SPRING SPORTS SHORTS–
(Latest track and field shorts will be at the top of the section. Scroll down to check out past results. Visit the Sports Section for track and field features)

The 2007 track and field SWSL schedule is found at High School Sports.Net. The 2007 track results can be found online at Athletic.Net

TRACK MEET RESULTS

SEASON END

GRAND MASTERS OR VALLEY CHAMPIONSHIPS–May 16
Over 90 schools were represented in the Grand Masters or Valley Championships Meet at Madera High on May 16. And for the first time in school history, a female athlete received a medal.

“I was not my best over the last two weeks,” senior Aliza Ford said. “Mentally and physically I was not ready but over the last few days, I began to get pumped up and excited. I knew I could do better and, while I did not get a personal record, I won my heat.”

Ford placed 6th in the 100m hurdles with a time of 16.41 and won a medal despite running in the slow heat.

“Gilmore has always said win the race to the first hurdle and then run the rest aggressively,” Ford said. “But even though I won my heat, I still did not expect to medal because it was the slower one. Gilmore was the one who told me I won; I didn’t even hear it announced over the speakers.”

Edison’s junior Brianny Williams won the event with a 15.18a. Taylor Jackson of Frontier placed 5th and ran a 15.78. Ford’s rival and friend, Annie Bledsoe, from Riverdale placed 4th with a 15.56a. Ford’s medal was the best finish for a female track athlete in school history.

“Coach Gilmore has been a real encouragement to me,” Ford said. “He believes in me and has prepared me mentally and physically to compete. He has taught all of us to compete or run just for the sheer joy of it.”

“Since Aliza had a slow time in last week’s race, she had to run in the 1st heat which was the slower heat,” coach Ericlee Gilmore said. “But she ran with confidence and won the heat, which gave her 6th overall. When I told her she had placed 6th, she said ‘Really?’ As coaches we were very proud of her. One of my prayers was that she would be in the top 6. Praise the Lord.”

Last year, senior Wesley Wells won the first boys’ medal in Valley Championship history. Wells won the high jump and currently is competing at NAIA National Track meet at Fresno Pacific University on May 25 at 6 P.M.

The girls’ 4x100m relay team was disqualified when a baton handoff was completed outside of the zone. The team of Aliza Ford, Janae Ford, Kim Swift and Quinn Livingston did not finish.

“Even though the relay was very disappointing, I knew there was a chance the girls would DQ because we were going all out for a best time,” coach Gilmore said. “We were on the edge of either doing our best or getting disqualified. But the great news is that three of the four girls are coming back.”

CAMPUS RECORDS SET AT SEQUOIA/SIERRA MEET–May 9
Two campus track records were set and the girls’ 100m relay team and hurdler Aliza Ford finished in the top three at the Sequoia/Sierra Area Meet in Coalinga on May 9. Each will represent the school and compete in the Valley Championships on May 16.

Twenty-nine teams from Division III-V schools competed for the right to send their best to the Valley Championships at Madera High. Track coach Ericlee Gilmore was estatic at his teams’ 9th place effort at the May 9 meet.

“I was very excited about the relay teams,” Gilmore said. “Anytime we improve our times by tenths of a second it is exciting.”

The girls’ team earned 20 points and, while Selma won the meet with 90 points, five other schools had point totals in the 20’s.

While Aliza Ford placed third the 100m hurdles (17.21) and the girls’ 4x100m (51.79a) relay team finished second and earning new school records, Gilmore beamed when he spoke about junior Ryan Brunn and the boys’ 4x100m relay team finishing just outside the medals in the 100m.

“It was real exciting to see Ryan race down Selma to place 4th in the 4x100m,” Gilmore said. “It was very hot so many athletes did not have their best times.”

