Middletown track and field athletes set several personal bests at conference competition
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ST. HELENA >> Middletown won three of the four divisions Thursday afternoon during a six-team Coastal Mountain Conference track and field meet hosted by the St. Helena Saints.
Other teams participating were Sonoma Academy, Upper Lake, Calistoga and Mendocino.
Middletown won the varsity boys, varsity girls and frosh-soph girls divisions while Calistoga edged out the Mustangs in frosh-soph boys scoring.
“After a couple weeks off, it was good to be back,” Middletown head coach Wyatt Hall said. “My team had a great meet. So many of my athletes recorded personal bests in their events.”
Varsity boys
Hayden Xavier of Middletown won the 100 meters in 10.81 seconds and is currently ranked No. 1 in the conference.
Another Middletown standout was Eli Norris, who won the discus (94 feet, 4 inches) and finished second in the shotput (36-1).
“Eli Norris is one of my seniors who switched to throwing this year and he set new personal bests in both the discus and shotput,” Hall said. “Eli has been practicing hard, so it’s great to see his improvement when it comes to competition.”
Middletown sophomore Estaban Muniz competed in several events and set a personal best in the long jump, winning the event in 18-11 while teammate Xavier was second in 18-8.
“Muniz focused on his jumps and improved both his long and triple jump,” Hall said. “His long jump personal best has moved him into the top-five rankings of the conference.”
Muniz placed third in the triple jump (34-8).
Another Middletown underclassman, freshman Gavin Elliot, set a personal best in the long jump (placing fifth at 18-2) while also improving his time in the 100 (sixth in 12.20).
“Gavin is having a great first track season and I think he will continue to improve,” Hall said.
Middletown’s other firsts came in the pole vault where Dylan Caviness cleared 11-0; in the high jump where Jamisen Jackson and Cale McLean tied for first at 5-0; and in the 4×100 relay where Muniz, Jackson, Xavier and Luke Mace topped the field in 44.84 seconds.
Middletown’s Andrew Morfin was second in the 400 at 1 minute, 9.43 seconds.
Varsity girls
In the varsity girls discus, Middletown’s Crystal Duval uncorked a personal-best toss of 90-2, placing second behind Siena Jasper of Sonoma Academy (114-9). Duval also finished second in the shotput (26-3).
Isa Barnes and Emma Stark of Middletown finished 1-2 in the 100-meter hurdles, Barnes winning in 17.36 to Stark’s 21.46. Barnes added seconds in the 300 hurdles (57.43) and high jump (4-4), and she anchored Middletown’s winning 4×100 relay team, the first three legs run by Thira Hoage, Tina Lopez and Avery Peterson. Their first-place time was 53.92.
Middletown picked up other firsts in the pole vault where Alexa Rodriguez (5-6) and Len Rivas (4-10) finished 1-2; and in the high jump where Jolene Holley (5-0) and Barnes (4-4) finished 1-2.
Frosh-soph girls
Middletown’s Trinity Wood won the 100 (14.92), pole vault (7-0) and high jump (3-10).
“She set new personal bests all around,” Hall said. “Trinity has so much potential to be a great vaulter and it is just starting to clock for her.”
Middletown picked up other firsts in the long jump where Emma Stark cleared 12-5.5, and in the 100 hurdles where Emma Jones won in 21.88.
Frosh-soph boys
Middletown’s Owen Hawkins won the frosh-soph boys 110 hurdles in 20.10 and finished second in the long jump (16-4.5) while the Mustangs’ 4×100 relay team Ethan Silva, Evan Austin, David Wallace and Ruben Velazques finished first in 50.84. Davis also picked up thirds in the 100 (12.68) and 200 (26.13).
Benji Pimentel (36-2) and Jay Lee (33-3) finished 1-2 in the shotput for Middletown, and Lee added another second in the discus (82-10).
Middletown’s Wallace and Caleb Ahlmann tied for first in the high jump, each clearing 5-0, and Kai Sooy (7-0, fewer attempts) and Ben Ortiz (7-0) finished 1-2 for Middletown in the pole vault.
“I just want to say that I am so proud of my entire frosh-soph throwing group,” Hall said. “All six of them threw for new bests in at least one of their events.”
