Local high school track & field athletes competed in the CIF-SS Championship Meet on Saturday in Moorpark.
While plenty of athletes turned in strong showings, a select few punched their tickets to the CIF-SS Masters Meet next Saturday.
Santa Barbara High (Division 2)
Elina Stump led all local athletes with a CIF-SS Div. 2 title in the long jump with a personal-best mark of 18-7.25.
She also came in second in both the triple jump and the 100 hurdles. She will compete in all three events at the Masters Meet next week.
“Phenomenal day (for Elina),” Santa Barbara High head coach Olivia Perdices said. “Three podiums at the CIF Finals and into the Masters Meet in three events as a sophomore is special. She works unbelievably hard and it’s really showing in her results.”
Malachi Johnston finished the day in fourth place in the shot put while Carter Battle came in sixth in the high jump. Both Johnston and Battle advanced to the Masters Meet with their performances.
“Those two are just competitors,” Perdices said of Johnston and Battle. “They weren’t on their best day, but did enough to get on the podium in Division 2 and keep their seasons going.
“Great day to be a Don. We had three kids and five events compete and came home with medals and qualifiers in all of them.”
Dos Pueblos (Division 2)
Cullen Gully began his day by placing fourth in the mile race with a time of 4:13.11, the second fastest time in Charger program history to advance to the Masters Meet.
He followed that up with an eighth-place finish in the 800 meter with a personal-best time of 1:57.28 to clinch a spot in the Masters Meet for that event as well.
“Two PRs at CIF Finals is no small feat,” Dos Pueblos head coach David Jackson said. “It’s a testament to his work ethic and mental toughness.”
San Marcos (Division 2)
Ethan Ball was the lone Royal to punch his ticket to the Masters Meet after placing second in the 110 hurdles with a time of 14.43 seconds. He will be the No. 13 seed for next week’s meet.
Meanwhile, both Dalton Shupe and RJ Robles cleared 13-2 in the pole vault for San Marcos.
Carpinteria High (Division 4)
Melanie Avalos medaled in both the shot put and discus for the Warriors, throwing 35-1 to take sixth in the shot put and registering a mark of 113-9 in the discus for fifth place.
“It was a nice way to finish Melanie’s senior year with two CIF medals,” Carpinteria High head coach Van Latham said.
Nathan Carillo also competed for the Warriors, tying for seventh place with a 10-2 clearance in the pole vault.