GIRLS
100m ? 4th place – Kim Swift (13.64); 9th place – Aliza Ford (13.73)
200m ? 5th place – Aliza Ford (27.80); 13th place – Quinn Livingston (28.82)
400m ? 10th place – Janea Ford (1:04.61)

100m H ? 3rd place – Aliza Ford (17.21)

4x100m relay – 2nd place – A. Ford, J. Ford, Swift and Livingston (51.78) (new school record)

BOYS
100m – 4th place – Ryan Brunn (11.78)

4x100m relay ? 4th place – Brunn, Will Hierholzer, David Quenzer, Jason Harris (45.28) (new school record)

FC GIRLS PLACE 2ND AT SIERRA CHAMPIONSHIPS–May 2
Fowler High hosted the Sierra Championships, including three Sierra Leagues and a combined a total of 14 schools participated in the May 2 meet. Fowler won the event with 113 points while FC placed second with 83 points. Firebaugh rounded out the top three with 51 points.

“Overall I felt we did a great job,” coach Ericlee Gilmore said. “I was hoping to upset Fowler but second is great. We had 10 personal records as a team and 1 school record and we brought home 10 medals.

Gilmore said the highlight of the meet was the boys’ 4x100m team; they beat Fowler and, in doing so, broke the school record that Wes Wells held with Ryan Brunn (’08), Will Hierholzer (’07) and David Quenzer (’07) since last spring.

“They finally got their handoffs like they’ve been practicing all year long,” Kim Swift, ’08, said. “This time I think they just really wanted it and it just came together.”

Both 4x100m relay teams qualified for the Area Meet in Coalinga on May 9. In the individual competitions for the girls, senior Aliza Ford also qualified in the 100m, 200m and 100m hurdles; junior Kim Swift in the 100m, long jump and triple jump; sophomore Janae Ford in the 300m low hurdles and 400m; sophomore Quinn Livingston in the 300m hurdles, 200m and 400m; and junior Whitney Chessum in the 1600m and 3200m;

“As the year has progressed, we’ve been perfecting our handoffs and splits,” Swift said. “We are now hitting 52 seconds and have broken the league record. This team just goes together, we know how to work off of each other.”

Swift set a new personal record in the 100m.

“The 100m dash was amazing,” Swift said. “It felt so good because unlike my previous 100’s, my speed didn’t peak at the half-way point. In the race I continually got faster throughout the entire race.”

Brunn qualified for the boys’ Area Meet in the 100m and 200m. While it is yet undetermined, sophomore Scott Yantis may qualify in the discus and senior Rajanea Allen in shot put.

GIRLS
100m – 1st place – Kim Swift (12.8); 4th place – Aliza Ford (13.4)
200m – 2nd place – Aliza Ford (27.0); 3rd place – Quinn Livingston (27.7)
400m – 3rd place – Janae Ford (1:05.8); 4th place – Livingston (1:07.1)

100m H – 2nd place – A. Ford (16.7)
300m H – 5th place – Livingston (51.1); 6th place – Janae Ford (53.0)

4x100m relay – 1st place – A. Ford, J. Ford, Swift and Livingston (52.0)

1600m – 4th place – Whitney Chessum (6:03)
3200m – 2nd place – Chessum (13:02)

High jump – 4th place – Shaneec Santiago (3’10)
Long jump – 3rd place – Swift (15’1)
Triple jump – 5th place – Swift (29’5)

BOYS
100m – 2nd place – Ryan Brunn (11.6)
200m – 6th place – Brunn (23.8)

110m H – 4th place – Scott Yantis (17.6)

4x100m – 1st place – Brunn, Will Hierholzer, David Quenzer, Jason Harris (45.5) *new school record (old record – 45.9)

High jump – 6th place – Brian Kaiser (5’0)
Discus – 5th place – Yantis (120’9)

RELAY RECORD FALLS AT REEDLEY INVITATIONAL–April 27
A 22-year-old FC record fell at the Reedley Invitational on April 27 and the red hot girls’ 4x100m relay team was responsible. After dropping the baton a week ago at the Sanger Metric Classic, the Eagle team ran with purpose and a dream.

