It was a historic day for local track at the CIF Divisional Finals on Saturday at Cerritos College.
Bishop Diego junior AV Bennett captured the Division 4 boys 100 and 200 titles, while San Marcos sophomore Erica Schroeder repeated as Division 3 champion in girls 800 meters. The Royals also had four runners-up: Adilene Aldapa in the 3200 (10:50.12), Carolyn Weisman in the girls triple jump (37-01.25), Cameron Shinn in the boys triple jump (46-02, PR) and Matt Turk in the pole vault (15-6).
Bishop’s double CIF champion AV Bennett with his coaches Jason Gamble, left, and Veronica Gines.
AV BENNETT INTERVIEW || COMPLETE RESULTS
San Marcos took third in the girls 4×400 relay (3:55.86) and Joshua Fry of Dos Pueblos finished third in the Division 2 boys pole vault (14-0).
Monique Sanchez of Carpinteria was a fourth-place finisher in the Division 4 girls pole vault at 9-6.
Fifth-place finishers from the area included Devon Block-Funkhouser of San Marcos in the 300 hurdles (45.51); Santa Barbara’s Natasha Feshbach in the Division 2 girls long jump (18-4.75) and Carpinteria’s Gabe Zapien-Ybarra in the Division 4 boys discus (139-9).
Bennett is the first two-event CIF champion in Bishop Diego track and field history. In the 100, he took the lead from Muir’s Taeon Mason midway through the 100 and won in 10.69 seconds. Bennett trailed Linfield’s Lorenzo Burns coming out of the final curve but he made up the deficit in the straightway and won convincingly in 21.88. Burns was second in 21.95.
Erica Schroeder wins her second straight Division 3 800 title and qualifies for the Masters Meet.
Schroeder went out fast and stayed in front to claim her second straight 800 title in 2:11.79. Jacquelyn Smith of Palos Verdes came in seond (2:13.57). Schroeder’s time was the seventh fastest in all divisions, qualifying her for next week’s Masters state qualifying meet. Cassie Durgy, the Division 1 champion from Huntington Beach, ran the best time of the day at 2:09.57.
“Erica had clear goals today and that was to win and to advance to the Masters Meet. And she accomplished both,” San Marcos coach Marilyn Hantgin. “Last year was bittersweet, being the CIF champion but not able to advance. Erica took charge of the race from the start and never let go. I’m so proud of Erica and all of the athletes that competed today.”
Weisman finished behind Aliyah Woodall of Calabasas, who won the triple jump with a leap of 37-10. Morrell Osling of Antelope Valley jumped 46-05.50 on his first attempt and that was enough to hold off Shinn in the boys triple jump.
Aldapa was edged out by Marissa Bartello of Laguna Hills (10:49.12) in the 3200. Aldapa’s time was the 11th best overall and qualified her for next week’s Masters Meet.
Feshbach placed in the top nine in three events in Division 2. She was eighth in th 100 hurdles (14.87) and ninth in the 300 hurdles (47.95). Fry of DP also took sixth in the boys D2 high jump at 5-11.
Turk and Cabrillo’s Steven French both cleared 15-6 in the D3 boys pole vault. French was declared the winner on fewer misses.
The San Marcos 4×400 relay team of Abbey Willett, Devon Block-Funkhouser, Delaney Werner and Erica Schroeder finished third in 3:55.86.
In the D3 girls 4×400 relay, the San Marcos quartet of Abbey Willett, Delaney Werner, Devon Block-Funkhouser and Schroeder finished behind Santa Margarita (3:52.15) and Notre Dame-Sherman Oaks (3:54.82).
In other results from the area, Werner of San Marcos was seventh in the girls D3 400 (59.19), Royals Veronica Toral (39-01.75, PR) and Chloe Allen (36-8.75) placed sixth and eighth, respectively in the D3 shot put; Bobby Contreras finished seventh (44-03.50) in the D4 boys shot put.
The San Marcos girls finished third as a team in Division 3 and five athletes qualified for next Saturday’s Masters Meet. They are Schroeder, Shinn, Toral Turk and Aldapa.
