SALINAS -Last year the Live Oak track and field team sent three
hurdlers and one distance runner to the Central Section Coast
semifinals. This year, it was reversed around with three runners
and one hurdler advancing to the playoffs, which will be held
Saturday at San Jose City College.
SALINAS -Last year the Live Oak track and field team sent three hurdlers and one distance runner to the Central Section Coast semifinals. This year, it was reversed around with three runners and one hurdler advancing to the playoffs, which will be held Saturday at San Jose City College.
The Acorns had 25 athletes (four hurdlers, three sprinters, four jumpers, three sprinters, and 12 distance runners) place during the league finals held last weekend at Hartnell College in Salinas.
Live Oak received its best performance from some of its younger athletes. The girls JV team came in first in the league. Both boys teams finished fifth. The Live Oak girls varsity team finished sixth.
Leanne Lopez and Jason Alcaraz, who both advanced to CCS last year, will be joined by first-year senior trackster Kris Mott and sophomore Billy Wong.
Alcaraz will start at 11:30 p.m., Mott will go at 1:40 p.m., Wong starts at 3:10 p.m. and Lopez goes at 2:10 p.m. on Saturday in CCS. Alcaraz and Wong have to be in the top 12 of their events to move on, while Lopez and Mott have to be in top eight.
Wong came in first in the 3200 with a best time of 9:58.41. Alarcez (4:29.18) and Wong (4:29.96) finished second and third in the 1600-meter race. Alcaraz also finished sixth in the 800 with a time of 2:07.33. Although Wong qualified in the 1600 race, he will focus his attention just on the 3200.
“With Billy, I’ve learned never limit him,” said coach Dean Raymond said. “It is possible for him to advance if he gets in the right race of the two heats that are going on. As a freshman he was running the 1600 at 4:48 and at 4:29 as sophomore. He will have to drop about 15 seconds to move on.”
Mott finished second in the 800 with a time of 2:01.34 and finished seventh in the 400. Lopez finished third in the 100 hurdles with a time of 17.21 and fifth in the 300 hurdles with a time of 51.51.
The sibling tangent of Jesus and Azucena Atanacio brought home five ribbons for the JV team. Jesus won first in the 800, 1600 and 3200 races, and Azucena took first in the shot put and second in the discuss.
Shannon Kelly took first in the JV 100 hurdles and second in the 300 hurdles. She also came in third in high jump. Mattie Smith took first in the long jump and second in the 400.
Ashley Caesar won first place in the high jump and first in the 100-meter dash.
Yesenia Miranda won the 3200, came in second in the 800 and third in the 1600. Lisa Herrera came in second in the 3200 behind Miranda.
Kent Wu came in second in the triple jump, and Justin Cates took second in the 800. Leslie Dedios finished second in the 100, and Kristina Elmasu placed second in the 100 hurdles.
