Kira Gant-Hatcher Jumps Her Way to State!

May 18^th, 2024

Dublin, CA – Sophomore Kira Gant-Hatcher leaped 18’0½”  at the North Coast Section Meet of Champions on Saturday - placing third - and advancing to the California State Championships next weekend in Clovis.  The top three finishers in each event qualified to State.

After finishing a scant 5 centimeters from a state meet qualifier on Friday night the triple jump, Kira rebounded with a solid series of jumps on Saturday that culminated with a trip to Clovis. 

 (View All Meet of Champions Photos Here)

Kira hands to Alexa (Girls 4 x 100)

“Friday night was disappointing for sure,” said longtime jumps coach Jeff Rogers.  “We all know Kira had it in her to advance but sometimes it doesn’t work out the way you think it should.  That’s what happened on Friday night and it was tough.  So, I’m really proud of how she rebounded and competed on Saturday.  She showed some grit and it paid off.”

Maddie Potter (4 x 800)

Brandon Bosio (4 x 800)

Junior teammate Jaiden Reed also competed at MOC (The Meet of Champions) in the long and triple jumps, as did senior high jumper Sarah Gray.  Neither girl was able to medal but each was commended by Coach Rogers.

Sabrina Jackson Anchors the 4 x 100 Relay

Senior Collin Kopchik finished his Panther running career by competing in the 3200, as did juniors Alexa Lawson (300 hurdles), Brooklyn Dwyer (400) and Maddie Potter (800).  None were able to make it to the podium.

State-Bound Kira Gant-Hatcher

A quartet of relay teams also represented the Panthers at MOC – The girls 4 x 100 and 4 x 400 (Kira, Brooklyn, Alexa, Sabrina Jackson); the girls 4 x 800 (Maddie, Annika Punz, Jing Li-Chou, Lia Sullivan); and the boy’s 4 x 800 (Jacob Demissie, Brandon Bosio, Adrian Hall, Javin Schmitt).  Despite respectable runs, none of the relay teams advanced to state.

Senior Sarah Gray

Good Luck to Kira as she represents her team on Friday at Buchanan High School in Clovis!

Distance Squad Shines @ "Always Sunny in Union City" Invite

April 20^th, 2024

Collin Kopckik Passes to Kai Valle (4 x 800)

Union City, CA – On Saturday, an abbreviated Saint Mary’s team captured 3 individual wins along with a relay gold at what was billed the “Always Sunny in Union City” Invitational hosted by James Logan High School.  Much of the talk coming into this 2024 track season revolved around how committed the distance team was and how well they were training.  So, it was no surprise that is was this group that led the way.

Shane Doherty, Finley Basler, Mika Mazin

The boy’s 1600 highlighted the meet, with junior Kai Valle leading a cavalcade of 10 Panthers under the vaunted 5:00 barrier.  Kai’s :06 second PR took him to an impressive 4:30 win while dragging a host of teammates to times they had never run before. 

Senior Collin Kopchik (4:33) shaved :03 from his personal best, as did junior Jacob Demissie (4:36).  Sophomore Ian Kopchik (4:37) destroyed his previous best by a whopping :11 seconds, while Tucker Presnell (4:37), Mika Mazin (4:47), Shane Doherty (4:48), Finley Basler (4:49) and senior Daniel McAndrew-Kvaerno (4:57) also establishing new lifetime bests. 

Maddie Potter, Lia Sullivan, Jing Li-Chou

Sunni Scott, Marcus Hughes (Boys 100 meters)

Later in the day, Jacob, Collin, and Kai teamed with sophomore Adrian Hall to win the 4 x 800 relay in a season best 8:33. 

Brooklyn Dwyer and Alexa Lawson placed first and second in the open girls 400, they too running lifetime bests. Both juniors threatened to dip under the elusive :60 second barrier but each missed it by just a few tenths of a second.  Freshman Sabrina Jackson also posted a huge PR in the race, circling the oval in just over 62 seconds . On the boys side, senior Simone Daniel (54.60) placed fourth in the boys 400, also running faster than he ever had.

Senior Sarah Gray

Joaquin Tarango, Brandon Bosio, Adrian Hall (800 meters)

Seniors, Sarah, Gray and Jackie Estimbre placed first and second in the girls high jump to lead the Panthers in the field.

Other notable performers on Saturday were sophomore Maleah Bay in the 100 meters; juniors Madison Potter and Lia Sullivan in the girls 1600;  senior Lila Nemerson-Hoover (whose :12 second PR in the 1600 was the day’s best);  and junior Joaquin Tarango -whose bold move with 300 meters to go in the boys 800 almost earned him the individual gold.

Brooklyn, Kira, Tori, Alexa, Jaiden, Callie, Maleah

In the end, Joaquin finished second overall, running a PR 2:05. Junior Gabriel Cabral and sophomore Nico Echeverria also had solid PR races in the boys 800.  

On "Senior Day", Junior Class Leads Panthers in Battle Against Albany

April 15^th, 2024

Berkeley, CA – The Panther track and field squad hosted league rival Albany in a TCAL showdown at Brady Park on Monday.  Both teams, despite being in the same league and sharing the same zip code, entered the meet having not competed against one another yet this season.  And, as always, much of the competition was spirited and tenacious.

Despite the meet being  billed as “Senior Day” (an occasion to celebrate the 17 members of the team competing in their final home meet), the stars of the day seemed to come from the junior class.  Juniors Jaden Jones, Kai Valle, Alexa Lawson, Brooklyn Dwyer, Callie Ballard and Jaiden Reed all either posted impressive winning marks, established lifetime bests… or both!

Jaden Jones recorded the day’s top performances, winning the 400 in a PR 51.63 before long jumping to a PR 20’11”.  Both marks vault him to the top echelon of the TCAL leader board and make him one of the favorites at next months TCAL Championships. Fellow junior Kai Valle won a spirited 800 meter battle over junior teammate Javin Schmitt -2:02.7 - 2:03.3.  Both Kai and Javin rank in the top 5 league wide.

Juniors Alexa Lawson and Brooklyn Dwyer traded wins in the 100 meters and 300 meter hurdles… with Brooklyn taking the 100 (PR 13.07) and Alexa the 300 hurdles (PR 48.89).  Alexa was 2^nd in the 100 while Brooklyn was 2^nd in the 300 hurdles.

Another pair of 11th graders, Callie Ballard and Jaiden Reed, also traded wins in the long and triple juimps.  Callie edged Jaiden by 1 inch in the triple jump before Jaiden returned the favor with a 3” win in the long jump. 

Two other athletes, senior Zendo Rouson and freshman Sabrina Jackson, were commended by their coaches after the meet.  Zendo was the boy’s triple jump winner at 40’1”.  It was Zendo’s first ever jump over 40’0”.  Later, freshman Sabrina Jackson held off several fast-charging teammates to win the girl’s 200 meters. 

Finally, in what may have been the feature event of the day, ten 4 x 400 meter mixed relay teams competed in the annual “Chipotle Challenge” … with the winning squad picking up Chipotle gift cards as their prize.  With much anticipation and competitive fire present, the team of Sunni Scott, Alexa Lawson, Bruno Middleton and Adrian Hall emerged triumphant.  While not confirmed, some say they heard Adrian phoning in his order in, spikes still on as he exited the track.  Winning always feels a bit better when accompanied by a free burrito!  Congratulations J

Despite Stormy Weather, Panthers Stay On Track @ Bay Area Relays

March 23^rd, 2024

Junior Leo Turner

Pleasanton, CA - On Saturday - despite windy, rainy, miserable weather - the Saint Mary’s track and field team lined up and competed against some of the best teams across the North Coast section at the 9th annual Bay Area Relays at Foothill High School in Pleasanton.  

“We knew rain was in the forecast,” noted coach Jay Lawson after the meet. “But I don’t think we expected it to down pour and even hail at times.  I think I speak for all of our coaches in saying we’re proud of the way our team competed and didn’t complain in such nasty conditions.”

Jaiden Reed to Kira Gant-Hatcher

Brooklyn Dwyer

Indeed, in spite of the challenges, by days end the Panthers had racked up two team relay wins, two individual wins, two runner up performances, and several top five finishes.  Leading the way for the Panthers was All-NCS long and triple jumper Kira Gant Hatcher.  In what is becoming a repetitive storyline, Kira came into the meet as the top seed and came away with event gold.  After a morning of sprinting, it took a big final round jump in the wind and rain from the talented sophomore to secure the triple jump event victory.  Her effort - combined with solid jumping from teammates Callie Ballard, Jaiden Reed, and Tori Harris – secured the team win for the talented foursome.

Freshman Kamryn Levy to Freshman Sabrina Jackson

Junior Callie Ballard

The other team victory went to the frosh-soph boys 4 x 800 relay team. Led by a strong lead off leg from sophomore Ian Kopchik, the boys were a runaway winner against a very strong field. Sophomore Mika Mason ran second, with Shane Doherty on the third carry before handing to anchorman Adrian Hall. Ian ran 2:11, Mika, 2:12, Shane 2:15 and Adrian 2:09 for the winners.

 Senior Colin Kopchik earned the runner-up spot in the varsity boys mile, actually winning his heat in 4:42, but was later outdone by a faster runner in another heat.

