Records are meant to be broken

Prior to the start of the girls 4×100 relay at Saturday’s San Diego Section track and field championship meet at Mt. Carmel High School, a quartet of special guests was introduced to fans. Their names were Danita Young, Judy Reed, Jewell Lovelady and Katie Gaston.

The foursome, from Crawford High School, was indeed celebrated in the annals of section history after setting a national record in the event in 1977 that had stood for 49 years.

The time was 46.14 seconds on a dirt track measured in yards. Converted to meters, the time was adjusted to 45.94 seconds. But no matter, it still held.

That is until about five minutes after the introductions of the record-holders was completed when the Steele Canyon quartet of junior Evie Allison, sophomore Aniya Scott, senior Asia Broussard and freshman Livia Allison broke the long-standing record with a winning time of 45.78.

The Lady Cougars finished a full second ahead of runner-up San Marcos (46.79) to make no mistake about the history-making run. They had clearly earned setting the new standard. And earned a trip to this weekend’s state championship meet in Clovis.

“It’s nice to have it done and get back to focusing on running,” Steele Canyon coach Charles Tyler said. “It’s been a tumultuous year and to get the record, we’re excited.”

But the meet was only getting started.

While Steele Canyon now holds the new section 4×100 relay time in meters, the national record in yards still holds for the 1977 Crawford group. The Lady Cougars will also find national-level competition at the upcoming state meet. Fullerton Rosary has notched a 44.23 time this season.

The national record in meters is 43.84 set by a team last year from Lancaster, Texas.

The Steele Canyon runners posed with the 1997 Crawford relay team during awards.

The record run proved to be a portent of things to come as the Lady Cougars won the team title with 193 points over runner-up Cathedral Catholic’s 152.5 points.

The Grossmont Hills League champions kept running and piling up first-place finishes and state-qualifying marks.

The top three place-finishers in each event qualified to advance to the state meet along with those meeting a predetermined standard.

The top nine place-finishers in each event received medals.

Fast track
Metro Conference athletes won two gold medals and sewed up six qualifying berths for this weekend’s state meet. Mater Dei Catholic sophomore Jasir Fontenot won the boys 110-meter high hurdles in 13.94 while Mater Dei Catholic senior Mekhi Oluwa won the boys long jump title with a mark of 23-8,75.

Both return as state medalists — Fontenot as a state champion (as a freshman) in the high hurdles while competing last year for San Diego High and Oluwa as a seventh-place medalist in the long jump.

Fontenot bested runner-up Jayden Leyva, a senior from Imperial, by 0.22 seconds to win a close race while Oluwa out-jumped Patrick Henry junior Kymani Joseph by five inches. Oluwa also placed seventh (14.92) in the high hurdles.

At the preceding Division III finals, Fontenot won the high hurdles in 13.81 while Oluwa won both the long jump (23-10.75) and triple jump (44-7.5) while finishing runner-up in both the 100 dash (11.02) and high hurdles (14.77).

Fontenot won last year’s state hurdles title with a record-breaking time of 13.21 to rank No. 2 nationally.

“I’m out to defend my title,” said Fontenot, who ran 13.67 in the high hurdles and 11.01 in the 100 dash to sweep his events at this year’s Metro-South Bay League championship meet. “But I’ve had some adversity to overcome. I had an ankle injury in February, but I’m working through it.”

Oluwa won the long jump (22-11) and triple jump (43-3) at the South Bay League finals.

Otay Ranch senior Dane von Guenthner finished second in the boys pole vault by clearing 15-6 behind state leader Dylan Yarbrough, a senior from San Dieguito Academy, who won the event at 16-6. Von Guenthner won the Division I title at 15-0.

“It feels good,” said the Mustang vaulter, whose PR in the event is 16-3. “Looking back at my freshman year, I was happy to clear 9-8 and never thought I’d be here, much less going to the state meet. Pure enjoyment in the sport and hard work have paid off.”

Eastlake sophomore Kareil Rascon also stepped off the oval with a silver medal in the girls 800 run by timing a personal record 2:11.0. She placed behind Westview senior Delaney Hennigan (2:10.08) and ahead of Santana junior Harper Diaz (2L11.95).

Rascon held off Hennigan to win the Division I title a week earlier while Harper won the Division II title.

“I feel so much more accomplished because it’s an individual event,” Rascon said. “I worked for it myself. I feel I earned it.”

Bronze medals went to Eastlake sophomore Isabelle Taylor-Dixon in the girls 300 low hurdles (43.50) and San Ysidro junior Eva Quinonez in the girls pole vault (11-8).

Taylor-Dixon finished sixth in the 100 hurdles (14.75). and seventh in the triple jump (36-11.25) to also earn individual medals in those events.

Olympian senior Elise Datuin finished fourth in the girls 400 dash (57.01).

Bonita Vista sophomore Ryder von Guenthner finished fourth in the boys 300 intermediate hurdles (39.15) and sixth in the long jump (21-11.75), both personal bests.

Olympian was fifth in the boys 4×800 run (8:09.70) while Eastlake was sixth (8:15.16) and Otay Ranch was eighth (8:19.94).

Eastlake junior David Branco was seventh in the boys discus throw (143-1) while Otay Ranch junior Mereane Savauunaea was eighth in the girls discus throw (116-7).

Eastlake was fourth in the girls 4×400 relay (3:56.11) with senior Samara Maldonado, junior Nala McFadden, Taylor-Dixon and Rascon. Taylor-Dixon finished the day with four medals.

Mater Dei Catholic was seventh in the girls 4×100 relay (48.80).

