Competing in breezy conditions against athletes from the Northern, North Coast and Sac-Joaquin sections last Friday at Chico High School’s stadium, the Pierce varsity boys turned in a dominant performance to capture the team title at the NorCal Small Schools Invitational.
Tallying 121 points on the afternoon, the Bears finished well-ahead of Willows and Middletown who garnered just 46 points apiece.
Leading the way was Thomas Sweet, a double gold medalist, who won the long jump with a mark of 19-05, then set a new meet record in the triple jump after going 40-10.
Additionally, Sweet combined with Jonathan Vasquez Hernandez, Kashius Nunley and Nate Macintosh on Pierce’s 4 x100 relay that came in second with a team best time of 45.28.
Hurdler JR Figueroa won the 110 meter race in a time of 16.66 before taking second in the 300 meters crossing the line in 44.38.
Vasquez Hernandez was strong in the sprints for Pierce, coming away with a pair of silver medals having run a personal best 11.29 in the 100 and a season’s best 23.71 in the 200.
A pleasant surprise for the Bears was a third place finish in the 400 from freshman Samuel Corona, who set a personal record time of 54.94 in the race.
Williams, with a small contingent at the meet, saw Rafael Moreno (53.88) run a career best in the 400 to claim second place.
On the girl’s side, Colusa looked strong as a team accruing 78 points, which was second to CORE Butte who tallied 112 to take the top spot in the varsity girls division.
Kendall Marengo had an impressive outing on the day for the RedHawks, setting personal bests to win both the 100 and 200 meters with subsequent times of 12.87 and 26.17.
Furthermore, the sophomore anchored Colusa’s 4 x 100 relay team, which also included Marlie Berry, Peyton Miller and Itzel Cruz, in a second place finish as the quartet set a team best time of 51.62, and just behind Orland that won the race in 51.33.
Miller (27.27) picked up a silver in the 200, as did Cruz (1:03.76) in the 400, while Eloise Guerrero (6:05.87-PB) was third in the 1600.
Maxwell, another of the local teams competing, had Jadyn Karlonas run a season’s best time of 2:39.38 in the 800 meters which was good for second, then also finish second in the 1600, crossing the line in 6:04.13.
As for Pierce, Rylie Delepierre (27.75-PB) was third in the 200, then also combined with Charlotte Reyna, Ashley Jansen and Grace Szmurlo on the Bears’ 4 x 100 relay team that finished third in 54.63, their fastest time yet.
This week Pierce and Colusa were in Paradise for a Sacramento Valley League meet on April 22, then, along with Maxwell and Williams, made their way to Cottonwood for the West Valley Invitational on April 24.