Sophomore Mika Mazin

The girls relay quartet of Jaiden Reed, Kira, Gant Hatcher, Alexa Lawson, Brooklyn, Dwyer) equalled Collins runner up placing in the seldom run 100-100-200-400 sprint medley relay.  Earlier, the same group also won their heat of the 4 x 100 relay but wound up 4^th overall after the results of subsequent heats were tallied.

Junior Jaden Jones

Junior Kai Valle

Other top performances of the day went to junior Leo Turner – who ran a lifetime best in the varsity boys 100m (11.79; junior Mason Young who put the shot farther than he ever had (38’0”);  junior Callie Ballard who bounded to as seasons best in the triple jump (33’0”) while placing 4^th ; freshman Kamryn Levy who ran solid relay legs before posting a nice 100 meter time; and junior Jaden Jones who placed fourth overall in the boys varsity long (19’8”) and high jump (5’10”), despite only having practiced the high jump once in his entire life!

Marcus Hughes to Pierce Madison

Next up for the Panthers is their season opening TCAL league meet on Monday at Brady Park against El Cerrito, Salesian and Pinole Valley.  The first event starts at 3:30 pm. 

Panthers Shake Off E-Week, Post Impressive Marks @ San Ramon & Dublin Meets

March 16^th, 2024

 

San Ramon, CA - After a fulfilling but exhausting week of travel and enrichment, the Panthers track and field team resumed their season on Saturday, splitting the squad to compete at both the San Ramon Sprint & Jump Festival and the Dublin Distance Fiesta.  And, much like their performances at the Skyline Invitational a few weeks ago, the team posted impressive results.

Sophomore Kira Gant-Hatcher, whose lifetime bests in the horizontal jumps already rank her amongst the best in school history, was the weekends top performer… scoring wins in both the long (16’5¾”) and triple jumps (35’3”) before placing 4^th overall in the 200 meters.   Kira currently ranks near the top of the NCS in both jumping events.  Teammate Jaiden Reed also bounded out to her season best, placing 3^rd overall in the triple jump.

Top: Simon Daniel and Jaden Jones   /  Bottom: Reggie Masket

The girls team of Brooklyn Dwyer, Alexa Lawson, freshman Sabrina Jackson, and Kira nearly grabbed the gold medal in the 4 x 200 relay, eventually settling for 2^nd behind a strong San Ramon Valley team.  Brooklyn, Alexa and Sabrina would later combine with Lia Sullivan to place 3^rd in the 4 x 400.

The boy’s sprint team also flaunted some strong marks, led by junior Jaden Jones.  Jaden, fresh off  basketball season, finished 3^rd overall in the open 400 – running the fastest time of any Panther all season in easily winning his heat in 52.14.  Jaden later finished 4^th in the long jump. 

Top: Aaditya Patel   /  Bottom: Jackie Estimbre

Other boy’s singled out by sprint coach Jay Lawson were individual 200 meter heat winners Reggie Masket (23.85), Devin Owens (24.06) and Sunni Scott (25.02).. as well as 100 meter heat winner Leo Turner (11.99).  All four were praised for the “fight and competitiveness” they showed in their races.

Alexa Lawson

In Dublin, the distance team continued to show their talent and earn the fruits of their hard work while competing at the annual Dublin Distance Fiesta.  The meet is a “distance only” affair that attracts most of the top talent from Northern California.  Needless to say the competition level is fierce and indefatigable.  Fortunately, it seems as though these are the settings that this year’s squad seems to thrive in.  Some of the highlights included Javin Schmitt and Collin Kopchik in the 800 (2:02, 2:06 respectively) and a trifecta of sophomores (Ian Kopchik, Adrian Hall, and Mika Mazin) in the 1600.  Ian (4:48), Adrian (4:48), and Mika (4:55) all ran huge PR’s to cap off a nice weekend of track & field for the Panthers.

Panthers Score 10 Top Five Finishes @ Skyline Invitational

February 24^th, 2024

Senior Devin Owens

Oakland, CA – Led by ALL-NCS jumper/sprinter Kira Gant-Hatcher, distance stars Javin Schmitt and Annka Punz, and a handful of up and coming talent, the Saint Mary’s Track & Field team opened their 2024 season with 10 top five finishes at the 18^th annual Skyline Invitational. 

“Pretty much all of our athletes performed really well today,” said coach Jay Lawson after the meet.  “Skyline has always been a good opening meet for us.  Lots of athletes, lots of competition, good weather, and a chance for the coaches to see the athletes compete and be reminded of what areas we need to continue work on.”

Kira Gant-Hatcher

Among those “well performing” athletes was sophomore star Kira Gant Hatcher who finished 2^nd in the triple jump (35’7”), 3^rd in the long jump (17’1”) and 7^th overall in the 100 meters (12.99).  Having just joined the team after a winter playing basketball made Kira’s performance even more impressive. 

Another hugely impressive athlete on Saturday was distance runner Javin Schmitt.  Coming off a big fall cross country season, the fast-rising junior had lofty pre-race goals that he certainly delivered on.  Running at the front for most of the race, Javin out-ran nearly all of the 190 runners entered… eventually finishing 4^th overall.  His massive 4:26 PR now places him 9^th on the school’s all-time list!

L-R: Collin Kopchik, Kai Valle, Javin Schmitt

Fellow distance star Annika Punz, whose senior cross country season saw her earn 1^st team All-NCS honors, also finished 4^th in the girl’s 1600, running 5:26.  Junior Kai Valle finished 2^nd in the 3200 (10:06) while sophomore Tucker Presnell was a mere :02 seconds back in 3^rd. 

Freshman Junior Saliba-Coffey

Jaiden Reed

Junior Brooklyn Dwyer, whose pre-season training has been a frequent topic of positive coach talk, ran 61.36 in the 400 meters to match Javin and Annika’s 4^th place finish.  Teammate Alexa Lawson was in hot pursuit, running 62.51 to finish just behind Brooklyn in 5^th.  Junior Lia Sullivan (63.60) and freshman Sabrina Jackson (64.25) also ran solid races according to coach Lawson.

In the field, senior Jackie Estimbre finished 4^th in the high jump, as did freshman Junior Saliba-Coffey who jumped 5’8” in his first time out.  Junior also placed 7^th in the triple jump and was by far the highest placing 9^th grader in the entire meet!

L-R: Sophomores Keowyn Warner and Marcus Hughes

The day also included top performances from the senior quartet of Ethan Baiter (shot put), Myles Kettler (400), Devin Owens (400, long jump), and Luke Swanson (100).  All four team leaders posted lifetime bests in their respective events and, more importantly, “modeled toughness and a great competitive spirit for the younger athletes,” according to coach Lawson.

Mika Mazin

 Other athletes grabbing coaches praise were junior Jaiden Reed in the jumps and 100, sophomore Adrian Hall in the 800, junior Joaquin Tarango in the 800, and sophomore Mika Mazin – who established gigantic PR’s in both the 800 and 1600 in his first ever track meet.

Next up for the Panthers will be the San Ramon Valley Sprint & Field festival and the Dublin Distance Fiesta, both on Saturday March 16^th.

Click on "Photo Album" above to access all pictures from today's meet.

Individual Talent, Distance Strength Lead 2024 Panthers

February 10^th, 2024

Buoyed by a band of talented juniors and seniors, the Saint Mary’s Track & Field team enters the season excited and hopeful that 2024 will pay dividends on the off-season commitment and work done thus far. 

“We have somewhere around 130 students signed up for track this season and so our #1 goal is to improve every week,” said head coach Jay Lawson.  “Progress is what we’re looking for. If we practice well, if the athletes make the commitment we’re asking them to make, and if we stay relatively healthy, I think that progress will allow us to once again be very competitive across the league and North Coast Section.”

Sophomore Kira Gant Hatcher

Along with Coach Lawson, we had a chance to sit down with several of the coaches to get their thoughts and insights into this year’s team.  Below is some of what they had to say.

Coach Jay Lawson: Sprints/Relays

Q: When talking about the upcoming season, it seems as though you and the other coaches don’t talk as much about training, technique and conditioning as much as you talk about things like “commitment” and “dedication.”  Can you talk a little bit about why that is?

A:  You’re right. We have a VERY GOOD coaching staff who have a lot of experience and who have had a LOT of success over the years.  I’m very confident in our ability to effectively coach the athletes.  Still, we also understand that there is no easy way to achieve success.  Like all things, the key is to commit and then work consistently hard at it.  Our sport is especially demanding in that way.  There are no short cuts or magic formulas in track & field.  It's important that we emphasize that to the athletes. 

Q: So, what’s the attitude and commitment of the team been like so far?

A: So far it’s been pretty good.  Fridays are the most challenging days in terms of attendance and this past Friday we had over 90 athletes on the track.  That’s pretty good for February.

Q: In terms of overall outlook and performance, what are your thoughts?

A: I’d say that we have talent spread across several event areas, but one group people should especially look out for is the distance team.  They’re deep, talented and extremely hard-working.  Look for them to be big point scorers and contributors to the overall success of our team.

Q: OK, what about the sprint and hurdles team.  Who should be expect to grab the headlines this season? Let’s start with the girls.

