted to welcome him.”
Pistorius will resume training in South Africa on Monday, before returning to Europe on May 28. Van Zyl said Pistorius will be running in able-bodied races July 2 in Milan and July 11 at the Golden Gala in Rome, and that many other offers have been coming in.
“A lot of the time we’ve had this year we’ve devoted to the court case,” Pistorius said. “Now when I get home my time can be dedicated to training. I am going to have to start thinking about getting my body in shape in order to run those (qualifying) times. I am hopeful there will be enough time but it is going to be very difficult.”
Regardless of whether he runs in the Olympics, Pistorius plans to compete in Beijing at the Sept. 6-17 Paralympics. He will prepare by running in disabled events in the Netherlands and Germany.
Pistorius appealed to CAS, the highest tribunal in international sports, to overturn a Jan. 14 ruling by the IAAF. Track and field’s ruling organization banned him from competing against able-bodied runners on grounds that his carbon fiber blades gave him a mechanical advantage.
A two-day hearing was held before three arbitrators at CAS headquarters last month. The panel said the IAAF decision is “revoked with immediate effect and the athlete is eligible to compete in IAAF events.”
“Oscar will be welcomed wherever he competes this summer,” IAAF president Lamine Diack said in a statement. “He is an inspirational man and we look forward to admiring his achievements in the future.”
Even if Pistorius fails to get the 400-meter qualifying time, South African selectors could add the University of Pretoria student to the Olympic 1,600-meter relay squad if it qualifies for the games among the top 16 in the world.
Pistorius would not require a qualifying time and could be taken to Beijing as an alternate. Six runners can be picked for the relay squad.
The IAAF based its January decision on studies by German professor Gert-Peter Brueggemann, who said the J-shaped “Cheetah” blades were energy efficient
Pistorius’ lawyers countered with independent tests conducted by a team led by MIT professor Hugh M. Herr that claimed to show he doesn’t gain any advantage over able-bodied runners.
CAS said the IAAF failed to prove Pistorius’ running blades gave him an advantage.
“If I had to look at the situation, how many amputee athletes use the exact same prosthetic leg as I do and don’t run nearly close to the same times?” Pistorius said. “I think running has become my purpose in life. It has become my calling in life.”
Associated Press Writers Graham Dunbar in Geneva and Celean Jacobson in Johannesburg, South Africa, contributed to this report.
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05.15.08
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 Driller of the Week, Coaches, Schools, Boys, Girls, Championships, Kern Track Results, SEYL, Track Meets, Upcoming, Foothill, Results, BHS, North, East, Golden Valley, Liberty, Stockdale, Centennial, SWYL, South, West, Ridgeview, Highland, Driller Noise, Race Summary, Garces, Frontier, Noise Flash!!!, Bakersfield at 11:50 pm by Administrator
Drillers deliver a thriller
BHS boys and girls sweep SEYL team titles; Stockdale boys, Centennial girls win SWYL
BY ZACH EWING, Californian staff writer
zewing@bakersfield.com | Thursday, May 1 2008 11:15 PM
Last Updated: Thursday, May 1 2008 11:36 PM
Chalk up two more track and field league titles for Bakersfield High.
And this time, give an assist to Driller greats of the past.
Buoyed by an emotional trip to the school’s record room the day before, the Drillers boys’ and girls’ teams each took home the Southeast Yosemite League titles Thursday at Liberty High.
“We have all the league titles printed up there and we have 2008 with a question mark,” BHS coach Steven Anderson said. “All the kids went up there, and I expected them to be 15 minutes. They were up there an hour, just looking at old trophies and marks. They were ready, they were inspired, they wanted this bad today.”
In the Southwest Yosemite League, Centennial won the girls title with 169 points to Stockdale’s 137. The Mustang boys returned the favor, beating Centennial 155.75-120.50.
The BHS boys won by a large margin, outdistancing Liberty 128-91 to break the Patriots’ four-year title streak.
The girls, meanwhile, had to eke one out. Liberty held the team lead by four points with three events to be scored, including the 1,600-meter relay, in which BHS had already lost twice to Liberty earlier in the season.
Not this time. Bakersfield took the lead early in the race and beat LHS by nearly five seconds with a time of 4:06.71.
“We only ever see football and basketball (trophies),” said Shinead McDonald, who won the 100 and 300 hurdles before running the third leg of the mile relay. “So we went up in there, there were a whole bunch of trophies. West Coast Relays from the 1920s and everything. It was real emotional … Coach was crying and everything, and I saw a lot of my dad’s trophies.”
When Marlise Williams and an injured Chanel Reeves came up with a 1-3 finish in the long jump, BHS could start its plans for painting another year on the wall in the record room.
“They don’t want people to go, ‘well, what happened that year?,’” Anderson said.
Centennial’s girls also had a breakthrough, ending a string of 11 years during which Stockdale had won 10 times.
The Mustangs were hurt when their 400 relay team — which went on to finish first — was disqualified because of an illegal baton pass. But Centennial had plenty of firepower, starting with Ashlee Thomas’ victories in the 400 (58.70) and 800 (2:31.72) despite a tight hamstring.
