Eastlake High School freshman Jaelyn Williams certainly packs a wallop in her small frame. The diminutive Lady Titan distance runner showcased that at this year’s state championship meet.
Competing in the girls 3200-meter run, Williams courageously zipped out to a shockingly huge lead. She maintained that immense gap for the first four laps in the eight- lap event before starting to fall back to the rest of the field.
Williams held the lead in the 23-deep race until the final 800 meters when the front pack finally caught up to her. The last two laps were frenzied as runners raced to secure top finishes.
The Eastlake runner fell farther back before unleashing a final fury with her feet. It was enough to secure a fourth-place finish in the elite field.
Santiago sophomore Rylee Blade eventually pushed through to claim this year’s individual championship with a time of 10:02.19. The public address announcer was frantic in his play-by-play calling with Blade apparently on track to finish in sub-10 minutes.
Blade didn’t quite make it but it was pure drama as fans cheered her on as Oaks Christian junior Payton Godsey began to close the gap.
Godsey finished in second place in 10:02.63 – just a heartbeat behind.
La Costa Canyon junior Gioana Lopizzo finished in third place in 10:08.32, followed by Williams in fourth place in 10:10.11.
Williams was pushed to the end as Laguna Hills sophomore Holly Barker finished fifth in 10:11.56.
Whitney senior Katie Kopec finished sixth in 10:20.64 as a second pack of runners began to cross the finish line.
Williams, who tripled in winning the 800, 1600 and 3200 at this year’s Mesa League finals, had finished second to Lopizzo at the preceding section finals in 10:26.17 (first among Division I runners).
Williams’ time at state was a new school record by nearly two second as well as a personal record.
“She has no fear, that’s for sure,” Eastlake distance coach Ruben Ledesma said.
“Walking into the stadium, I was pretty nervous but at the same time excited because I knew that I had nothing to lose,” Williams said. “I also felt really cool to be at a state track meet as a freshman and to be able to race against all of these really fast girls. I was excited to race the girls and see how far I could go in the 3200.
“I wanted to go under 10 minutes in the 3200, and my plan to do this was to do 75 seconds on every lap and at least one 74. This is why I went out, taking a big lead.”
The race seemed top unfold positively for the Eastlake runner.
“When I took the lead, I slightly questioned myself at first, and I was a little surprised that I was leading the race with such a big gap at a state meet,” Williams said. “I did not expect to have that big of a gap at any point of the race nor to lead the race for six of the eight laps. I was just praying for strength to keep up this pace.
“In the middle of the race I was thinking, what if I could really win first as a freshman? I did not doubt that I could hold the first position spot, but I was surprised that there were no girls right behind me for the first half or three-quarters of the 3200.
“When the other runners caught up later, there was just 800 to go, and so I thought, I can do this! It’s only two laps. I planned to just hold on to that pack of girls and not let them completely leave my grasp.”
Spinning her wheels, she left it all on the oval and had to be helped off the field by two meet officials. She spent some time in the medical area for later evaluation, according to her mother Amanda Williams.
“I am very proud of being able to medal fourth as a freshman,” she said. “One of my goals was to medal, and I did, although I did want a top three finish. But, even though I did not get top three, I am still happy that I was able to bring home a CIF state medal.”
The future obviously looks bright for Williams on the state’s biggest stage.
“Next year, I think that in preparation for the 3200 at the state meet, I might do slightly longer interval workouts so that I am able to finish the end of the race strong, instead of barely holding on.
“If I would do anything differently in this race, I think that I might run the first lap slower than I had in this race because since I started out a little fast, I think that it made it harder for me to run seven more quick laps after I had gone a little too fast on the first one.”
There’s no question she opened eyes by her intrepid performance.
“It was very exciting to be cheered on by a large crowd as well as my family, friends and coaches,” Williams explained. “It was very cool to be out in first place for such a large portion of the race with such a big lead. I think that this made the race more exciting for me and my friends and family in the crowd to experience.”
Southern exposure
This year’s state championship meet unfolded May 26-27 at Buchanan High School ion Clovis with eight qualifiers from the Metro Conference.
Prelims took place May 26, with finals on May 27. This was the first year in which the top nine place-finishers in each event received state medals. Previously, only the top six place-finishers had been awarded medals.
The top 12 prelim finishers in most events made it through to the second day.