A: There are several athletes I’m really excited about this year.  Kira Gant-Hatcher, Brooklyn Dwyer and Alexa Lawson are certainly our top sprinters/quarter milers.  Kira ran 12.88 and was the TCAL runner-up in the 100 last year so  I expect her to be one of the top sprinters in the area.  Brook was a 400 meter finalist at our Bayshore area championships last year and this preseason she’s looked great so expect her to go well.  Alexa was our TCAL champion in the 800 last year and was a member of our 4 x 400 team that almost made it to state so I expect she’ll once again be in the middle of all things good.  Also, look for people like Jaiden Reed and freshman Sabrina Jackson and Kamryn Levy to factor into our sprint and relay success.

Q: How about the boy’s team?

A: On the boy’s side, junior Ahmad Gabriel is the fastest sprinter we have.  He had a really strong end to the ’23 season, finishing 4^th in the 100 at league and then running under :23 seconds at Bayshore in the 200.  So I’m curious to see how much progress he can make this year.  Seniors Myles Kettler and Luke Swanson were both on the 4 x 100 team with Ahamad that competed at MOC last season, and so far senior Devin Owens has looked as good as anyone so that team has me intrigued.  I’m also expecting sophomore Marcus Hughes to make a jump to varsity this year.

 Junior Alexa Lawson

Coach Jeff Rogers: Jumps

Q: Over the years, the Saint Mary’s jumpers have had as much success as any group around.  Do you expect this 2024 collection to be like some you've had in the past?

A: Well, I’m not sure.  I can say this, we have some talented athletes who should be amongst the NCS list leaders in their events.  As Coach Lawson said earlier, commitment, dedication and some good fortune may dictate just how far or high they jump.

Q: Who are some of these “list-leading” athletes you’re talking about?

A: On the girl’s side, Kira is one of the top returning horizontal jumpers in the North Coast Section.  Last year as a freshman, she was the Bayshore champion in the triple jump and then narrowly missed going to state.  She comes into the season as the top ranked long jumper and the 3^rd ranked triple jumper.  Juniors Jaiden Reed and Callie Ballard both advanced all the way to the Meet of Champions (MOC) last season in the triple jump and I expect them to be improved.  Junior Tori Harris is also one to watch.

Seniors Sarah Gray and Jackie Estimbre will handle the girl’s high jump.  Both jumped 4’8” last season and Sarah even competed at MOC so I expect them to be solid.

For the boy’s, sophomore CJ Baltrip jumped higher as a freshman than anyone I’ve ever coached… which includes 2 state champions.  He was also a MOC finalist last year and the only freshman in the field so I’m excited about what’s in store for him this season.  Seniors Devin Owens and Zendo Rouson will team with junior Ethan Harris to give our horizontal jumps plenty of talent and depth.

Senior Collin Kopchik

Coach Ben Turman: Distance

Q: OK Coach, there’s a lot of chatter about how strong the distance team is looking right now.  What can you tell us?

A: The first thing I can tell you is that I agree that the group is looking good and I can also tell you that they’ve been extremely diligent and determined.   All of the runners ran cross country in the fall and after the season we had a meeting where I asked them to dedicate themselves to having a great off-season… which they’ve done.  So, it’s no surprise that their work seems to be paying off.

Q: Last year, Mateo Malko-Allen won the NCS 1600, shattered the school record, medaled at the state championships and (deservingly) stole every headline.  This year is sounds like there is a gang of talent within group.  Who do you expect to be this year’s headliners?

A:  Yeah, good observation.  Mateo was certainly our top star last season.  This year’s group has several to watch.  Look for both senior Collin Kopchik and junior Javin Schmitt to open some eyes.  Both had great fall cross country seasons and both look fantastic thus far.  Look for both to absolutely obliterate their 800, 1600 and 3200 PR’s to start the season.  Where they go from there will be exciting.

I’m also excited to see how fast guys like Kai Valle, Jacob Demissie, Tucker Presnell, Brandon Bosio, Joaquin Tarango and Adrian Hall will go.  They were all freshmen and sophomores running mostly JV races last year.  They all are now legitimately varsity level guys who, like Javin and Collin, will smash their PR’s and be amongst the best groups in the NCS.  

Q: How about the girl’s group?

A:  The girl’s also have some very talented runners, several who have been part of the winter group I’ve been working with.  Senior Annika Punz was 1^st team All-NCS (Division 4) in cross country this year and is on track to run well under her 5:19/11:27 PR’s in the 1600 and 3200.  Juniors Lia Sullivan and Maddie Potter have been out there as well and it wouldn’t surprise me if they threaten their lifetime bests is the first meet or two.  Jing Li-Chou was our 2^nd fastest cross country runner this season but has had a couple nagging injuries derail her training.  If she can get healthy, she’s talented enough to make a splash as well. I've also been very impressed with Lilah Hoover-Nemerson's commitment and work ethic.

Coach Aaron Mercadel: Throws

Q: Coach, welcome to the staff.  You have several throwers who medaled at the TCAL Championships last year.  What are your goals for this season?

A:  Thanks.  I’m excited to be a part of this program.  As you know, I was a student at Saint Mary’s and remember how successful this program has been over the years.  I’m excited to be a part of it.

I’m looking forward to establishing a hard-working attitude with our group.  I come from the football world and know and understand the importance of detail meeting hard-work.  I coached most of the boy’s in the fall so we’re familiar with each other in that sense.  And, thus far I’m impressed with the girls willingness to get out here and work.  Expect our group to be fit, detailed and strong. 

Q: Who are some of the athletes to watch?

A:  For the boy’s, senior Ethan Baiter joined the team last year and showed huge improvement.  He’ll be one of our top guys.  Mason Young tells me he’s throwing the shot over 40’ this year and so far he looks like he’s on track.  Bobby Ortiz is our most experienced thrower and can throw the shot and discus equally well.  Those three are our top boys.

For the girls, juniors Saniyah Vann and Olivia Watson have shown the most interest.  Both were TCAL finalist last year and both competed at Bayshore.  I’d say that they’ll lead the group this year.

Champion!

May 20^th, 2023

1600 Champion Mateo Malko-Allen

Dublin, CA – By combining a brilliantly planned strategy with a gutsy effort, senior distance star Mateo Malko-Allen captured his first and the team’s only North Coast Section Meet of Champions victory on Saturday.  Running on a blustery, chilly evening, the Cal Poly SLO -bound star – who coming into the race was certainly one of the pre-race favorites – sat amongst the leaders for the first 3 ½ laps before rounding the final turn and using his patented home stretch speed to out-kick the field and take home the gold.  His time, 4:11.44, was a scant off his lifetime best but a real accomplishment given the conditions.

“Mateo executed the race plan perfectly,” said boy’s distance coach Ben Turman after the race.  “The strategy was to make sure the pace was honest and to simply sit with the leaders.  Both of us were confident in his finishing speed and that’s exactly how it played out.  I’m proud of him.”

Joining Mateo at next week’s California State Championships will be the girl’s 4 x 100 sqaud.  Knowing that only the first three finishers in each event advance to state, the girl’s eeked out every tenth of a second to finish 3^rd and secure their spot.   Freshman Kira Gant Hatcher ran an explosive first leg, handed to senior sprint star Taryn Fettig – whose run down the backstretch propelled the Panthers into the lead.  Taryn then handed to recently named Saint Mary’s athlete of the year Dylan Hedgspeth, who then handed to senior Sofia Jackson.  Sofia’s run down the homestretch was exactly what the Panthers needed to hold onto the coveted 3^rd spot.  Their time, 49.20, was just off their season’s best and good enough for the bronze. 

The Panthers also had some medal-winning performances out of senior Georgia Rogers (5^th in the 100m hurdles, 6^th in the high jump), freshman Kira Gant-Hatcher (4^th in the triple jump, 5^th in the long jump), senior Taryn Fettig (5^th in the 100m), the girl’s 4 x 400 team of Saniya McIntyre, Sofia Jackson, Alexa Lawson, and Dylan (4^th), and the girl’s 4 x 800 team (Dylan, Alexa, Sofia and Annika Punz), who finished 6^th.  Freshman high jumper CJ Baltrip cleared 6’0” to finish 7^th, one place out of the medals.

“In all, I’m proud of how our team competed this weekend,” concluded coach Jay Lawson.  “The conditions were not ideal and the competition is, of course, top flight.  Most of our athletes rose to the occasion and did as well as we could have expected.  Mateo’s win, the number of medalists we had, and the girl’s 4 x 100 team advancing are a testament to the work and commitment our athletes and coaches have shown this year.”   

Mateo Malko Allen Smashes School 1600 Record;  Girl’s Completely Dominant in Capturing 4^th Straight NCS Bayshore Area Championships

May 13^th, 2023

Hayward, CA – After an overwhelming team victory at last week’s TCAL Championships, the girl’s track & field team seemed primed and ready for some big performances at the North Coast Section Bayshore Area Championships at Hayward High on Saturday.  With warm weather, team banners, and individual qualifying for next week’s NCS Meet of Champions serving as the motivator, the girl’s team turned in another dominate performance to capture their 4^th straight - and 6 of the last 7- Bayshore Area Championships.  (Note: the Bayshore Area is comprised of 3 different leagues: the MVAL, WAAC, and TCAL). 