Caruthers previously owned the West Sierra League 4x100m relay record since 1985 in a time of 52.01.

Maybe it was a result of their warm-up routine or the races just before but the foursome of sophmores Quinn Livingston and Janae Ford, junior Kim Swift and senior Aliza Ford ran their best race of their lives.

While they did not place among the leaders after running the 300m hurdles, both Quinn and Janae seemed loose. Swift had just completed the long jump so her muscles were primed. Captain Aliza, still waiting to compete in her first event (100m H) provided the winning touch as she achored the Eagles to the best time in school history (52.00a).

The team’s 14th overall finish against the best schools in the Valley (and one from Long Beach who won it in a meet record time) did not seem to damper their spirits. FC ran not only against schools with populations 10x of their own but make it a point to improve and complete against times they set in previous meets.

“Wow that is cool,” Aliza said after learning of the new WSL and a personal best. “One of my top goals for my career was to break a league record.”

Ford was not yet done at the Invitational as her signature race was still to come. With a record setting performance behind her, Ford stepped up and placed third in the 100m hurdles with a time of 16.46a. Brianna Williams of Edison won the race (15.51).

GIRLS’ PLACE 2ND AT SWSL CHAMPIONSHIPS–April 25
The girls’ track team placed 2nd at the SWSL Championships on April 25. Fowler won the championships with 178 points while FC finished with 133 and Riverdale had 64 points.

“I could not be more proud of the way our team competed today,” coach Ericlee Gilmore said. “They did not look at the competition, but rather focused on what they had to do and they went out and did it. This is just like out motto for year – ‘My best for His Glory!’

“I am still amazed with Aliza Ford. She won 4 gold medals and won the 200m four times in a row. She also improved her time in the 100m hurdles by over a half a second. Wow!”

Senior Aliza Ford’s four gold medals highlighted the championships and set three personal records and two school records. Graduated Nikki Hill (’02) was the last athlete to take four gold medals in 2002. Also Ford has won the 200m each of the last four years at the League Championships. She won the 100m the last three years.

“My goal at the league championships was to get first in all 4 of my events,” Ford said. “I was very excited to reach my goal, especially getting times as my personal best.”

Ford’s two school records from the championships were in the 100m hurdles – 16.0 (old record 16.5); and in the 4x100m relay – 52.1 (previous record 52.6).

“I am so proud of the girls’ team,” Ford said. “Whitney (Chessum) did an amazing job winning 3 out of her 4 events and Shaneec (Santiago) placed third jump with only one day of practice.”

GIRLS
100m – 1st place – Aliza Ford (13.2); 2nd place – Kim Swift (13.3)
200m – 1st place – A. Ford (27.1); 4th place – Quinn Livingston (28.8)
400m – 2nd place – Janae Ford (1:05.1); 4th place – Livingston (1:09.5)

800m – 1st place – Whitney Chessum (2:44)
1600m – 1st place – Chessum (6:01)
3200m – 1st place – Chessum (13:01)

100m hurdles – 1st place – A. Ford (16.0)
300m low hurdles – 3rd place – Livingston (50.7); 5th place – J. Ford (53.0)

4x100m relay – 1st place – A. Ford, J. Ford, Swift, and Livingston (52.1)
4x400m relay – 2nd place – Chessum, Ellie Wilhelm, Shaneec Shantiago, and J. Ford (4:59)

High jump – 3rd place – Santiago (3’8″)
Long jump – 2nd place – Swift (15′ 7.50″) – new school record
Triple jump – 2nd place – Swift (29′ 1″)

Shot put – 5th place – Rajenae Allen (24′ 1″)
Discus throw – 4th place – Allen (79′ 4″)

The girls’ team won a total of 10 personal records and broke 3 school records in addition to their 7 first place finishes during the April 25 championships.

