Valencia boys track and field wasn’t sure what Sam Pica, who was coming off a hamstring injury, would do at the first Foothill League dual meet against West Ranch on Thursday at West Ranch.
Pica ended up tying the school record for high jump, clearing 6 feet, 4 inches for first place in the event.
“It felt awesome,” Pica said. “I haven’t been practicing it too much so just to come off a hamstring injury, that was cool to come off of it and jump in for some points and then end up PRing.”
MORE: 2017 Foothill League boys track and field preview
The Vikings boys team won 77-59.
Valencia’s Adam West and Christian Kay each notched a new personal record in the pole vault, each clearing 12-00.
Valencia secured eight points each in the high jump, pole vault and discus.
“Our field events really helped us out today,” said Vikings coach Jeff Gilkey. “We knew that we’d be really battling for a lot of the points on the track.”
The Wildcats swept in the 110-meter hurdles and 300 hurdles and secured first in the 800, 1600 and 3200.
“Even the boys said it today, ‘Hey, we have the potential to win a couple league meets,’ which is big for them because they didn’t win one league meet last year and so the rebuilding process is starting,” said West Ranch coach Sara Soltani.
The Cats girls earned a 99-37 win over Valencia and swept in five events: the 400, 3200, 100 hurdles, long jump and triple jump.
Soltani called on athletes to compete in events they might not usually consider in order to get points.
Bailey Pate, whose strongest event is the 800, ran in the 100-meter dash and secured second place in addition to coming in first in the 400 (59.00) and the 4×400 (4:04.54).
Adaugo Oguejofor, who was first in high jump (5-02) and first in the 100 hurdles (16.22 seconds), won second place in the shot put.
“This year you can really feel the team unity and everyone throughout the day has been saying, good job, good luck, I hope you do great,” Pate said. “It really helps unify the team and lets everybody know that we’re there for each other and it helps everyone a lot this year.”
Canyon 79, Hart 56.5 (boys)
Steven Arrington set a meet record in the 100 and the 200 with times of 10.64 and 22.04, respectively.
Canyon 100, Hart 31 (girls)
Selasi Mawugbe had a personal best in the long jump (16-1) and high jump (4-10) for first place, as well as in triple jump (32-10) for second place.
Saugus 99, Golden Valley 44 (boys)
Blake Walkowiak won shot put and discus, throwing 50-11 and 106-11. CJ Westernhofer won the 1600 at 4 minutes, 36 seconds and Boone Andrews took the 3200 with 9:58.
Saugus 87, Golden Valley 49 (girls)
Mariah Castillo came in first for the 800 (2:20) and 1600 (5:13). Brooke Thompson won long jump (16-5) and triple jump (33-01).