Bayshore Sprint Champion Taryn Fettig

Leading the way for the girl’s team was double sprint champion Taryn Fettig.  Emerging as one of the top sprinters in the North Coast Section, Taryn outran several other league champions to record her first ever Bayshore titles.  Her 12.16 in the 100 meters was a lifetime best and currently ranks her 3^rd in the entire NCS.  Taryn, along with Kira Gant Hatcher, Dylan Hedgspeth and Sofia Jackson, also teamed up to win the 4 x 100 meter relay in a season’s best 49.10.  In fact, the girl’s team would go on to win all 3 relays on the day… including the 4 x 400 and 4 x 800!  Sofia and Dylan teamed up with sophomores Alexa Lawson and Saniya McIntyre to take the 4 x 400, while Sofia and Alexa teamed up with fellow sophomores Lia Sullivan and Maddie Potter to win the 4 x 800. 

School Record Holder (4:10.65) Mateo Malko-Allen

Senior Georgia Rogers and freshman Kira were also big point-getters in the field… with Kira winning the triple jump and placing 2^nd in the long jump, while Georgia finished 2^nd in the high jump.  Georgia was also the runner-up in the girl’s 100m hurdles. 

Junior Annika Punz

Other impressive performances for the girl’s were Dylan’s 58.66 PR in the open 400 – which was good for 3^rd place; Annika Punz’a PR in the 1600 (5:19), good for 4^th, and the NCS MOC individual qualifying efforts from sophomores Callie Ballard and Jaiden Reed in the triple jump, as well as junior Sarah Gray in the high jump.

For the boy’s team, the headliner was the 1600 meter school-record smashing by senior Mateo Malko-Allen.  Certainly not unfamiliar with records, headlines or race wins, Mateo ran what the coaches called the best race of his career in winning his first ever Bayshore Championship.

Senior Captain Logan Tanisaki

Running a smart, tactical race, Mateo sat with the leaders for the better part of 3 ¾ laps before ripping around the final turn and out-kicking the competition to win.  His 4:10.65 was a PR and nearly :03 second faster than his own school record.  That time now makes him one of the favorites in next week’s NCS Championships. 

Future Claremont McKenna Athena Georgia Rogers

The boy’s 4 x 100 team of Logan Tanisaki, Ahmad Gabriel, Myles Kettler and Luke Swanson ran their season best 44.87 to finish 5^th and punch their qualifying ticket into next week’s state qualifying MOC meet.

MOC Triple Jump Qualifiers Jaiden Reed, Callie Ballard and Kira Gant Hatcher

The other individual qualifier on the boy’s side came from freshman high jumper CJ Baltrip who finished 3^rd overall. The top 6 placers from the Bayshore meet advanced to the Meet of Champions, held at Dublin High School next Friday and Saturday.  All the photos from today's meet can be found by clicking on "Photo Album" above.

Different Season, Same Result: Girl’s Completely Dominant @ TCAL Championships

May 5^th, 2023

Senior Sofia Jackson

Vallejo, CA – Since it was formed in 2013, the Tri County Athletic League (TCAL) has crowned many different team and individual champions from it’s 12 member schools.  However, no school has dominated their sport quite like the Panthers have dominated girl’s track & field.  Every team championship banner and a substantial portion of the individual championships and individual championship records belong to Saint Mary’s Panthers.  This year’s meet, held for the first time at Vallejo High School, saw the girl’s team outscore the ENTIRE rest of the league by more than 50 points to capture their 11^th consecutive league championship. The final score showed the Panthers scoring 256 points while the rest of the league combined to score 203 points. (To view all photos from the meet, click on "Photo Album" above)

Double Champion Mateo Malko-Allen

“We’re very proud of how our girl’s competed and supported each other today,” said girl’s assistant coach Ariana Corwin.  “It was cold, windy and raining at times, which definitely effected a lot of athletes today.  But I didn’t see anyone from our team give up, complain or back off.  Although we didn’t see a ton of PR’s, we saw a lot of heart.”

Kira Gant Hatcher

Leading the charge were a trio of dominant double winners.  Senior Taryn Fettig first won the 100 (12.53) by ½ second before coming back to win the 200 (26.23) by a full second!  She began the meet by blowing past the field on the 2^nd leg of an impressive 4 x 100 win.  Fellow senior Georgia Rogers also made quick work of her competition, winning the high jump by ½ foot before running away from the field in the 100m hurdles.  Georgia also finished 2^nd in the long jump.  Not to be outdone, freshman sensation Kira Gant Hatcher won both the long and triple jumps, finished 2^nd to Taryn in the 100, and ran the 1^st leg of the 4 x 100 to stake her claim as the team’s top point scorer. 

Hurdles Champion Georgia Rogers

Other individual champions on the girl’s side included senior Dylan Hedgspeth in the 400, sophomore Alexa Lawson in the 800, sophomore Saniya McIntyre in the 300 hurdles, and sophomore Neiyah Thompson in the shot put.  The Panthers also won the 4 x 400 and 4 x 800 relays. 

Freshman Sprinter Marcus Hughes

Other notable performances mentioned by Coach Corwin came from senior Sofia Jackson (who anchored the winning 4 x 100 team, finished a close second in the 800, and ran on the victorious, TCAL record-setting 4 x 800 team), sophomore Maddie Potter (who finished 4^th in the 800 and 5^th in the 1600), sophomore Katherine Scannell (who won both the JV girls 800 and 1600), sophomore Tori Harris (who won the JV girls long and triple jumps and finished 3^rd in the 100), and sophomore Olivia Watson (who finished 4^th in the shot put and 4^th with a PR in the discus).

Shot Put Champion Neiyah Thompson

Junior Ethan Baiter

The boy’s meet was much more competitive but just as gritty for the Panthers.  Predictably, the team was led by soon to be Cal Poly SLO Mustang Mateo Malko-Allen.  Running against the fastest and most competitive TCAL field ever, Mateo showed his composure, maturity and talent in his 800 and 1600 meter wins.  Both races had him get on the shoulder of the leaders before calling on his impressive sprint speed in the homestretch to win going away.  Mateo will certainly be amongst the favorites as the team approaches the Bayshore and NCS Championships in the coming weeks. 

High Jumper Sarah Gray

A pair of freshmen also took home gold at these championships.  Shane Doherty won both the 1600 and 3200, finishing just ahead of fellow freshman teammate Tucker Presnell.  Freshman talent CJ Baltrip, meanwhile, skipped the JV level altogether and instead went out and won the varsity high jump (6’0”) at his first ever TCAL championship.  Like Mateo, CJ will be one of the favorites in his event heading into next week’s Bayshore Championships.

Freshman Adrian Hall

Freshman Gabriela Espino

A quartet of distance runners were also praised by the coaching staff for their efforts.  Freshman Adrian Hall ran an insane :07 seconds faster than he ever had to finish 8^th in the 800 meter final.  Also finishing with big PR’s AND qualifying for next week’s Bayshore championships were sophomore Brandon Bosio in the 800 (2:05), sophomore Kai Valle in the 1600 (4:44) and junior Collin Kopchik in the 3200 (10:00). 

Junior Annika Punz Leads The Way

Finally, a pair of sprinters and a pair of throwers also shined on Friday.  Sophomore Ahmad Gabriel solidified that he is, indeed, one of the top sprinters in the league when he finished 4^th overall in a loaded 100 and 200 meter field.  Freshman Marcus Hughes also had a nice meet according to JV sprint coach Craig Sutphin.  Marcus was a mere .02 hundreths of a second from winning the JV boys 100 before finishing 4^th in the 200.   Sophomore Mason Young uncorked a massive 1½ foot PR in the shot put to cement a spot at Bayshore, while junior Ethan heaved the discus 6 feet farther than he ever had to earn his way to Bayshore.

Sophomore Jaela Scott

Next week’s Bayshore Area Championships features the top qualifiers from 3 leagues (TCAL, WAAC, MVAL) all vying for qualifying spots into the North Coast Section Meet of Champions on May 19-20.  The top 7 qualifiers in each event at Bayshore move onto MOC.  Good luck to all the Panthers next week.

Tracksters Seeming Primed For Post Season

April 29^th, 2023

Luke Swanson and Makaius Warner

Berkeley, CA – After completing their TCAL league season on Thursday against Vallejo, Salesian and SPSV and their invitational season on Saturday at the “Clash of the Titans” at Skyline High School, one thing was apparent and on the minds of the Panther coaching staff: the team seems ready for a big post season. 

“We had a lot of quality, eye-opening performances this week,” said head distance coach Denis Mohun on Saturday.  “I think all the work we’ve put in has really started to show over these past two weeks.  And I expect it will continue over the next few weeks.  It’s exciting.”

Brandon Bosio and Kai Valle

Highlighting the week were “Clash of the Titans” wins by Cal Poly SLO-bound senior Mateo Malko Allen and freshman Kira Gant Hatcher, huge PR’s laid down by sophomores Saniya McIntyre (400 meters), Jaiden Reed (long jump), Dylan Hedgspeth (200/400), and a sophomore quartet of 1600 meter runners (Lia Sullivan, Alexa Lawson, Brandon Bosio and Kai Valle), and season best run by the girl’s 4 x 100 team.

Sophomore Callie Ballard

Mateo recorded a lifetime best in his wire to wire win in the 800 on Saturday.  His 1:53.95 was ½ second faster than his previous best and now ranks him 2^nd amongst all North Coast Section half-milers.