BOYS
The boys’ team placed 6th over all in SWSL Championships in Fowler on April 25. Riverdale took 5th and beat FC by 1 point. Fowler won the event.

100m – 1st place – Ryan Brunn (11.6); 5th place – David Quenzer (12.0)
200m – 3rd place – Quenzer (23.9); 4th place – Will Hierholzer (24.0)
400m – 4th place – Quenzer (55.3)

110m hurdles – 3rd place -Scott Yantis (18.1)

4x100m relay – 1st place – Brunn, Hierholzer, Quenzer, Jason Harris (46.0)

FC FRESHMAN/SOPHOMORE TEAM PLACE 2ND IN DIVISION, April 25
The freshman and sophomore team placed 2nd led by Doug Daniel and Nathan Hinojosa. Fowler won the division.

100m – 5th place -Nathan Hinojosa (14:4)
1600m – 2nd place – Doug Daniel (5:28)
3200m – 2nd place – Daniel (11:53)

300m hurdles – 1st place – Hinojosa (57.7)

Long jump – 2nd place – Hinojosa (12’7)
Triple jump – 1st place – Hinojosa (25’2)

A total of 9 personal records and 2 SWSL titles were set by the boys’ team.

The next meet is the Sierra Championships May 2 at Fowler.

50th ANNUAL SANGER METRIC CLASSIC–April 20
While the track team did not do as well at the Sanger Classic on April 20 as in previous meets, coach Ericlee Gilmore was upbeat about two of his female stars.

“I am very proud of Whitney (Chessum),” Gilmore said. “She has been getting better at every meet and she finally broke the record. She has the ability to go even faster. I am also very proud of Aliza (Ford) for 3-stepping each hurdle and running a faster time.”

The following are FC’s highlights at the meet and competed against 24 other teams from the Valley:

GIRLS
100m Hurdles – 5th place – Aliza Ford (16.81a) Season best

1600m – 13rd place – Whitney Chessum (5:47)
3200m – 13th place – Whitney Chessum (12:39.88) new school record

The girls’ 4x100m relay team dropped the baton and were disqualified.

TRACK DASHES TO FIRST AT SWSL MEET NO. 3 IN FOWLER–April 18

After a not so impressive Lemore Kiwanis Invitational showing on April 13, 12 athletes finished with blue ribbons at the SWSL Meet No. 3 in Fowler on April 18.

For the first time since fourth grade, Kim Swift participated in triple jump. However, that did not stop the junior from ending on the podium.

“I brought up the idea to try the triple jump a few days before the meet,” Swift said, “and coach (Ericlee) Gilmore said ‘I needed to jump at least 29′ 6″ in practice in order to compete in the meet.'” Swift just made the mark and later jumped to first place with a 29′ 11″ mark. Swift’s lower long jump marking was a result off sore knees but it was still enough to win the event.

“Kim made me a believer for the triple jump,” coach Gilmore said. “That really helps since we lost our record triple jumper from last year.”

Swift also placed second (13:20) to Aliza Ford in the 100m dash (13:10) and she also ran with the 4x100m relay team which won first place.

Junior Ryan Brunn was the star of the boys’ team as he won both the 100m and 200m dashes.

“Brunn did great in the 100 and 200m,” Gilmore said. “He broke his own record in the 100m and I feel he will beat Wes Wells’ record in the 200m later this year.”

The boys’ relay team placed first in the 4x100m and coach Gilmore was estatic.

“I was quite impressed with the boys 4x100m relay,” coach Gilmore said. “They beat the record (45.85) or tied the time from last year and that team had (senior) Wes Wells on the team! They have come together to do an amazing job.”

Senior Aliza Ford won the 100m, 100m hurdles and anchored the winning 100m relay team. Ford also finished with a blue ribbon when she ran second (27.74) to Tracy Takeda of Fowler (27.50).

Finally, junior Whitney Chessum became the long distance champion when she won the 1600m and 3200m races while placing second (2:48.20) to Janet Polder of Kings Christian (2:46.20).

