Four for Four with the Four by Four

With the Drillers win in the 1600 relay, Wandick (12) won four events at the South Area meet. In the 100, 200 and the relays Wandick and her teammates have good chance of placing in the top three at valley and qualifying for state in all four events.

1,600 relay--1. Bakersfield (Torres, McDonald, Wandick, White), 4:01.68; 2. Liberty (Lee, J. Fitch, Wilcox, M. Fitch), 4:02.66; 3. Golden Valley (Shaw, Epps, Hildalgo, Garcia), 4:10.54; 4. Frontier (Delarosa, Dial, Ka. Ellis, Jackson), 4:11.74.

Why Not Go Big!

Before the meet, I heard that Jerrid wanted to make a statement at the Area meet and he did in the 800. Usually, he lets others handle the pace making and then he goes in for the kill on the homestretch. But from the gun he took the lead and never looked back.

When he hit the 4oo, his time was 54 seconds and at the 500 it looked like the hunter might be the hunted this time. The Highland boys were in his slipstream and looked like they were ready to pounce.

At this point Schwartz was out of the race and I wondered if something was wrong with him because before the start he was nursing his knee and looked to be in pain. By the end of the race, Schwartz ended up jogging in and finished last with Solis of Ridgeview. Then he left the track immediately, which is unusual for the gregarious Chris. Later in the evening he looked good in his win in the 3200 and ran the anchor league of the 4 x 400 so who knows what was going on

In the final 300, Jerrid increased his lead on the Highland athletes and posted the fastest time in the valley this year. Colin Lewis of Highland also posted a season best to go along with his second in the 1600 earlier in the evening.

800--1. Lewis, Ridge, 1:54.63; 2. Van Zandt, High, 1:57.16; 3.
Lewis, High, 1:58.49; 4. Burke, Stock, 2:00.12

Two Firsts by Less Than a Second Combined

I have known of Sarah Baker since my own son's started grade school with her years ago. Whatever the sport, she excelled at it. I still remember her epic battles with Mr. Lawrence on the playing fields of Franklin Elementary. He was a young athletic teacher who I am sure helped develop Sarah's competitive fire. Combine that with her mom's distance running talent and physical trainer background and you have a terminator with a smile.

Though just a sophomore, Sarah has won a lot of titles already and most of them have come down to a sprint at the end. She has won two SEYL cross cross country individual titles in photo finishes and and lead her cross country team to the team title in 2007 and second in 2008.

In track, she has had to triple (1600/800/3200) at most dual meets to help the girl's squad remain undefeated in duals over the past two years. Her SEYL track record is almost perfect in the triple crown. She won all three events in 2009 and won the 800/1600 in 2008. She came in second in the 3200 that year but if the team had needed first place to win the team title, she would of probably pulled it off. The team has been SEYL champs both years too.

At the South Area meet she won the 1600 in 2008 and this year she won the 800 and 1600. With all these running accomplishments, she still finds the energy to play soccer almost year round too.

Also unlike many female distance athletes who burst on to the local scene their freshman year and then slow down as they get older, Sarah seems to be getting stronger and faster as she gets older. What is even crazier is that she thinks her eleven year old sister (Maggie) will be a better runner than her in the future.

In the 800, the field was reduced by two before it even began for uniform violations. This late in the year, one would hope this would not happen but two were dismissed as soon as they got up to the starting line for a lip ring and a nose ring. A terrible way to end one's season.

After 500 meters, Delarosa (jr), in all black, was looking strong and in control. She was followed by Baker, Lynch and McAtee (sr). At this point many would of picked Delarossa for the win or perhaps Lynch (soph) who looked very relaxed in third place and has has sub 60 flay 400 speed. But they would be wrong because halfway down the homestretch, Baker made her patented move and some how pulled out yet another photo finish with a 800 hundredths of a second margin of victory.


800--1. Baker, Bak, 2:22.29; 2. Delarosa, Fron, 2:22.37; 3. Lynch, Ridge, 2:26.82; 4. McAtee, Lib, 2:31.62

Two Down, Two to Go

After anchoring her team to victory in the 400 relay, Wandick (sr) took the 100 too. She is ranked number two in the valley and will be accompanied by her two teammates at valley in the 100. Lei Belt's 12.49 vaults her into the top five with Watson in the valley. The Drillers are so deep that Belt is not even on the team's 400 relay.

100--1. Wandick, Bak, 12;31; 2. Watson, Stock, 12.47; 3. Belt, Bak, 12.49; 4. Brown, Bak, 12.72.

Things are Heating Up ...

So it is your senior year and the last meet in front of the home crowd. Plus your former teammate, who you ran the 4 x 400 at state the past two seasons with, has the fastest time in the valley and is in the race.

So what do you do? Well if you are Mr. Affentranger, you throw down a season best performance and win that sucker and look forward to the valley meet for another rematch.

By the way, Marty also has the best long jump mark in the valley and his team made the 4 x 400 too. Isiah Purvis will be busy too being that he is number two in the valley in the 200 and on both ridgeview relays

400--1. Affentranger, Lib, 48.90; 2. Purvis, Ridge, 49.27; 3. Moore, Cent, 50.86; 4. Hobson, Ridge, 51.77

Marty plans on continuing his education and track career at Cal Poly SLO in the fall.

Almost Wilcox 57

Erica Wilcox (jr) has owned the 400 locally and has been mainly racing the clock but next week at valley she will have her work cut out for her to make the top three and move on to the state meet.

400--1. Wilcox, Lib, 58.07; 2. Chudy, Cent, 1:00.78; 3.White, Bak, 1:00.82; 4. Torres, Bak, 1:01.50.

There at least three girls under 58 in the valley and I am sure Wilcox will be joining them shortly.

Bakersfield came in 3rd and 4th but may not run the open 400 at valley and focus on making it to state in the 4 x 400 relay. Interestingly, the Driller's fastest 400 runner has never run an open 400 but is no stranger to Wilcox. Brushay Wandick (sr) owns the 200 but a heads up in the open 400 would be interesting.

At most meets, Wilcox and Wandick run the same leg of the 4 x 400, with Wilcox usually chasing Wandick. With Brushay off to CSUB in the fall, this much hoped for match up in the open 400 may never happen but I have heard that Wilcox is interested in competing for CSUB in the future. So maybe that match up will happen after all.