Canyon High’s Gabby Sanchez broke the school record in discus before. But breaking her record wasn’t any less exciting.
“As soon as they announced it, I was like, obviously really happy that I had broken it yet again and really humbled by the experience,” Sanchez said.
Her 137 foot, five inch throw was the top mark in Division 2 at the CIF-Southern Section finals at Cerritos College on Saturday. Sanchez bested her previous throw of 134-0.5, which she achieved her junior year.
Now, the senior has her sights set on a strong showing at the CIF-Southern Section Masters Meet and later, an appearance at the state meet.
She competed at Masters last year, but felt that nerves hindered her performance.
“I feel like it’s a lot more different (this year) because I feel that I’ve been there and I know what to do and now I’ve just mentally prepared myself to actually execute what I need to do and everything,” Sanchez said.
Sanchez wasn’t the only Foothill League thrower to have a good day at finals.
Golden Valley’s Shyann Franklin and West Ranch’s Natalie Ramirez advanced in both the girls shot put and discus.
In Division 1, Ramirez threw 40-11.25 for third place in shot and 136-04 for third in discus.
Franklin earned third in shot put and discus in Division 2. She tossed 41-02.00 in shot put and 124-09 in discus.
The Grizzlies’ Gabriel Coronado was fourth in discus (170-05) and seventh in shot put (51-03) in Division 2. He’ll be at Masters for the former and is an alternate for the meet in the latter.
Saugus High’s Blake Walkowiak will be joining him in discus after ranking fifth in the Division 2 event at 168-11.
Trinity Classical Academy’s Solomon Strader had perhaps the best day out of all Santa Clarita Valley runners, qualifying for the Masters Meet after a second-place, 48.48 second 400-meter dash.
He was also fourth in the 200.
“It’s kind of weird being the only one from my school here … but the goal is to go to state and I’m just one more meet away from that,” Strader, a freshman, said.
West Ranch’s Adaugo Oguejiofor advances in high jump after clearing 5-03 in the Division 1 event. Sam Pica of Valencia rounds out the qualifiers as an alternate for the long jump after a Division 1 jump of 22-03, which put him in sixth place at finals.
Hart’s 4×100 meter relay team came in fourth (42.54) and the 4×400 team was seventh (3:25.18) in Division 2. Canyon High edged the Indians in the 4×400, finishing sixth (3:25.06).
The Vikings 4×400 team was eighth in Division 1 with a time of 3:22.87.
Mariah Castillo of Saugus earned fifth place in the 1600 and ninth place in the 3200 in Division 2, clocking 5:03.36 in the former and 11:27.90 in the latter.
In the 3200 in Division 1, Preston Pope was ninth for West Ranch at 9:43.50.
Alexxys Banuelos was seventh in the Division 2 long jump for Golden Valley. While Canyon’s Seanna Nalbandyan finished eighth in the 300-meter hurdles.
The Centurions’ Jake Rockford ended up in seventh in the Division 2 Boys 800 race, Joshua Pikes was ninth in the Division 1 boys 200 and Sam Pica was ninth in the Division 1 boys 400.
The Masters Meet will be held at Arcadia High on Friday. Gates open at 3 p.m. for spectators.