Williams was the lone Metro athlete to compete on the second day as all 3200 qualifiers in the girls and boys fields were byed through the opening prelims.
Olympian junior Angel Cordero almost joined Williams on the track with a 13th place-finish in the boys 800 run in the prelims. His time of 1:54.42 just fell short of the final qualifying time of 1:53.89 posted by San Domenico junior Joaquin Foster.
Cordero won the Mesa League championship in 1:56.35 and followed with a personal record 1:53.43 time in placing second in the championship heat (first in Division I) at the section finals.
Cordero was the highest placer among the seven South County athletes who did compete in the prelims.
Otay Ranch sophomore Zamaria Mack finished 15th among 29 entrants in the girls 100 low hurdles in 14.78. She set a PR of 14.77 at the Division I prelims after winning the Mesa League title in 15.43. She qualified for the state meet after running 14.79 at the CIF finals.
Hilltop senior Malachi McCoy placed 20th out of 25 entrants in the boys 400 with a time of 49.57 while Otay Ranch senior Kaleb Bowler placed 22nd out of 25 entrants in the boys discus throw with a mark of 154-8.
Otay Ranch senior A.J. McIlwain placed 22nd out of 27 entrants in the boys triple jump with a mark of 42-6.75 while Eastlake junior Rae Ball placed 25th out of 25 entrants in the girls triple jump with a mark of 33-1.75.
Otay Ranch senior Jacob Juden placed 27th out of 30 entrants in the boys 1600 run in 4:24.48.
McIlwain was the Division I champion at this year’s section finals by jumping a personal record 46-4 He jumped 44-3 to take first at the Mesa League finals.
Juden, the Mesa League champion in both the 1600 and 3200, clocked a personal best 4:121.43 to place second among Division I runners at the section finals after winning the league championship in 4:26.71.
McCoy won the South Bay League title in 48.68 before posting a 48.52 PR time in placing first among Division II runners at the section prelims.
Bowler, the Mesa League champion, qualified for the state prelims with a mark of 155-8 at the section finals (second in Division I). He set a PR of 155-9 in a dual meet against Bonita Vista on April 27.
Ball had set a PR mark of 36-0.75 in placing fourth at the section finals.
With the exception of Williams and Ball, it looks like there will have to be a new cadre of Metro Conference qualifiers for next year’s state meet.
Final tally
Section qualifiers accumulated 32 medals at this year’s state meet — two gold, two silver, eight bronze, five fourth place, five fifth place, three sixth place, one seventh place, three eighth place and three ninth place.
Gold medalists included La Costa Canyon junior Iliana Downing in the girls pole vault (13-5) and Del Norte in the inaugural running of the girls 4×800 relay (8:55.99).
Silver medals went to Torrey Pines senior Ryan Thomas in the boys 1600 run (4:08.82) and San Diego Lady Caver sophomore Anisa Bowen-Fontenont in the girls 300 low hurdles (41.88).
Bronze medalists included Valhalla senior A.J. Cornthwaite in the boys long jump (23-4.75), Del Norte senior Hannah Riggins in the girls 1600 (4:41.42), La Jolla junior Payton Smith in the girls 200 dash (23.78) and 400 dash (53.86), Poway junior Tessa Buswell in the girls 800 run (2:08.53), Scripps Ranch senior Lizzie Tarczy in the girls high jump (5-9), Poway senior Evangeline Thomson in the girls pole vault (13-1) and Lopizzo.
