With their “triple threat” of Rhea Jayachandran, Hadley Swanson and Carrie Verdon, the girls’ track & field team outscored the rest of the NCS Tri-Valley competition to earn the area championship crown. Granada High School of Livermore was second, 14 points behind the Cougars.
Senior Carrie Verdon helped the team by winning the 1600m in a time of 4:55.03 and the 3200m in a time of 10:48.94. Verdon said, “I was happy with my races. I wish I ran faster in the mile, but it was fun.” Verdon prepared the night before by getting good sleep and by writing out her race plans to help her feel more mentally prepared.
Junior Hadley Swanson won the long jump with a jump of 17 feet, 6.5 inches, took second in high jump at 5 feet, 2 inches, and fifth in the 400m meter race. Swanson said, “I was kind of disappointed I didn’t get a personal best in the long jump, but I am happy that I won. Also, I know that since I tied my PR from last year that I am just going to excel next week.”
Swanson also contributed to the girls 4×400 relay team with a split of 59.4 seconds. The rest of the 4×400 team was comprised of junior Kendall Coffee, senior Erin Ross, and Jayachandran.
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Jayachandran bounced back after false starting and being disqualified in the 100 meter hurdles to place fourth in the 300 meter hurdles. She set a personal best in that event with a time of 45.95, which is a new school record.
Jayachandran also took third in the triple jump, with a personal best of 35 feet and a quarter inch. Jayachandran said she was angry after the 100 hurdles and channeled that anger tinto the 300 hurdle race.
The girls varsity team qualified seven members to compete in the North Coast Section Meet of Champions, which will be held Saturday at Edwards Stadium in Berkeley. In order to qualify athletes had to place top seven in their respective events at the Tri-Valley meet.
Along with Verdon, Swanson, Jayachandran, Coffee, and Ross, seniors Jessie Hyde, Margaret Macy, and Juliet Farnan, as well as freshman Rachel Johnson qualified for the Meet of Champions.
The boys’ varsity team qualified five athletes to compete in the NCS Meet of Champions. Thomas Joyce qualified in the 1600m after finishing fourth at Tri-Valley. Joyce also qualified in the 3200m after taking third in the race last Saturday.
Andres Del Valle vaulted to second place at Tri-Valley. Del Valle said he does a lot of visualization to help him prepare for his event. He said that he goes through each step of the Pole Vault in his head, and he visualizes everything he does “in its perfection” because that is what he hopes to do when it comes time to actually vault.
Ryan Hoffman also made it to the MOC after placing 6th in the 400m sprint at Tri-Valley. Hoffman said he was happy after he ran a career best time of 50.17. Hoffman said he hopes to break 50 seconds and qualify to finals at MOC.
Brian Pfaff and Leland Wong also made it to MOC in the high jump and 800m, respectively.
