Both Sobrato and Live Oak had track and field standouts this spring. The most prominent accomplishment came from the Bulldogs, as their boys and girls teams both won league titles. Each went 5-0 in Blossom Valley Athletic League, Almaden Valley Division dual meets.
Live Oak’s Christian Hauge led in individual accomplishments. The Acorns multi-sport star was the only area athlete to qualify for and run in the CIF State Track and Field championships in Clovis. He reached that stage last year and did so this year, even while coming off an April hamstring injury.
BVAL championships
The first of the series of championship track events came at the BVAL championships at Westmont High in Campbell on May 4. A host of Bulldogs scored points.
Kevin Havens finished seventh in the 100 in 11.63 and third in the 300 hurdles in 41.41. He also anchored the 4×400 relay team to a sixth-place result in 3:38.13. The quartet also included Colin Curto, Jalen Deloach and Abhik Gudapuri.
In the boys field events, the stars were Deloach, in fourth in the long jump at 19-7.5, and Jonathan Brackensick, who cleared 5-8 to finish sixth in the high jump.
The Sobrato girls were led by Shaunise Tuua. The junior was flying down the track in multiple events. Tuua finished third in the 100 in 12.82 and sixth in the 300 hurdles in 51.29. She ran a leg on the speedy Bulldogs 4×100 team, which put together a superb 51.09 second-place result.
Brooklyn Williams ran leadoff and handed the baton to Ava Valone. Tuua was third and Sophia de los Santos ran the final leg.
In the field, Tuua led the long jump field with a 16-8 leap in the Almaden Valley Division finals and led the shot put at 30-8.5.
In the 4×400 relay, Sobrato claimed an eighth-place finish in 4:24.72.
Another shining star was Cali Barberi with a solid double. The Sobrato freshman made an incredible debut, coming in seventh in two events, the 800 in 2:32.35 and the 1600 in 5:24.87.
CCS trials
The top finishers in the BVAL meet advanced and competed at the next level, the CCS Trials at Gilroy High on May 11. Hauge ran a 10.95 100 meters for fifth place and a 22.10 200 meters for seventh. Tuua finished seventh in the 100 in 12.73 and eleventh in the long jump at 16-7.25. The Bulldogs 4×100 relay team came in 14th in 50.58.
Havens ran a sparkling 39.68 in the 300 hurdles for second place and anchored the 4×400 relay team to 17th in 3:30.10. In the boys long jump, Deloach launched himself 19-8.75 for 26th place.
CCS finals
Only the best of the best continued on to the May 18 CCS Finals at Gilroy High. Tuua ran 12.61 in the girls 100 meters, good for fourth place. She leaped 16-6.5 for ninth in the long jump.
“My start was my best part in the 100,” Tuua said. “I need to work on my finish. It definitely wasn’t close to my PR. In the long jump, my first jump was my best. I was in fourth then at about 16-6.”
Havens ran 39.91 in the 300 meters, finishing in fourth place.
Hauge ran 10.83 for third in the 100 meters and 22.33 for sixth in the 200. Hauge broke fast from the blocks in the 100 and then battled to stay near the front. His third-place finish qualified him for the state meet.
“It feels good I’m going to state,” Hauge said. “I went there last year. This year, I pulled my hamstring at the Arcadia meet. I’ve been slowly getting back in my training, which has been just five weeks. I’m a little disappointed in the 200. That is a hard race. I am coming back from injury but still a little out of shape.”
CIF state meet
Hauge traveled over to Clovis for the CIF State meet. He competed May 24 in the Trials in the 100 meters. He improved his time up to 10.63, which ranked 16th in the state. It was not fast enough to move him into Saturday’s CIF Finals.
