Montgomery’s Margaret Smith had a prep best in the F/S 400, here she is running a relay. By Michael Lucid
Ukiah’s Sala Fitisemanu had the farthest shot mark of the day in the F/S at 34-10½. By Jim Crowhurst
The fact that top marks were produced at the Windsor Relays was not unexpected in consideration of the beautiful weather and the quality of the teams there. It was the events in which some of these marks came from that was surprising.
With eyes typically focused on the varsity events, two girls competing in the frosh/soph events stole a lot of the thunder from the varsity athletes. Montgomery’s Margaret Smith and Ukiah’s Sala Fitisemanu were competing for the first time this year in Redwood Empire track so their coaches started them off easy, running in the lower divisions, but don’t be surprised to see them moving up before the season is over after outperforming their varsity counterparts here.
Smith had run the 100 and 200 while at Slater Middle school but competing in her first high school meet as a freshman she not only crossed the finish line first in her debut in the 400 but her time of 62.95 is the fastest time run by a prep so far this year.
“In my 400 today I didn’t even know if I was even as fast as my other teammates in that race,” said Smith, “but I found out it is a really good race for me and I think now I will become a 400/200 runner. I had never done a race that long before and it’s a hard race but I can see it’s a good race for me.”
Fitisemanu is a sophomore who competed in Phoneix, Arizona last year.
“In Arizona I missed making their state meet by about four inches last year in the shot put, but the level is so much higher here in California,” she said.
Well maybe not as high as she thinks as her winning F/S shot mark of 34-10½ was more than 4½ feet farther than the winning varsity mark and is the farthest in the North Bay league this year.
“I think my coach will move me up later in the year and I’m just happy to be improving each meet,” said Fitisemanu, “I hope to someday make the state meet here.”
Not that the varsity division didn’t have some shining moments.
Windsor’s own Zach Price, who won the Big Cat 1600, won yesterday’s 1500 in 4:08.83, 11 seconds ahead of second. Price also helped his 1600 relay team to a school record 3:36.63.
Windsor’s also earned jump wins by Hunter Straub (HJ 6-0), Tyler Lewis (LJ 20-9) and Joel Moens (TJ 41-6).
Analy’s Bismark Torrez won the high hurdles (17.55) while their 400 relay team won in 45.97.
Maria Carrillo’s DJ Russell dominated the 300 hurdles running 42.72.
Sonoma Valley sophomore Edwin Reyes won the 400 in 51.48.
Other wins came from Casa Grande’s Edgar Irizarry (PV 12-0), Santa Rosa’s Justin Thurman (800 2:06.15), Cyrus Corman-Gill (SP 47-2½) and Piner’s Jimmy Arango (DT 141-1).
Santa Rosa had two girls who repeated Big Cat wins here as Annette Sutton continued her domination in the 100 with a 13.09 and Delaney White won the 1500 in 5:12.14, 11 seconds ahead of second, plus she helped the coed Distance Medley Relay team to first in 12:19.97.
Montgomery’s Tori Mollard again won the high hurdles in 17.07
Montgomery’s Meili Bartholome won the triple jump at 31-4½ and the Viking girls won the 400 relay, in a new prep best of 51.75, and the 1600 relay in 4:26.52.
Montgomery’s coed 4×200 relay won in 1:44.51.
Maria Carrillo’s Cami Rencken outran Mollard in the 300 hurdles in 47.51 to 48.10 as both moved into the All-Time top 50 in that event.
Sonoma Academy’s Lilly Reinstein took the 800 in 2:33.61 while Melissa French took both the long jump (14-7).
Windsor’s Kelli Fitzpatrick won the high jump at 4-10.
Other varsity winners included Healdsburg’s Millie Unti (DT 95-6), Petaluma’s Natalie Gilmore (PV 9-0) and Stotts of Cloverdale who won the varsity 400 in 63.32.