The details of the meet are as follows:

GIRLS
100m – 1st place – Aliza Ford (13.1); 2nd place – Kim Swift (13.2)
200m – 2nd place – Aliza Ford (13.2); 3rd place – Quinn Livingston (28.70)
400m – 2nd place – Quinn Livingston (1:07.80); 3rd place – Janae Ford (1:08.30)
800m – 2nd place – Whitney Chessum (2:28.2)
1600m – 1st place – Whitney Chessum (6:00.8)
3200m – 1st place – Whitney Chessum (13:06.5)

100m Hurdles – 1st place – Aliza Ford (17.26)
300m Hurdles – 1st place – Quinn Livingston (50.26); 3rd place – Janae Ford (52:53)

4x100m Relay – 1st place – Aliza Ford, Janae Ford, Kim Swift, and Quinn Livingston (53.28)

Long Jump – 1st place – Kim Swift (14′ 10.75″)
Triple Jump – 1st place – Kim Swift (29′ 11″)
Shot Put – 1st place – Rajenae Allen (25′ 6″)
Discus Throw – 3rd place – Rajenae Allen (68′ 6″)

BOYS
100m – 1st place – Ryan Brunn (11.16); 3rd place – David Quenzer (12.16)
200m – 1st place – Ryan Brunn (23.63); 3rd place – Will Hierholzer (24.20)
400m – 2nd place – David Quenzer (55.37)

110m Hurdles – 3rd place – Scott Yantis (18.06)

4x100m relay – 1st place – Ryan Brunn, Will Hierholzer, David Quenzer, and Jason Harris (45.85)

GIRLS DOMINATE SWSL MEET NO. 2 AT CARUTHERS–April 11
The track team competed against Caruthers, Liberty, Riverdale and Parlier in the second South West Sierra League meet on April 11. Arguably, it was a great day for both teams with many personal records being set.

“It was a great moral booster for many on our team,” coach Ericlee Gilmore said. “The girls had a stellar meet. They won it by over 60 points.”

While not all the results are in, the intitial results show the FC girls dominated the meet.

GIRLS
100m – 1st place – Kim Swift (13.3); 2nd place Aliza Ford (13.5)
200m – 1st place – Aliza Ford (28.5); 2nd place – Kim Swift (29.1)
400m – 1st place – Janae Ford (1:06.5)

4x100m relay – 1st place – Kim Swift, Quinn Livingston, Aliza Ford, Janae Ford (53.5)

1600m and 3200m – 1st place – Whitney Chessum (6:04; 13:22)

100m H – 1st place – Aliza Ford (TBA)
300m H – 1st place – Quinn Livingston (49.0); 3rd place – Janea Ford (50.7)

Long Jump – 1st place – Kim Swift (15′ 2″)

BOYS
100m – 1st place – Ryan Brunn (11.7)
200m – 1st place – Ryan Brunn (24.5)
400m – 1st place – David Quenzer (56.9)

4x100m relay – 2nd place – Jason Harris, David Quenzer, Will Hierholzer, Ryan Brunn (47.2)

Discus Throw – 1st place – Scott Yantis (109′ 5″)

WEST COAST RELAYS AT CLOVIS EAST–March 31
Breaking campus records has become mundane for a group of girls this season led by senior captain Aliza Ford. While the group did not win the final race, Kim Swift, Quinn Livingston, Janea Ford, and sister Aliza Ford placed third in the 4 x 100m relay with a new school record of 52.62, beating old record of 52.72 set in 2004.

Golden West won the 4 x 100m event with a time of 51.80 and Liberty narrowly defeated FC with a 52.24 time.

In her individual event, Aliza Ford also placed 5th in the 100m hurdles in 17.28. Shateir Butler of Sunnyside justed edged Ford with a time of 17.10. Clovis East’s Brittany Rogers won the event in only 15.80.

