It was a dream scenario for Sacred Heart Cathedral track and field last Saturday night in Gilroy.
Four school records and five athletes moving on to the CIF State Meet.
The girls 4x100m relay was first on the track with
Tessa Wehrle taking the baton first.
Katherine Borek,
Vivi Colwick, and
Tati Petkovic finished off the Irish's first school record of the day with a time of 49.03. Although the time did not qualify for state, it was an SHC record and good enough for sixth place giving the girls a spot on the podium.
Miles Cook seemed destined for a state meet berth since last season's CCS Finals when he ran 4:19.19. Last Saturday night in Gilroy he ran the fastest 1600m race of his life. With a time of 4:08.33, Cook finished third in the CCS and easily qualified for next weekend's state meet. The time puts Cook in rare air as the fastest 1600 meter runner in San Francisco prep history.
Ryan Joyce ran a personal best 49.75 in his open 400m race and chased down sixth placed to earn himself the last spot on the podium. Joyce will be graduating after this season, but will wear the Irish green one last time later this week something we'll get to a bit later.
Both boys and girls 4x800m teams ran well despite neither team making state. The girls captured third place behind a strong anchor leg by
JoJo Gregg who ran down a couple teams. The boys did not run a personal best but made tremendous strides in the event this year and should return a strong foursome next year despite the loss of graduating
Luke Moore.
The girls' 4x400m relay made state a year ago and despite running a slightly faster time (4:00.26) the team had to settle for sixth place. It was a fast race with several talented relay teams, but like the boys 4x800 3 out of the four girls to run at CCS finals will be make next year.
By far the most exciting race and moment of the evening came in the final race of the day, the boys 4x400m relay. Four sub 52 second 400m splits and a school record 3:21.83 secured a state meet spot. Joyce was able to run down the runner in front of him and lean over the line to capture second place.
Shiv Mohan,
Andres Merino Alvarez,
Cory Wong, will join Joyce in Clovis in hopes of pulling off the upset to make it to Saturday's finals.
Cook in the 1600m and the boys 4x400m relay will race Friday evening at Buchanan High School for CIF State Meet Trials.
Congratulations, Track and Field Team, and best of luck in Clovis! GO IRISH!!
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