Senior Georgia Rogers (above), Freshman Shane Doherty (below)

Freshman Kira Gant Hatcher continues her ascendency into the upper realms of the NCS jump elite with a spectacular performance on Saturday.  After a massive 36’9” winning triple jump in the morning, Kira came back with an even more impressive 17’11 long jump in the afternoon.  She now ranks #2 in the triple jump and #3 in the long jump in the entire North Coast Section! Teammate Jaiden Reed also leaped to a big PR in the long jump, breaking the sand 16’10 away from the take-off board.

Logan Tanisaki Passes To Ahmad Gabriel

The girl’s 4 x 100 team of Kira, Taryn Fettig, Dylan and Sofia Jackson ran a season best 49.60 on Thursday at the TCAL league finale which now puts them as the #5 ranked team in the NCS. Finally, both Dylan Hedgspeth and Saniya McIntyre ran big 400 races, Dylan running a PR 59.63 on Thursday while Saniya finished in 60.19 on Saturday.

2 Gold, 6 Silver, 1 Bronze Highlight Huge Day @ Frosh-Soph Championships

Alexa Lawson Wins The 800!

Dublin, CA – Sophomore Alexa Lawson’s dominant win in the open 800 meters before anchoring the victorious girl’s 4 x 400 meter relay led a determined, gritty group of freshmen and sophomores into the increasingly popular and competitive Northern California Frosh-Soph Championships on Saturday night.  The meet, now in it’s 10^th year, features the top freshman and sophomore talent from the Bay Area and parts of Northern California competing in an invitational style evening meet under the lights at Dublin High School, site of this year’s NCS Championships.

Ahmad Gabriel

After the meet, a smiling Coach Lawson was emphatic in his assessment of the team’s performance: “This was clearly our best performance of the year.”  Indeed, the team’s two wins and six near wins against top talent substantiated the coach’s claim.

“Alexa was really solid tonight,” said Coach Lawson of his talented daughter.  “She ran a tactically perfect race in the 800… sitting for the first lap and then really turning it on in the final 250.  Then, her 61.3 anchor leg was really special considering how late and cold it was.”

Saniya McIntyre Dominates The 300 Hurdles

Alexa’s 4 x 400 teammates: Saniya McIntyre, Lia Sullivan and Brooklyn Dwyer all had great meets themselves.  Saniya ran a solid 1^st leg for the runner-up 4 x 100 squad… whose 51.25 was the 2^nd fastest F/S team Coach Lawson can recall.  She then ran a PR 100 meters (13.35) before crushing a huge 300 meter hurdle race – winning her heat handily while finishing 2^nd overall.  Lia Sullivan scored a huge :05 second PR in the girls mile while Brooklyn ran her fastest 200 meters ever.

Brandon Bosio

Lia Sullivan

In the field, super freshman Kira Gant Hatcher collected a pair of silver medals to go with the silver she earned in the 4 x 100.  Kira’s 35’2” leap in the triple jump came 2 hours after she bounded to a massive 14’ PR in the long jump, finishing at 16’11¾”. 

Jaiden Reed

On the boy’s side, sophomore Ahmad Gabriel shined brightest.  Running in the “fast” heat of both the 100 and 200, Ahmad grinded his way to two lifetime bests… running 11.49 (100) and 23.46 (200).  Earlier, the boy’s 4 x 100 team of Ahmad, Marcus Hughes, Luis Malko-Allen and Keowyn Warner ran a “very good” race according to Coach Lawson, finishing in 46.59.

Jaela Scott Runs The Anchor Leg!

Finally, the boy’s distance squad continued their solid season of running, placing 3^rd overall in the 4 x 800 relay.  Sophomore Kai Valle (2:11), freshman Adrian Hall (2:15), sophomore Jacob Demissie (2:12) and sophomore Brandon Bosio (2:08) combined to run 8:47.  Earlier, Brandon ran 2:08 in the open 800 – which was his lifetime best.  Freshman Shane Doherty culminated the boy’s meet with a tough 10:34 PR in the open 3200 meters.

Seniors Shine on "Senior Day"

April 20th, 2023

Blair Moore, Dylan Hedgspeth, Saniya McIntyre

Berkeley, CA - For the Panther track and field squad, Thursday’s meet was “Senior Day” in which the 16 seniors on this 2023 team were acknowledged and celebrated at a pre-meet ceremony on the eve of their final competition on their home track.  With families and friends present, as well as their cross town rival Albany Cougars, the seniors and their supportive teammates put on a great show.

Senior Georgia Rogers

Headlining the day were a handful of seniors: triple meet winner Georgia Rogers (high jump, long jump, 100m hurdles), double winners Dylan Hedgspeth (100, 200 meters) and Logan Tanisaki (200, 400 meters), 400 meter winner Sofia Jackson and 800 meter champion Mateo Malko-Allen.

Ahmad Gabriel & Logan Tanisaki

After that, there were a cavalcade of personal and lifetime bests, season bests, and inspiring performances.  According to Coach Craig Sutphin, there were 24 personal bests run by the boy sprint group alone!  Juniors Devin Owens, Myles Kettler and Luke Swanson all scored big PR’s in the Varsity Boy’s 100, as did Marcus Hughes, Luis Malko-Allen, Samahdi Scott, Michael Petouhoff, and Jagger Gullov-Singh in the JV Boy’s 100.  Senior Blair Moore and freshman Elia Kudemus also ran their fastest 100 meters ever in the girl’s 100 meter race.

Sofia Jackson & Alexa Lawson

Natalie Robarts, Lilah Nemerson-Hoover, Natalie Andress

Other notable performances were turned in by sophomore Ahmad Gabriel (400, 110m hurdles), freshman Kira Gant Hatcher (triple jump, 200), freshman Adrian Hall and sophomore Lia Sullivan in the 800, and high jumpers CJ Baltrip and Jackie Estimbre  - who equalled her lifetime best of 4’8”. 

Logan Deakin & Nathan Dixon

Full results can be found on the “Schedule and Results” page while photos from the meet are on the “Photo Album” page.

Taryn Fettig’s 100-200 Sprint Double Leads Panthers @ Warren/Eaton Relays

April 15, 2023

Brooklyn Dwyer & Saniya McIntyre

Lafayette, CA – Seniors Taryn Fettig and Georgia Rogers won their signature events, junior Annika Punz established a new lifetime best with her 3200 win, sophomore Neiyah Thompson out-threw the shot put field, and freshman Kira Gant Hatcher hopped, stepped and jumped her way to a victorious new PR to lead a stellar performance by the Panthers track & field squad at the 53^rd annual Warren-Eaton Relays hosted by Acalanes High School. (Check out all the photos from the meet here or click on "Photo Album")

Senior Blair Moore

The headliner on Saturday was certainly double winner and University of Colorado (Colorado Springs)-bound senior Taryn Fettig.  After posting a nearly .2 tenths win in the 100 meters, she out-shined that performance with a half second win in the 200.  Her 25.86 posting in the 200 was also a season’s best.

100-200 Winner Taryn Fettig

The Friday evening portion of the meet saw 3 equally impressive performances from 3 different Panthers that all resulted in gold medals.  Claremont McKenna-bound senior Georgia Rogers won the high jump against a field that included state meet competitors from 2022 as well as top North Coast Section talent from 2023.  After that, freshman teammate Kira Gant Hatcher bested her PR by nearly a foot and a half to vault herself to #6 in the North Coast Section with a leap of 35’2”.  Then, to cap the evening off, junior Annika Punz – after earlier running a PR in the 800 – doubled back to capture the 3200 in a lifetime best 11:38.

Collin Kopchik (above) / Sofia Jackson (below)

Capturing gold in six individual events was quite an accomplishment for the Panthers considering the meet came at the end of Easter break.  Those performances, in addition to solid sprinting from sophomore Ahmad Gabriel in the 100 and 200, a near win by sophomore Alexa Lawson in the open 800 meters, a bronze medal run by senior Dylan Hedgspeth in her first ever 800 meter race, and a 2^nd place, personal best triple jump by junior Devin Owens indicate that the young Panther squad maybe rounding into form in this - the back half of the season. 

Trevor Walton

“We had some solid performances today and last night,” was how coach Lawson put it after the meet.  “The breezy conditions certainly hurt some of the athletes times and we’ve just recently began to transition to more speed work and I don’t think our legs have caught up yet.  Still, we competed tough and I suspect we’ve got some big improvements coming soon.”

Freshman Keowyn Warner

The coaches also noted the improved performances of the boys 4 x 100 team (Logan Tanisaki, Ahmad, Myles Kettler, Luke Swanson), and a bevy of 200 meter runners (Makaius Warner, Myles Kettler, Trevor Walton, Brooklyn Dwyer, Saniya McIntyre, Jaela Scott, Blair Moore)… all of whom sprinted to lifetime bests!

The Panthers next meet is on Thursday, April 20^th at Saint Mary’s against Albany and Richmond.  First race is at 3:30.

Seniors Lead Panthers In TCAL Opener

March 16^th, 2023

Berkeley, CA – The Panthers track & field team, fresh off a busy enrichment week, opened their 2023 TCAL league season with a home triangular meet against El Cerrito, Pinole Valley, and Salesian.  All league TCAL meets, by league rule, are not scored so the meet was absent some of the Panthers top performers.  Still, led by seniors Taryn Fettig double 100-200 sprint victories, Georgia Rogers high jump-long jump-100 hurdles triple wins and Dylan Hedgspeth’s big :03 second triumph in the 400 meter dash, the Panthers captured 13 event wins en route to a dominant opening performance.

