Cougar Pack Dominates 3200 at Track Championships

Andie Cohen and Mia Calusic
May 26, 2016

For the 2nd consecutive season, Campolindo played host to the track & field league championships on May 10, 12 and 13.  While team scoring helped to determine the overall DFAL titles, individuals who finished in the top 3, as well as athletes who exceeded certain time standards, also earned advancement to the NCS area championships the following weekend.

One of the standout performances for the Cougars came on the final day of the 3-day meet, when a quartet of Campolindo distance runners managed to finish in the 3, 4, 5 and 6 spots of the 3200 meter race.  Ray Diaz finished 5th in 9.32.04.

“What happened was I had a massive PR at the meet. So basically we had about 4 guys within 3 or 2 seconds of each other and we had this tight pack marching, and basically all 4 of our guys were under 9:33, and we got an all time record for it,” Diaz explained.

In fact, a total of 6 Cougars earned advancement to the NCS Tri-Valley championship in the 8-lap affair.  Jonathan Semenza, Jared Yabu and Nathaniel Sauerberg joined Diaz in the top 6.  Both Richard Gong and Matt McAuliffe ran lifetime bests to earn their tickets as well.

Junior Nikolaus Moore, an 800 meter specialist, used an early season setback to fuel his desire heading into the league meet. “I think the main difference is motivation, because Christian Gonzales, the kid who got second place this year, he beat me in the last 100; he just ran away from me, so I was really determined not to let that happen again.”

Moore won the 800 meter race, cracking the 1:55 mark for the first time in his career.

Kelsey Levante helped her frosh soph girls’ squad to a DFAL team title by picking up points in the open 100 and 200 meter events. “It was exciting yet worrying since I was in the fastest heats for two of my events.”

Senior Jonathan Hughes won the varsity boys’ 400 meter dash, and senior Sarah Cella repeated as 800 meter champion for the varsity girls.

Campolindo finished 4th for both boys’ and girls’ varsity in the team scoring.