Nick Scarvelis of Dos Pueblos threw a personal best in the discus and was the No. 1 qualifier in the shot put Friday night at the CIF Track and Field State Championships at Buchanan High’s Veterans Stadium in Clovis.
Santa Ynez’s Connor Reck ran his fastest time of the year in the 800 and advanced to Saturday’s final. The Harvard-bound Reck, running in the first heat with state leader Immanuel Hutchinson, clocked 1:51.38, two seconds faster than his previous best. Hutchinson won the heat in 1:49.82.
Marina Plesons of Dos Pueblos failed to advance in the girls pole vault. The Dartmouth-bound vaulter cleared 11-3 but couldn’t get over the qualifying mark of 11-9.
“You’ve got to be proud of her,” said DP coach Dave Kuderka, who noted that Plesons was a little tired after going through graduation ceremonties on Thursday and Grad Nite at Disneyland before boarding a van to drive to Clovis on Friday morning.
Plesons cleared a school-record 11-9 at the CIF Divisional Finals and the Masters Meet.
“Her school record will stand for a while,” said Kuderka.
Scarvelis threw 181-02 to place fourth in qualifying for the discus. The mark surpassed his previous best 180-9. Ethan Cochran of Newport Harbor had the top thorw in the preliminary round at 186-8.
The UCLA-bound Scarvelis earned the top seeding for Saturday’s shot put final with a throw of 62-9.25. Stephen Boals of Jesuit ranks second at 60-10 and El Toro’s Jake Fraser is third at 59-8.
Elysia Hodges of San Marcos missed qualifying in the 300 hurdles. The Westmont-bound Hodges was timed in 44.68 and placed 13th overall. The last qualifier, Joniece Ervin of Oceanside, was timed in 43.93.
“It wasn’t her best race,” San Marcos coach Marilyn Hantgin said. “She had just a great run the last few weeks, going up against some of the best hurdlers in the state. All the stuff with graduation caught up with her a little bit. She has so much to be proud of.”
Hodges came back and took out her frustrations by running a sizzling anchor leg in the 4×400 relay. She passed an Oaks Christian runner on the back stretch and crossed the finish line first in 3:49.36 to put the Royals in the final on Saturday.
“She ran her butt off,” said Hantgin of Hodges. The other members of the team are Kaylin Koopmans, Marie Brashears and Hannah McDaniel.
“Every leg was close. It was really exciting,” said Hantgin.
San Marcos’ time is the sixth fastest of the finalists. Serra is first at 3:45.83 followed by Long Beach Poly (3:47.58) and Harvard Westlake (3:48.39). The rest of the field consists of Great Oak, Carson, Oaks Christian and Deer Valley.
McDaniel qualified for the final in the high jump by clearing 5-4 on her first attempt.