“In the 4, I could feel my hamstring, so I was kind of being cautious,” Thomas said. “Then a girl came up on me, and I had to beat her to the end.”
Stockdale’s boys continued their season of success with a dominating victory.
“We thought we had the best team,” Stockdale coach Dave Lonsinger said. “Track’s pretty cut and dry, and we were undefeated in duals. We don’t really have any weak events.”
Foothill had a couple of shining performances on an individual scale. Thrower Dayshan Ragans took his first steps of a postseason that could end in a state championship.
Ragans, the state’s leader in each the shot put and discus, easily won both events in 57-31/2 and 180-4, even though he’s battling a cold. Ragans also tried something new — letting out a primal scream as he released the shot.
“That’s just me trying to get everybody pumped,” Ragans said. “That’s what we’re trying to establish here at the league meet. Get pumped up, make good throws.”
Chris Schwartz added a victory in the 800 (1:58.74) to his signature-event wins in the 1,600 (4:35.51) and the 3,200 (10:01.28). Schwartz won’t even run the 800 at next week’s Yosemite area meet.
Two of the day’s best races were in the SWYL boys 100, which Ridgeview’s Tynell Robertson won over Stockdale’s Steve Silva in a photo finish (both times 10.81) and the SEYL boys 200, in which Liberty’s Isiah Purvis edged BHS’ Emmanuel Turner, 22.03 to 22.05.
Track and field
SEYL Championships
At Liberty
Boys
Team standings–Bakersfield 128, Liberty 91, Golden Valley 83, Foothill 60, Garces 45, Highland 43.5, East 42.5.
400 relay–1. Bakersfield High 42.39; 2. Golden Valley, 44.13; 3. Liberty, 44.14. 1,600–1. Schwartz, F, 4:35.51; 2. Lewis, H, 4:37.07; 3. Quintero, GV, 4:39.93. 110H–1. Morrow, E, 15.63; 2. Mungia, GV, 15.64; 3. Santillan, L, 16.25. 400–1. Purvis, L, 49.54; 2. Affentranger, L, 50.79; 3. Gooden, B, 51.18. 100–1. Turner, B, 10.84; 2. Sumlin, G, 10.98; 3. Hunt, B, 11.20. 800–1. Schwartz, F, 1:58.74; 2. Vanzandt, H, 1:59.13; 3. Hill, L, 2:00.73. 300 hurdles–1. Morrow, E, 40.67; 2. Gary, GV, 40.91; 3. Santillan, L, 42.05. 200–1. Purvis, L, 22.03; 2. Turner, B, 22.05; 3. Hunt, B, 22.42. 3,200–1. Schwartz, F, 10:01.28; 2. Ariey, B, 10:08.06; 3. Fuentes, E, 10:12.66. 1,600 relay–1. Liberty (Kirschenmann, Garside, Affentranger, Purvis), 3:22.08; 2. Bakersfield, 3:23.56; 3. Highland, 3:32.65. D–1. Ragans, F, 180-4; 2. Ellis, B, 171-10; 3. Austin, H, 138-0. LJ–1. Mungia, GV, 21-10; 2. Norwood, GV, 21-0.75; 3. Johnson, H, 21-0.5; SP–1. Ragans, F, 57-3.5; 2. Ellis, B, 49-4.25; 3. Turrubiates, B, 47-7.5. TJ–1. Hodges, GV, 43-1.75; 2. Griggs, B, 43-0.75; 3. Chee, G, 42-2.25. HJ–1. Griggs, B, 6-4; 2. McCullum, G, 6-2; 3. Johnson, GV, 5-8. PV–1. Winchester, L, 13-0; 2. Woodard, G, 12-0; 3. Bussey, F, 11-0.
Girls
Team standings–Bakersfield 181, Liberty 163, Highland 68, Garces 31, Golden Valley 29, East 2, Foothill 1.
400 relay–1. Bakersfield, 48.80; 2. Highland, 50.84; 3. Liberty, 52.68. 1,600–1. Baker, B, 5:36.88; 2. Guzman, G, 5:43.45; 3. Barton, L, 5:44.61. 100H–1. McDonald, B, 16.51; 2. Richardson, L, 16.53; 3. Robles, L, 17.00; 400–1. Wilcox, L, 58.28; 2. Torres, B, 1:00.72; 3. White, B, 1:02.74. 100–1. Wandick, B, 12.43; 2. Herron, H, 12.78; 3. Belt, B, 13.08. 800–1. Baker, B, 2:29.74; 2. McAtee, L, 2:30.00; 3. Goodwin, H, 2:31.50. 300H–1. McDonald, B, 47.40; 2. Tafoya-Reyes, G, 49.53; 3. Hidalgo, GV, 50.07; 200–1. Wandick, B, 25.12; 2. Wilcox, L, 25.83; 3. Herron, H, 26.40. 3,200–1. Guzman, G, 12:29.00; 2. Baker, B, 12:39.31; 3. Roman, H, 12:49.52. 1,600 relay–1. Bakersfield, 4:06.71; 2. Liberty, 4:11.37; 3. Highland, 4:21.30. SP–1. D. Perry, B, 32-7.5; 2. Studer, L, 30-1; 3. M. Perry, B, 29-0.5. TJ–1. Williams, B, 33-5; 2. Toomer, GV, 32-9; 3. M. Perry, B, 32-6. HJ–1. Bellanger, H, 5-0; 2. Davis, L, 4-10; 3. J. Fitch, L, 4-8; PV–1. Klinchuch, L, 9-0; 2. Sewell, L, 7-6; 3. Burt, L, 7-6. D–1. Corneilson, L, 97-10; 2. D. Perry, B, 72-4; 3. Kramer, L, 70-11. LJ–1. Williams, B, 15-9.5; 2. Toomer, GV, 15-8.5; 3. Reeves, B, 15-0.5.