For more information on the relays, go online to West Coast Relays final results.

CAMPUS RECORD FALLS AT MUSTANG RELAYS–March 24
While senior Aliza Ford did not run a personal best, she won the 100m Hurdles at Tulare Western High School with a time of 16.98 during the Mustang Relays on March 24.

“Aliza was low over the hurdles and did not hit one of them,” coach Ericlee Gillmore said. “She is faster now at this time of the season than she was last year. I am looking forward to the West Coast Relays because of the great competition.”

With the West Coast Relays just ahead, Ford anticipates her times improving with each meet.

“I am already a step ahead from last year,” Ford said. “My times are better and I am looking forward to lowering my time in the 100m hurdles and qualifying for invitational meets. But I am excited for the West Coast Relays this coming Saturday.”

Ford, who holds the FC 100m hurdles record at 16.49, also anchors the 4x100m relay team with junior Kim Swift. Swift jumped 15′, 6″ to set a campus record in the long jump.

“I ran my sprint events first this time and I found out my legs were looser and warmer for the long jump,” Swift said. “I will work harder from now on to ensure my muscles and legs are ready to break new school records.”

Gilmore, Swift’s coach for two years, believes the technique and speed put Swift over-the-top.

“She used great speed down the runway and placed her foot exactly on the board. It was a great jump. It was the first time she did not foul on her first jump.”

Swift’s jump was not her personal best. During her freshman year at Pacifica High in Garden Grove, CA, she jumped 15′, 8″ during the CIF So. Calif. Championships.

BOYS
4x100m (46.43) – 6th place – Ryan Brunn, Jason Harris, Will Hierholzer, David Quenzer
4x200m (1.37) – 5th place – Brunn, Harris, Hierholzer, Quenzer

GIRLS
100m H – 1st place – Aliza Ford (16.98)
300m H – 4th place – Quinn Livingston (54.2)
300m H – 5th place – Janae Ford (54.6)

4x100m (53.81) – 5th place – Swift, Livingston, A. Ford, J. Ford

New School Record
Long jump – Kim Swift (15’6″)

GIRLS SEE LIMITED SUCCESS AT SELMA RELAYS–March 17

GIRLS
4x100m: 2nd place (1st Selma)
Aliza Ford, Janae Ford, Kim Swift, Quinn Livingston (53.6)

2x100m H: 2nd place as a team (1st was Riverdale)
Aliza Ford (16.8)and Quinn Livingston (20.0)

Long jump: 3rd place as a team
Kim Swift (14′) Quinn Livingston (13’6″) Ellie Wilhelm (10’9″)

1600m: 2nd place (1st Yosemite 5:40)
Whitney Chessum (6:02)

GIRLS’ PRODUCE WINNING TIMES AT REDCAT RELAYS
Those who are keeping track of male or female dominance should remember this date. The campus girls’ track and field team out distanced their male teammates at the Redcat Relays in Fowler on March 3. While neither of the teams won the competition, 14 schools participated including Taft and Exeter (Sequoia schools)

HIGHLIGHTS:

GIRLS
Aliza Ford: 100m – 13.5 2nd place (1st was 13.2 from Taft)
Aliza, Janae Ford, and Quinn Livingston: 100m Hurdle Shuttle 1st place
Kim Swift: Long Jump – 14’11” 3rd place (1st was 15′ from Avenal)
Aliza, Janae, Quinn, Kim: 4x100m – 54.4 2nd place (1st was 52.5 was Taft)
Whitney Chessum: 3200m – 13:25 1st place; 1600 – 6:03 3rd place
Janae Ford: 300m H – 54.4 2nd place (1st was 52.9 from Fowler)

BOYS
Ryan Brunn:100m – 11.7 5th place (1st was 11.5 from Caruthers)

For more information on Aliza Ford’s races, read Alyssa Boss’ March 9 feature article, “Hurdler tests physical boundries, personal resolve”.