Eastern exposure

The Lady Cougars were back on track to place third in the meet-concluding 4×400 relay in 3:54.29 behind Helix (3:50.79) and Westview (3:52.29). Steele Canyon’s complement of runners included sophomore Aarys Wallace and Scarlett Wakayama, junior Elisha Lewis and Livia Allison.

Steele Canyon’s individual state qualifiers include:

•Scott (third in the 100 dash in 11.97).

•Livia Allison (second in the long jump at 18-10 and third in the 200 dash in 24.21).

•Evie Allison placed second in both hurdles events — a personal best 13.93 in the 100 lows and another PR in the 300 lows (43.02).

•Sophomore Dayani Daniels finished third in the 400 dash in 56.22.

Evie Allison finished the memorable meet with three medals while younger sister Livia sported four.\

The Lady Cougars should fare well in Clovis, especially after placing third at last year’s 4×100 relay finals.

“We have fewer individual qualifiers than in the past but we have a lot of kids doubling and tripling in events,” Tyler said.

Helix freshman Ava Parker lit up the scoreboard with gold medal runs in the giorls 200 dash (23.94) and 400 dash (54.45) while also running a leg on the Lady Highlanders champion 4×400 relay (3:50.79).

Helix’s champion relay team also included sophomores Dajah Herrod and Anaira Martinez, junior Kate Weaver and Parker.

“It feels great,” Parker said of her amazing performance. “I wasn’t expecting anything like this at the start of the season. I was just blessed to be able to run against all these great athletes. But I’m proud of myself after all the things I’ve accomplished.”

Grossmont senior Gabrielle Thomas sped to the gold medal in the 100 low hurdles in 13.83 ahead of Steele’s Evie Allison (13.93), separated by a tenth of a second.

Allison was back to claim another silver medal in the 300 lows in 43.02 behind Holtville junior Isabel Garcia (42.34).

Santana junior Harper Diaz placed third in the 800 run in 2:11.95.

Christian junior Elliana Patterson finished second in the 3200 run (10:20.53) and fourth in the 1600 run (5:01.06) while Weaver placed fifth in the 1600 run (5:01.65).

Patterson made a bold move by taking the lead on the final lap in the longer distance, forcing La Jolla senior Chiara Dailey to come from behind to win the event in 10:17.77. The Lady Patriot finished nine seconds ahead of bronze medalist Ariella Llorens of Francis Parker (10:29.53).

“I knew that Chiara had a great kick at the end,” Patterson said. “I don’t have as great a kick, so I went out to make it as close as possible.”

Christianson was a state qualifier with a second-place finish in the discus throw (128-1, personal best).

Santana junior Kai Brown was fourth in the discus throw (124-9, personal best).

Helix was fourth in the girls 4×100 relay (47.83) while Grossmont was fifth (47.89).

Monte Vista senior Timyra Payne, a returning state qualifier, placed seventh in the 200 dash (24.92).

Steele’s Broussard finished seventh in the 100 dash (12.13) while Grossmont junior Aakash price was seventh in the high jump (5-0). Also for Steele Canyon, junior Devyn Harper was seventh in the long jump (17-11.75)

The top nine place-finishers in each event received medals.

The girls shot put awards stand featured three East County ladies: Grossmont’s Christianson (fourth, 37-9.5), Granite Hills junior Asia Victoria (fourth, 37-8) and Steele Canyon junior Makenna Gouchenour (seventh, 35-7).

On the boys side, Granite Hills junior Damian Jones finished first in the 400 dash (47.81) and third in the 200 dash (21.65) to become a double state qualifier while Helix senior Aiden De Hoyos (38.10) led Grossmont senior Taim Albobaidi (38.61) across the finish line in the 300 intermediate hurdles to race to the state meet.

“It feels great,” noted DeHoyos, now a returning state qualifier. “I’m still chasing a PR (38.07 set earlier in the season). I slipped on the last hurdle but I still feel I ran a good race.”

Also heading to Clovis for Friday’s state prelims are Granite Hills sophomore Niko Williams after placing third in the 110 high hurdles (14.37).

In relay events, Helix won the 4×400 in 3:15.39 while placing second in the 4×100 in 42.06.

The Scotties 4×400 unit included sophomore Tamir Griffith, De Hoyos, sophomore Jeremy Robinson and senior Jackson Ellis. The 4×100 foursome included Ellis, De Hoyos and Griffith and Robinson.

Granite Hills placed third in the 4×100 (42.20) to secure a berth in the state meet courtesy of the feet of Williams, Jones and senior Justin Hedrick and P.J. Johnson.

West Hills senior Grayson Lewis tied Torrey Pines senior Tyler Suhar at 15-0 in the pole vault but got the nod to the state meet after Suhar elected to attend his high school graduation.

“I was very close last year and missed it by a mark,” Lewis said. “I’ve won conference all four years between the Grossmont Valley League and Grossmont Hills League. It means a lot. I’m very grateful to all my friends and family who have supported me.”

Santana senior Maddox Esoo qualified outright for the state meet with a third-place finish in the long jump with a personal best mark of 22-11.75.

El Capitan senior Spencer Chastang finished fourth in the high hurdles (14.48) while Alobaidi was fifth (14.63). De Hoyos was sixth (14.78). Four of the top six finishers in the event were from East County.

Monte Vista senior Elekana Taa was fourth in the shot put (48-9). Helix sophomore Trey Edwards was fifth in the high jump (6-2).

Johnson was fifth in the long jump (22-3).

Rancho Bernardo won the boys team title ahead of San Marcos.