SWYL Championships
At Liberty
Boys
Team standings–Stockdale 155.75, Centennial, 120.5, North 84, West 62.75, Ridgeview 44, Frontier 10, South 7.
400 relay–1. Stockdale, 43.21; 2. Ridgeview, 44.14; 3. Centennial, 44.45; 1,600–1. Gragg, N, 4:35.50; 2. Jones, C, 4:41.12; 3. Diller, C, 4:47.10. 110H–1. Garber, S, 15.77; 2. McCurtis, R, 15.82; 3. Nunez, C, 15.96. 400–1. A. Mitchell, N, 49.67; 2. D. Mitchell, S, 49.94; 3. Ramirez, C, 50.23. 100–1. Robertson, R, 10.81; 2. Silva, S, 10.81J; 3. Lozano, S, 10.91. 800–1. A. Mitchell, N, 2:02.44; 2. Lozano, S, 2:02.77; 3. Ramirez, C, 2:03.74. 300H–1. Nunez, C, 40.74; 2. Garber, S, 40.78; 3. West, C, 41.82. 200–1. Lewis, S, 22.54; 2. Silva, S, 22.87; 3. D. Mitchell, S, 23.03. 3,200–1. Gragg, N, 10:20.88; 2. Slaton, S, 10:31.46; 3. Jones, C, 10:43.90. 1,600 relay–1. Centennial (Deleon, Diller, Pacheco, Ramirez), 3:24.94; 2. West 3:42.95; 3. Ridgeview, 3:44.41. D–1. Martin, W, 118-7; 2. Rhodes, N, 114-9.5; 3. Seaton, S, 114-5.5. LJ–1. Silva, S, 21-3; 2. Henderson, S, 21-0; 3. Vlach, N, 20-9.5. SP–1. Wallace, C, 44-11.5; 2. Lehrmann, S, 44-0.5; 3. Johnson, C, 43-0. TJ–1. Martin, W, 40-7.25; 2. Alexander, C, 39-8; 3. Picato, C, 37-9.75. HJ–1. Robbins, W, 6-2; 2. Henry, S, 5-10; 3. Tinkle, F, 5-8. PV–1. Musick, N, 13-6; 2. Speirs, N, 13-0; 3. Anger, S, 11-6.
Girls
Team standings–Centennial 169, Stockdale 137, Frontier 72, North 39, South 32, Ridgeview 13, West 6.
400 relay–1. Centennial (Cacuyog, Neunast, Thomas, Bennett), 50.70; 2. Frontier, 53.73; 3. Stockdale, DQ. 1,600–1. Carlson, N, 5:34.43; 2. Morley, C, 5:36.35; 3. Lopez, N, 5:43.27; 100H–1. Jackson, F, 15.52; 2. Ellis, F, 16.45; 3. Alexander, C, 17.25; 400–1. Thomas, C, 58.70; 2. Anderson, S, 58.89; 3. Cacuyog, C, 1:00.70; 100–1. Anderson, S, 12.62; 2. Cady, S, 12.83; 3. Watson, S, 12.86. 800–1. Thomas, C, 2:31.72; 2. Morley, C, 2:32.37; 3. Baker-Steimer, C, 2:37.52. 300H–1. Jackson, F, 45.27; 2. Alexander, C, 45.70; 3. Peart, F, 49.80. 200–1. Anderson, S, 25.94; 2. Cacuyog, C, 26.55; 3. Alexander, So, 26.83. 3,200–1. Carlson, N, 12:12.93; 2. Duran, R, 12:58.09; 3. Dahl, C, 13:00.15; 1,600 relay–1. Stockdale, 4:05.52; 2. Frontier, 4:23.58; 3. Centennial, 4:34.76. SP–1. Collatz, S, 32-4; 2. Congdon, C, 31-8; 3. Valencia, So, 30-11.5. TJ–1. Alexander, C, 37-3; 2. Collatz, S, 36-1.5; 3. Nichols, So, 35-4.5. HJ–1. Crowe, C, 5-0; 2. Hernandez, S, 4-6; 3. Ellis, F, 4-4. PV–1. Crowe, C, 8-0; 2. Neunast, C, 8-0J; 3. Craft, S, 7-0. D–1. Collatz, S, 144-0; 2. Tafarella, S, 101-7; 3. Pendleton, C, 94-5. LJ–1. Alexander, C, 17-10.5; 2. Anderson, S, 17-7; 3. Nichols, So, 17-2
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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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