“We expect our upperclassmen, especially on the girl’s side, to lead the team week in and week out,” said coach Jay Lawson afterwards.  “So today was not a surprise.   I think we got some pleasant surprises out of some of the younger athletes though.”

Those younger athletes included freshman high jumper CJ Baltrip, freshman jumper/sprinter Kira Gant Hatcher, and sophomores Alexa Lawson (1600/800) and Neiyah Thompson (shot put). 

CJ, competing in his first ever track meet, won the varsity boy’s high jump with a leap of 5’8”.  For having only a few weeks of practice, the coaches were very impressed with his performance.  Likewise, fellow freshman Kira Gant Hatcher’s 33’10” triple jump win in her second ever triple jump competition suggests that big performances maybe in her future.  Sophomore Alexa Lawson, who is not new to big meets and big competitions after having competed in both the state track and cross country championships, won the 1600 and was just edged out of a second victory by teammate Annika Punz in the 800.  

Finally, sophomore Neiyah Thompson unleashed a monster 35’7 shot put that smashed her previous personal best by more than 5 feet while securing the event win.  Neiyah’s performance establishes her as THE one to beat in the TCAL this season. 

Panthers Open 2023 With 4 Event Wins @ Skyline Invitational

February 25^th, 2023

Oakland, CA – With over 40 schools and in excess of 1000 athletes entered, the competition at this year’s Skyline Invitational was unquestionable.  Add in bone-chilling sub 50 degree weather and the challenges for many were daunting.  Still, the excitement and anticipation of the year’s first meet propelled most Panthers to excellent performances. 

Leading the way, not surprisingly, was distance star Mateo Malko-Allen.  The Cal Poly – SLO bound senior duplicated his 2022 Skyline performance by winning the 1600 and then, after a nearly 4 hour wait, winning the 800.  Nearly an hour before Mateo’s 1600 win, fast-rising junior distance star Annika Punz ran a blazing final lap to run away from her 1600 meter competitors and take home the gold.  Her time, 5:28, was a lifetime best.  Later that afternoon, senior sprint star Taryn Fettig overcame a sluggish start before pulling away from the field to win the girl’s 100 meter dash. 

“I thought Taryn ran well given how cold it was,” said coach Jay Lawson.  “This type of cold and wind doesn’t help anyone trying to compete today, especially the sprinters and hurdlers.  Still, she ran 12.71 which is her fastest opening race ever.  I can already see that her off season conditioning has paid off.  She’s due for a great season.”

Several other Panthers also took home medals by placing 2^nd or 3^rd in their respective events.  Senior Georgia Rogers braved the early morning cold to place second in the high jump, as did sophomore Alexa Lawson in the 800.  Fellow sophomore Jaiden Reed placed 3^rd in the triple jump. Georgia, Alexa and Jaiden are all expected to make huge contributions to the team this year.  Other notable performers who scored lifetime of close to lifetime bests were senior Jurgis Vass (800 meters), Bobby Ortiz (discus), Neiyah Thompson (shot put) and Collin Kopchik (3200 meters). 

The Panther coaching staff was also quite impressed by the performances of many of the younger, first-time athletes.  In particular, a quartet of freshmen made a considerable impact and impression on the coaches.  Kira Gant Hatcher opened many eyes when she finished 2^nd  overall in the girl’s triple jump before running 13.58 in the 100.  Her 100 time was the 2^nd fastest on the team! 

Along with Kira, a trio of 9^th grade distance runners had races that demanded a lot attention.   Shane Doherty and Tucker Presnell ran 4:55 and 5:02 in the 1600, while Adrian Hall ran a blistering 2:17 in the 800.  All three runners are “promising and part of a pack of young runners that we are VERY excited about,” beamed boy’s distance coach Ben Turman after the meet. 

Seniors Key To 2023 Panthers Track Success

February 14^th, 2023

“The key to our success this year will be the performance and leadership of our seniors,” is how long time coach Jay Lawson began his discussion of the upcoming 2023 season.  “We had over 120 athletes sign up for the team this year so we have a LOT of new faces and inexperience which will require a big effort from both our coaching staff AND our seniors.  We’re hoping that both can come through to make 2023 another successful year.”  

As the opening of the 2023 season approaches, we sat down with several of the coaches to get their thoughts and insights on the team, some of the top individuals, event areas, and strengths and weaknesses of this year’s squad.

Coach Jay Lawson:  Sprints/Relays

Q: You mentioned earlier that you hope to have a “successful” 2023 season. As defined by Saint Mary’s track & field standards, “Successful” usually has a pretty high bar attached to it.  Is that your expectation this year?

A:  Not necessarily.  While it is always our goal to bring home championship banners and be amongst the top teams in the North Coast Section, this year we’ll be equally committed to nurturing and fostering our underclassmen and young talent.  I don’t think we’ve quite recovered from the disruption that the Covid-19 pandemic caused and so our staff continues to be challenged by the hangover and effects that’s had.  So, we’ll chase championships for sure, but “success” will also mean building back our culture and instilling a sense of commitment and hard work that was damaged over the past couple of years.

Q:  And you’ll need the seniors and upper-classmen to help revitalize this culture?

A: Exactly.  The coaches will surely do their part, but we’ll need the seniors to model, demand and perform the things we’re trying to coach.

Q: So, who are some of the athletes you’re talking about?

A:  On the girl’s side, Taryn Fettig and Dylan Hedgspeth will lead our core of sprinters, Georgia Rogers will head the hurdle/jumps side, and Sofia Jackson will be the senior leader for our middle distance and distance group.  All four them have been in the program for years, and have accomplished a lot individually.  And, they all are hard workers and know understand the sacrifice it takes to be successful. 

Q: And for the boy’s?

A: On the boy’s side, we’re pretty thin in terms of experience but a few senior athletes do stand out.  Sprinter Logan Tanisaki has already inserted himself as one of our key leaders.  Mateo Malko-Allen also provides good leadership… as does Adrian Licea.  We hope there are a few others who will step forward and mentor some of the younger athletes.  This will be a big key to our success this year.

Q: Are there any individuals that you’re expecting to have a big year… that we should keep our eyes on this season?

A:  Yeah, there are a few.  Last year, Taryn Fettig was a Meet of Champions finalist in the 100 and 200 and I expect her to be even better this year so keep an eye on her.  Georgia Rogers was our Bayshore high jump champion last year and also advanced to MOC in the 100 hurdles so she’s another one to watch.  Dylan in the 400 and 800 and both Sofia and Alexa Lawson in the 800 should give us some solid individual performances as well as a lot of potential for a very good 4 x 400 and maybe 4 x 800 team.   Also look for sophomore Brooklyn Dwyer to have an eye-opening season. For the boys, Mateo is already our school record holder in the 1600 and is one of the top middle distance runners in Northern California.  He’s clearly the top athlete on our team this year.  Logan Tanisaki will be a solid sprinter and junior Luke Swanson has been really impressive in our pre-season conditioning sessions. 

Coach Jeff Rogers: Jumps

Q: Last year, your group included the girl’s Bayshore high jump champion, a 19’0 girl long jumper, and a state meet qualifier in the triple jump.  Two of those girls have graduated.  How does your group look coming into 2023?

A: We obviously lost a lot of talent but I’m optimistic that we’ll do a good job of re-loading.  Georgia Rogers should be one of the top high jumpers in the area and sophomore Jaiden Reed had a really good freshman year and should be solid again this year.  I’m also excited about sophomore Callie Ballard as well as freshman Kira Gant-Hatcher.  

Coach Denis Mohun: Distance

Q: Some are saying that the distance team maybe the strength of the team this year.  Do you agree? 

A: As with any year, it depends on health, commitment and staying injury-free… but on paper, yes, the distance team has some talent.  Junior Annika Punz is set to have a breakout track season after a cross country season where she won an individual medal at NCS.  She’ll emphasize the 3200 but I wouldn’t say any of the distance races are out of her reach.  Sofia Jackson, Alexa Lawson and Jing Li-Chou were all part of our NCS Championship cross country team and should have very solid seasons. 

For the boys, there’s of course Mateo.  Coach Turman (who works directly with Mateo) is optimistic that Mateo will improve significantly from his 1:53, 4:14, 9:10 PR’s from 2022.  That should make him a strong possibility to advance to the state meet and hopefully even make the final.  After Mateo, there are a bunch of guys who have been working hard all winter and are expected to reap the benefits.  Collin Kopchik, Adrian Licea, Javin Scmitt, Jacob Demissie, Brandon Bosio and Kai Valle are all fresh off a solid cross country season and are all expected to run fast 800 and miles.  Freshmen Shane Dougherty and Tucker Presnell will also give the Panthers a ton of depth and scoring punch.

Hurdle Stars Lead Panthers @ Wildcat Sprint & Field Festival

May 22^nd, 2021

In the storied history of Saint Mary’s Track & Field, there maybe no other group more successful and more renown than the hurdlers.  For over 40 years, the Northern California high school track & field world has recognized and acknowledged the talent, speed and accomplishments of the hurdlers from Saint Mary’s.  On Saturday at the Wildcat Invitational hosted by Doughtery Valley High School, the 2021 hurdle group emphatically carried on this proud tradition.  Led by All-State talent Di’Niko Bates and fast-rising junior Najah Williams, the Panthers hurdlers, sprinters and jumpers scored numerous season and personal bests in their final regular season meet of the year.

