Last weekend, three of Coronado’s best track and field athletes traveled to Clovis, CA for the California State Track and Field Meet. To qualify for this meet, competitors needed to meet a state standard or finish among the top three athletes in each event. It is quite difficult to qualify for this meet, but it is even more difficult to stand on the podium at the end as one of the top six finishers. “Before last week’s State Meet, Coronado had only two athletes make it to the podium,” (both in the 5th place level) shares Coach George Green.
At the San Diego Section CIF Finals, and the many meets before, Alysah Hickey dominated in both the High Jump and Long Jump events. “One of the problems for the few athletes who are proficient in both the high jump and the long jump is that the two events usually begin at the same time,” says Green. The first day of the state meet was intended to serve as a preliminary meet for the following day to narrow the top twelve athletes in each event. The High Jump standard was 5 feet-5 inches in order to move on to the next day, which Hickey met easily and could now focus on the Long Jump. After two disqualified attempts due to her take-off foot being slightly over the line, her third attempt of 19-2.5 qualified her for the following day.
Ruthie Grant-Williams also made it to the State Meet to compete in the High Jump. Unfortunately, she did not clear the opening height on day one to move on, but she had a great season and PR’d in the event this season at 5 feet-5 inches.
Senior Ian Hurlburt was the only athlete competing in a track event. Running in the 800-meter race, and beating every single runner in the San Diego Section during the season in this event, he was up against top athletes in the state. He did not make it the Finals the next day by less than half a second, clocking 1:54.94. “Ian also had a great season and comes away with the top San Diego Section mark of 1:54.22 which is a new school record,” says Green. He will be attending UCSB in the fall.
At the State Finals, Alysah had to juggle her two events, as they both started at 5:00 PM. Competing first in the Long Jump, her first mark was measured at 19 feet-3.5 inches, which placed her ahead of everyone. Having gained the lead, she moved over to the High Jump, where she ended up placing fourth in the state with a jump of 5′ 8″. Back at the Long Jump, with one attempt left and still in the lead, she made her final jump and cleared 19′ 9.75″, winning the state championship by nearly seven inches. “This was a wind-legal Personal Record, a school record, and is the fifth all-time best jump for San Diego County,” shares Coach Green. “Her long jump victory broke a 3-year drought of State Meet Track and Field Champions for the San Diego Section. The last State Champion was Madison’s Dotun Ogundeji who won the shot put in 2015.”
Congratulations to Alysah Hickey for this outstanding accomplishment! Alysah was also named San Diego Girls Field Athlete of the Year, and Coach George Green was named San Diego Section Girls Track Coach of the Year!