California State Track & Field Championships
May 26-27 at Buchanan High School, Clovis
San Diego Section Qualifiers
Boys Finals
Running Events
4×100 relay: 1. Granada Hills 40.39
1600: 1. Andreas Dybdahl (Santa Barbara) 4:08.64; 2. Ryan Thomas (Torrey Pines) 4:08.82
110 high hurdles: 1. Davis Davis-Lyric (Upland) 13.83
400: 1. Dijon Stanley (Granada Hills) 45.77
100: 1. Rodrick Pleasant (Serra) 10.20 (state record)
800: 1. Joseph Lighthall (Hughson) 1:52.06
300 intermediate hurdles: 1. Darryll Stevens (Jordan) 37.44; 4. Vincent Atilano (Cathedral Catholic) 37.73; 5. Danny Tragarz (Del Norte) 38.41; Shon Martin (Helix) DQ
200 dash: 1. Rodrick Pleasant (Serra) 20.67
4×800 relay: 1. San Clemente 7:38.59; 15. Helix 8:11.77; 17. Del Norte 8:12.68
3200: 1. Matthew Donis (Highland) 8:51.37; 5. Micah Sanchez (Liberty Charter) 8:58.26; 13. Tom Bell (Mt, Carmel) 9:06.91; 24. Adrian Welton (Westview) 9:23.56
4×400 relay: 1. Long Beach Poly 3:12.99; 8. Mt. Carmel 3:19.81
Field Events
Pole vault: 1. Hilton Green (Buchanan) 16-6; 4. Jacob Emerson (Sage Creek) 15-6; 5. Kai Anderson (University City) 15-6; 6. Joey Weisman (Torrey Pines) 15-6
High jump: 1. Jake Stafford (JSerra) 6-7; 10. Brandon Cheeks (Mission Bay) 6-4
Shot put: 1. Brendon See (JSerra) 62-9.5; 5. Tyler Knowles (Rancho Buena Vista) 59-7.25; 12. Trey Vergenz (Mission Hills) 48-0.5
Discus throw: 1. Brendon See (JSerra) 196-4
Long jump: 1. Chukwunonso Udeh (De La Salle) 23-9.75; 3. A.J. Cornthwaite (Valhalla) 23-4.75
Triple jump: 1. Jeremiah Bolanos (Redland East Valley) 48-3.25; 8. Kesean Goodson (Oceanside) 45-6
Girls Finals
Running Events
4×100 relay: 1. Carson 45.61; 9. Steele Canyon 47.77
1600: 1. Sadie Engelhardt (Ventura) 4:33.45; 3. Hannah Riggins (Del Norte) 4:41.42; 11. Chiara Dailey (La Jolla) 4:52.82
100 low hurdles: 1. Kori Fields (St. Mary’s) 13.79; 4. Anisa Bowen-Fontenot (San Diego) 13.89
400: 1. Aujane Luckey (Long Beach Wilson) 53.26; 3. Payton Smith (La Jolla) 53.86; 7. Nicoletta Burkhardt (Steele Canyon) 55.91; 9. Makenna Herbst (Carlsbad) 56.35
100: 1. Niya Clayton (Oaks Christian) 11.45; 5. Amirah Shaheed (Madison) 11.73
800: 1. Sadie Engelhardt (Ventura) 2:07.22; 3. Tessa Buswell (Poway) 2:08.53; 10. Dominika Janik (Torrey Pines) 2:12.18
300 low hurdles: 1. Kaylin Edwards (Long Beach Wilson) 41.47; 2. Anisa Bowen-Fontenot (San Diego) 41.88
200: 1. Joelle Trepagnier (Culver City) 23.62; 3. Payton Smith (La Jolla) 23.78
4×800 relay: 1. Del Norte 8:55.99; 13. Sage Creek 9:28.55
3200: 1. Rylee Blade (Santiago) 10:02.19; 3. Gioana Lopizzo (La Costa Canyon) 10:08.32; 4. Jaelyn Williams (Eastlake) 10:11.01; 5. 19. Scarlett Martin (Cathedral Catholic) 11:04.83
4×400 relay: 1. Culver City 3:41.08; 8. Carlsbad 3:53.46
Field Events
High jump: 1. Ashanti Elie (Whitney) 5-10; 3. Lizzie Tarczy (Scripps Ranch) 5-9
Pole vault: 1. Iliana Downing (La Costa Canyon) 13-5; 3. Evangeline Thomson (Poway) 13-1; 4. Avery Hilliard (Poway) 12-9; 6. Paige Echsner (Del Norte) 12-5
Shot put: 1. Aja Johnson (Notre Dame) 44-0.75
Discus throw: 1. Nailea Fields (Caruthers) 167-6; 6. Elisabeth Driscoll (Canyon Crest Academy) 144-8; 9. Brenna Williams (Cathedral Catholic) 129-11; 11. Mairead Frankel (Sage Creek) 126-2
Long jump: 1. Sydnie Vanek (Clovis) 20-7.75; 11. Jenna Fields (Santana) 17-0.75
Triple jump: 1. Dajeauna Williams (Elsinore) 40-7.25