Meet Highlights:

Senior Di’Niko Bates once again stole the headlines – winning both the 110 and 300 meter hurdle races in relatively easy fashion.  One opposing coach was overhead saying that he’s making these races look “easy” and that hopefully “he’s not getting bored.”  Indeed, Di’Niko’s opening 14.41 for the 110 meter race was almost ½ second better than the runner-up, as was his .6 tenths win in the 300 meter hurdles.  Both races were against the 2^nd ranked hurdler in the North Coast Section, accentuating the talent of one of the best hurdlers in school history!

The aforementioned fast-rising junior - teammate Najah Williams – also had herself quite a day.  After finishing a close 2^nd to the #1 ranked hurdler in the NCS, Najah anchored the girls 4 x 100 team (comprised of Julia Alexander, Taryn Fettig, Anela Williams and Najah) to a satisfying 49.51 win over the #3 ranked team in the NCS.  Later, Najah would lead the entire 300 meter hurdle race until stumbling over the last hurdle and finishing 2^nd.  Still, as coach Lawson said after the meet, “Najah is a huge key to our girl’s team success this year and next.  Her development will be huge for us as we try to capture championship banners next year.”

Other notable performances on Saturday included senior Ka’Lib Copes’ dominant 400 meter win (48.81), Taryn Fettig’s double PR performances in the 100 and 200 (12.71, 26.33), Sophomore Karina Newson’s PR in the 200 (27.81), and Georgia Rogers’ double PR in the 100 hurdles and long jump (16.56, 15’10”). 

“Overall, we had some strong performances today,” observed coach Lawson afterwards.  “It wouldn’t surprise me to see another round of PR’s at the TCAL finale next week.  If the weather cooperates and we get out and have a good week of practice, I can see our kids getting yet another drop in their times and marks.”

The TCAL finale will be on Saturday, May 29^th El Cerrito High School and will feature all the teams from the Tri County Athletic League (TCAL).  The meet will begin at 9:00 am, will allow fans and spectators, and will serve as the de facto league championship meet.   

Underclassmen Lead Panthers on Seniors Day

May 18, 2021

The Saint Mary’s Track & Field Team competed in their final TCAL home meet on Tuesday afternoon at Brady Park against rivals Albany, Salesian, Kennedy and Richmond. Despite the day being “Senior Day”, where the seniors and their parents are introduced and recognized, it was the underclassmen that stole the headlines.  While seniors Simone Rogers and Jasmine Farmer continued to chalk up individual wins, it was juniors Najah Williams, Amir Cross and Julia Alexander who joined sophomores Mateo Malko-Allen and Will Bain and freshman Milan Jackson to score big event wins for the Panthers. 

“I thought Will and Najah had especially good days,” said longtime coach Jay Lawson.  “They led the way but we also had a bunch of other solid performances.  Ryan Painter had a big PR in the 1600; Zax also ran his best 1600 of the year; Karina, Taryn and Julia ran really well in the 100 and 200;  Malachi had a good sprint day; and Nan ran a nice 800.  Overall, having some of our top performers not competing today allowed people to see the depth we have.”

All the results can be found at the bottom of this page on the “Schedule and Results” post.  Pictures from the meet and all the 2021 meets can be found at the Panthers Shutterfly site here.

Next up for the Panthers is the Wildcat Sprint and Field Festival and the 2^nd Dublin “Social Distance” Fiesta this Saturday, May 22^nd. 

Panthers Win 5 On The Track & 5 In The Field @ Super Seven Invitational

May 1st, 2021

Panther talent, determination and balance were on display on Saturday at the Super Seven Invitational hosted by De La Salle High School.  4 different boys and 3 different girls won individual events while the girls 4 x 100 team was the day’s fastest. 

“All in all, we had a pretty good meet,” concluded coach Jay Lawson.  “We have a few athletes out with injuries which affected our relay plans today and we had a few kids who looked a bit tired.  Still, I’d say we competed pretty well given all that.”

Meet Highlights:

Senior Ka’Lib Copes won two individual event to lead the Panthers.  Ka’Lib - utilizing his normal fast start – took control of the open 400 meter dash early and led the entire race, eventually breaking the tape in 49.65.  About an hour later he ran away from the 300m hurdle field, winning by over a second in 39.83.

Fellow senior hurdler Di’Niko Bates ran into a brisk headwind, but still managed to easily win his specialty – the 110 meter hurdles – in a comfortable 14.97.  Di’Niko later won his heat of the 200 meters in 22.79 but his time was actually .15 seconds slower than teammate Anthony Jones’ 22.64 run several heats earlier.  Anthony’s time was a personal best and a reminder that this talented sophomore is someone to be reckoned with. 

Julia Alexander, long ago recognized as a top NCS talent, won both the long and triple jumps after running a scintillating first leg on the victorious 4 x 100 team.  The quartet of Julia, Taryn Fettig, Anela Thomas, and Najah Williams finished in 50.57… a mere .3 seconds off their season best time.  Coach Lawson also highlighted Taryn as one of the athletes who had a particularly strong meet despite having to run into blustery, strong headwinds in the 100 and 200 meter dashes.

The performance of the day may have gone to junior Amir Cross in the high jump.  Competing for only the 2^nd time this season, Amir overcame nagging knee soreness to sail over a personal record 6’2” in the high jump.  “Amir, in the few times he’s been able to practice, has looked really good,” said jumps coach Jeff Rogers.  “He may have surprised a few people today but I wasn’t one of them.  I know how good he can be.  Hopefully his knee will allow him to finish the season strongly.”

Sophomores Mateo Malko-Allen, Jurgis Vass, and Leiah Goode also had good 1600, 1600 and 800 meter races, respectively, according to coach Denis Mohun.  “Mateo overcame a rough first 200 meters before settling in a running a good race,” said the longtime distance coach.  “He ran a really good last 2 laps which almost got him under 4:30.”  Mateo finished 3^rd overall in personal best 4:30.07.  Likewise, Leaih Goode took control of her 800 meter heat early, leading from the start before extending her lead over the final 300 meters on her way to lifetime best 2:45.  Jurgis, like Leiah, also ran the best race of his young 1600 meter life… threatening the vaunted 5:00 barrier before falling just short in 5:08. 

Other event winners were seniors Simone Rogers in the high jump and Jasmine Farmer in the shot put.  Both girls extended meet winning streaks – Simone notching her 5^th consecutive meet win while Jasmine notched her 4^th straight.  

Next up for the Panthers is their TCAL opener on Tuesday at Saint Mary’s at 3:45. Teams expected to be there include Albany, Hercules, Richmond and John Swett.  

Panthers Grab All The Headlines in Home Opener

April 20, 2021

On Tuesday, the Panthers welcomed Catholic school rivals Bishop O’Dowd and St. Joseph-Alameda to Brady Park for their first home meet in almost 2 years.  Brandishing sprinters, hurdlers, throwers, distance runners and jumpers.. the Panthers scored, ran and won nearly every event while dominating the meet and reminding the dozens of spectators of the strength and talent of this 2021 squad.

“Our kids were excited to be able to compete at home in front of their friends, classmates, teachers and parents,” said coach Jay Lawson after the meet. And, as the results indicate, the athlete’s excitement translated into solid performances.

Seniors Di’Niko Bates and Ka’Lib Copes staged the race of the day in the boys 400 meter dash.  Running from the front early, Ka’Lib needed every ounce of energy to hold off his surging teammate down the stretch and was ultimately able to outlean Di’Niko and eek out a .01 win – 49.33 to 49.34.  Sophomore Anthony Jones was 3^rd in a PR 51.14, while newcomer Andreas Pichardo was 5^th at 52.87. 

Sophomores Taryn Fettig and Mateo Malko-Allen both won 2 events – Taryn in the girls 100 and 200 and Mateo in the 1600 and 3200.  Each of Taryn’s wins were accompanied by personal records (PR’s) – 12.88 in the 100 and 26.93 in the 200.  Other double winners were junior Julia Alexander (TJ and PR 18’6” in the long jump) and senior thrower Jasmine Farmer (shot and PR 94’3” in the discus). 

Other Meet Highlights:

Junior Ryan Painter broke the vaunted 5:00 barrier in the boys 1600, using a valiant kick down the home stretch to finish in 4:58.06.  Senior Riley Hartney also ran the 1600, finishing 2^nd in a PR 4:45.43.  Another senior, Simone Rogers, won the girls high jump, matching her season best of 5’2” and barely missing a PR 5’4”.

Junior Najah Williams won the 100 meter hurdles, finally running under 17:00 seconds – finishing in 16.54.  Najah later finished 3^rd in the 100 in a PR 13.22.   Another junior, Anela Thomas, showed her all around prowess when she finished 2^nd in the triple jump in a season best 35’5”, 2^nd in the shot put in a PR 30’1”, and 2^nd in the 100 in a PR 13.18.  Stating the obvious afterwards, coach Jeff Rogers simply said, “Anela is simply a great athlete.”

According to the coaches, other notable performances went to Milan Jackosn and Sofia Jackson in the 1600, Olivia Lawson in the 800, Di’Niko Bates in the 200, sophomore Will Bain in the 100, and senior Ari Alleyne in the 200. 

Full results can be found on the schedule and results post below while photos of today's meet and all meets this season an be found by clicking here.

