Head coach Cameron Gary details the meet’s highlights below; my only additions are about the boys’ 1600-meter run and the 4×800-meter record. We knew that the 1600-meter run would be close between a sophomore from Clairemont who had run 4:42 as a freshman last year and our up-and-coming freshman, Nathan Ayan. In the 1600, the first two laps went as expected, with Ayan, Rafael Roos, Detrik Heidt, and the Clairemont kid, Keegan Durfee, running in a close pack. Then, on the third lap, Ayan took off as if it was the final lap and opened up nearly a 20-meter gap. He thought it was the last lap, and he was sprinting for the finish. You should have seen his face when he came by, and I told him there was one more lap. Needless to say, the pack closed on him over the last lap, but he managed to cross the finish line in front with a personal record time of 4:51.64, less than 2/10 of a second in front of Durfee. Also closing fast was Roos, who clocked a PR of 4:52.24, followed by Heidt in fourth with 5:03.45.
CIF added a new event to the dual meet lineup this season, the 4 x 800-meter relay. Since this was the first time we ran the event, it was a school record. Jack Shumaker joined up with Heidt, Ayan, and Roos to win the relay by over a minute and a half with a time of 9:15.63. As the season progresses, they should dip under nine minutes.
For photos of this meet and all the others, visit our website at IslanderTrack.com.
Head coach Cameron Gary’s wrap of the meet:
This was our first League meet of the year, featuring CHS, Kearny, Christian, and Clairemont high schools. Due to the number of available track venues in the City League, the number of schools who can host meets is limited. So, we run “cluster” meets instead of regular “dual” meets. In this case, we were matched against Christian HS. The conditions were cold and windy, as the meet took place just after a rainstorm.
Highlights from the meet…
Junior hurdler Jack Delcore made his season debut in the varsity 110 High Hurdles. Delcore has battled back from a stress-fracture injury to his foot last year. The injury took a long time to heal, and this is his first athletic competition (in any sport) since last Track & Field season. Coach Sydney Rush has made extra efforts to help rehabilitate Delcore and get him prepared for competition. Delcore opened with a 16.48s performance for a resounding win. This time is .04 seconds off his personal record (PR). This performance also ranks him 29th in the San Diego CIF section (271 athletes), and first in the City League by nearly two seconds.
Freshman sprinter Micaela Gistaro notched a double win in the varsity 100 and 200m Dash events. Her times were 12.92 and 27.59 seconds, respectively. Her 100m time was a PR and moved her up to 23rd in the San Diego section (1268 athletes) and 7th among freshmen. She currently ranks 3rd in the City League in this event.
Senior Saxton Sylvester won the Discus Throw event with a throw of 109′ even. This is a PR for him and ranks him 55th in the San Diego section (645 athletes) and second in the City League.
Freshman Nathan Ayan notched another victory in the 1600m Run with a time of 4:51.64. He is currently ranked 3rd in the City League. He also is ranked 13th in the San Diego section among freshmen boys (255 athletes).
Other PRs registered in this meet…
Senior Tatiana Potter – Varsity 100m Dash; 13.25s
Senior Jaden Banner – Varsity 100m Dash; 12.12s
Sophomore Mason Olsen – Open 200m Dash; 25.34s
Sophomore Anthony Jones – Open 200m Dash; 25.91s
Sophomore Dylan Nasori – Open 800m Run; 2:59.35
Junior Rafael Roos – Varsity 1600m Run; 4:52.24
Sophomore Reif Souder – Varsity 110 Hurdles; 19.37s
Freshman Garret Shumaker – Varsity Shot Put; 22’0″
Sophomore Jackson Rohrs-Frazier – Open High Jump; 5′ 3″