Next up for the Panther sprinters, hurdlers, jumpers and throwers will be the San Ramon Valley sprint and field festival this Saturday at San Ramon Valley High School.  Meanwhile, the distance runners will be at Dublin High School for the Dublin “Social Distance” Fiesta.   

Panthers Capture 13 Wins, Put 4 New Faces on All-Time Lists @ 5 Way Meet

April 17, 2021

On Saturday, a 5 team track meet was hosted by Miramonte which featured DFAL powers Acalanes and Las Lomas as

well as the formidable Monte Vista Mustangs from the EBAL.  However, it was the 5^th team, our own Saint Mary’s Panthers, which grabbed the headlines and dominated the winners circle.  Winning 13 of the 22 events in which they had entries, the Panthers also placed 4 new names on the school’s all-time best list.  Leading the way were a pair of seniors: hurdler Di’Niko Bates and thrower Jasmine Farmer.

Di’Niko continued his fine 2021 campaign, notching his 2^nd 110 hurdles win in 3 meets and adamantly confirming that he is, indeed, the top hurdler in the North Coast Section.  He also catapulted himself onto the school’s all-time 300 hurdle list, running a blistering 38.93 to lead the NCS and rank 4^th state wide. 

Meanwhile, Jasmine opened her 2021 season with a bang.  On her first throw of the season, she heaved the shot put 35’5½” to win by more than 5 feet and place herself 2^nd in the NCS and 3^rd on the all-time Saint Mary’s list.  Later in the day, she won the discus to capture her 2^nd win of the meet. 

 “I was really proud of all three girls today (Jasmine, Beldina Opiyo, and Anela Thomas)” said throws coach Jonathan Heuer.  “They’ve been very committed to the team and each other so far this year and it’s showing.  All 3 girls had PR’s in the shot and both Jasmine and Beldina PR’d in the discus.  I expect that if they remain committed, this will just be the tip of the iceberg for them.  I’m excited.”

Meet Highlights:

A trio of seniors posted “very good” performances on Saturday.  Ka’Lib Copes, among the top 400 meter runners in Northern California, was barely challenged while running away with the 400.  He won the one lap sprint by a second and a half!  Ka’Lib’s teammate, high jumper Simone Rogers, won the high jump with a season best jump of 5’2”.  The Claremont McKenna bound senior shrugged off a slow start to win the event by 2” over her sister, sophomore Georgia Rogers who sailed over a PR 5’0” to claim 2^nd.  Both sisters are now ranked 2^nd and 5^th respectively in the NCS. 

Finally, senior Riley Hartney, just a few weeks away from completing his senior cross country season, recorded a massive PR in the 800 – running 2:01.36 while finishing 2^nd.  Riley entered the season with a lifetime best of 2:13, prompting a wry, complimentary smile as well as a “good stuff” thumbs up from distance coach Ben Turman. 

While the seniors may have led the way, a trio of sophomores also did their share of impressive winning on Saturday.  Mateo Malko-Allen (aka, MMA) ran his way onto the 800 meter all-time list with his sub 2:00 clocking of 1:59.98.  Leading from start to finish, Mateo’s time is amongst the fastest ever recorded for a sophomore at Saint Mary’s according to head coach Jay Lawson.  It also places him amongst the top 800 meter runners in the NCS this season. 

The girls 800 winner, Sofia Jackson, is also a sophomore and won her race in the day’s closest race. Battling freshman teammate Milan Jackson the entire race, Sofia emerged victorious by a scant .02 hundreds of a second.  Her margin of victory was “no more than an inch or two” according to coach Denis Mohun.  “Both her and Milan ran great races today,” said coach Mohun.  “They went out aggressively, ran the 3^rd 200 with courage and finished well.  Them, along with Leiah Goode, have been training very well and so I’m not surprised they ran as well as they did.  Look for a lot of fast time out of that group in the future.”  Sophomores Taryn Fettig (100, 4 x 100) and Georgia Rogers (high jump) also had good meet performances.

Finally, the meet and the season would not be nearly as lucrative without the talented core of juniors.  The class of 22’ once again made their presence felt by winning 3 events, led by outstanding long/triple jumper Julia Alexander.  Hampered a bit by a sore ankle, Julia still managed to sail 17’10” to win the long jump while running a key, explosive first leg on the winning girls 4 x 100 team.  Fellow jumper/thrower and all-around athlete Anela Thomas is back and won the triple jump, while junior hurdler Najah Williams won the 100m hurdles. 

Other notable performances praised by the coaching staff afterwards went to junior Maddie Dwyer (400 meters), sophomore Will Bain (400 meters- PR), Anela Thomas (all-time list, Long Jump - PR), senior Matteo Brownlow (1600 meters – PR) and sophomore Micah Alleyne (100 meters – PR). 

 The Panthers next meet is on Tuesday, April 20^th at home against Bishop O’Dowd and St. Joseph’s – Alameda.  The first event starts at 3:45. 

Panthers Strike Gold @ Steel City Relays

April 3rd, 2021

The Panthers track & field team continued their 2021 season at the Steel City Relays hosted by Pittsburg High School.  Featuring 15 schools, it was the first Saturday “Invitational” meet for the Panthers since March 2020. 

“The excitement for our kids was evident today,” observed head distance coach Denis Mohun.  “I think we were entered in 13 events and came away with 9 wins in those 13 events.  I’d say that’s not a bad way to start the season.”

Indeed, the Panthers 9 wins more than doubled the win total of host Pittsburg and schools like De La Salle and Clayton Valley. Full Results can be found on the schedule and results table below.  More pictures are posted on the track Shutterfly page here.

Meet highlights included:

Senior Ka’Lib Copes’ 100 meter individual win as well as teaming with Will Bain, Andreas Pichardo, D’Niko Bates to win both the 4 x 200 and Sprint Medley Relays.  Ka’Lib’s 100 meter race, like all the sprint races on Saturday, was run into a blustery, stiff headwind.  Still, his 11.22 currently ranks him 2^nd in the North Coast Section.

Junior Julia Alexander continued to establish herself as the dominant horizontal jumper in the NCS, leaping to a lifetime best 18’5” while winning the long jump.  Julia now ranks 7^th all-time in school history in the event.  After scorching the opening leg of the victorious 4. X 200 relay,   she came back late in the day to win the triple jump by over 4 feet.  Julia, like Ka’Lib, left the meet a triple gold medalist.

The girls quartet of Nan Wemmer, Sofia Jackson, Olivia Lawson and Jordan Cornet had to overcome a sizeable deficit to record a comeback win in the girls 4 x 800.  The team, fresh off an abbreviated cross country season, showed grit and toughness while battling the wind and a stubborn Carondolet team.

Other winners included junior Hailey Vines in the girls 100m hurdles and sisters Simone and Georgia Rogers who tied for first in the girls high jump. 

Coach Jay Lawson also noted the strong individual and relay performances of sophomore Taryn Fettig and junior Maddie Dwyer.  “Both Taryn and Maddie are practicing and racing pretty well right now.  Both girls are a big part of this year’s team and in the years to come.”

The Panthers do not have a scheduled meet during Easter week.  Their next meet is on Saturday, April 17^th in Orinda against Tri-Valley powers Acalanes, Miramonte and Las Lomas. 

Panthers Back On Track!

March 30th, 2021

For the first time in more than a year, the Panther track & field team competed in a meet!  Contested at Skyline High School and featuring the host Titans along with the Castro Valley Trojans, the Panthers ran, hurdled and jumped from their 12+ month lock down in what coach Jay Lawson called “the best day we’ve had in quite a while”.  Indeed, the sight of sweat, grit and determination is commonplace at a track meet.  But smiles, cheers, & celebration were AS plentiful on this sunny, Tuesday afternoon. Complete results can be found here and on the schedule and results page below.   More pictures can be found on the Panthers Shutterfly - Track & Field .

Meet Highlights:

Seniors D’Niko Bates and Ka’Lib Copes made their presence felt right away while scoring dominant wins in their specialties – the 110 hurdles and 400 meter dash.  D’Niko, clearly one of the top hurdlers in Northern California, ran a PR 14.55 and sent a clear signal to any and all competitors that he’s more than ready to make up for a lost junior campaign.  Senior teammate Ka’Lib Copes, who like D’Niko rightfully sports a top billing moniker amongst Northern California 400 meter dashers, ran away from the field and cruised to a 50.18 win. 

Junior Julia Alexander, who as a freshman was an all-state triple jump performer, opened her 2021 season with a four foot win - bounding 38’3 to top the NCS charts so far this season.  She later came back to win the long jump in a lifetime best 17’10½”.  “Julia is very talented athletically and a hard worker,” said jumps Jeff Rogers.  “Those two attributes will take her a long way in this sport.  Today was just the beginning of what should be a great season.”

Sophomore Mateo Malko-Allen, fresh off a stellar but abbreviated cross country season, showed his strength and talent with two dominant wins in the boys 800 and 1600 meters.  Running at or near the front in both races, Mateo used a powerful finishing kick to collect a 4:52 win in the 1600 after using that same kick to post a PR 2:02 win in the 800. 

Other Panthers wins included sophomores Will Bain in the 100 and 200, Taryn Fettig in the 200, Sofia Jackson in the 800, and Georgia Rogers in the high jump. 

The Panthers next meet is on Saturday, April 3^rd at the Steel City Relays hosted by Pittsburg High School.