Gunn’s Graham takes 11th in 3,200
CCS recap
Neither of the two St. Francis High boys who qualified for last weekend’s state track and field meet made the finals, but Matt Chisam came awfully close.
Chisam placed 10th in the pole vault by clearing 14 feet last Friday in the trials at Cerritos College in Norwalk. The top nine competitors in each event moved on to Saturday’s finals.
“I did OK,” Chisam said. “I had a big clearance at 14 and I was feeling pretty good. But I just didn’t have the pop I needed to get 14-6.”
That’s the height the senior needed to qualify for the finals. And he nearly cleared it.
“Matt had a couple of good jumps,” said St. Francis coach Dave Frank. “He came close, but he didn’t make it.”
Chisam also took part in the 110-meter high hurdles, placing 18th in the trials with a time of 15.11 seconds.
“My time in the hurdles wasn’t that good at all,” said Chisam, who ran a 14.80 the prior week at the Central Coast Section championships. “I was at least expecting to (match my personal best). But there were a lot of fast guys competing and I hit a couple of hurdles.”
Added Frank: “It wasn’t a terrible effort, but it certainly wasn’t the best he’s done. He ran competitively in his heat, though.”
Joining Chisam at the state meet was fellow Lancer Chase Lyman, who competed in the long jump. Lyman jumped 21-6 3/4 to finish 14th in the trials.
“He had two great jumps, but they were fouls,” Frank said. “They were much better than his third jump, but that’s the way it goes.”
Gunn High’s Steve Baker also qualified for the state meet in the long jump, but scratched.
The Gunn girls sent five competitors to Norwalk, all runners.
The Titans’ 400 relay team, paced by lead-off runner Ja’net Lawrence, placed a disappointing 24th in the trials with a time of 49.60. At the CCS meet, the Gunn foursome ran a 48.65.
Gunn freshman Ruth Graham was the only area athlete to compete in last Saturday’s finals. Graham competed in the 3,200 run, the only event that does not have trials. She wound up taking 11th place by clocking a 10:55.26.
Due to an early deadline for last week’s issue, the Town Crier was not able to report on the CCS Championships, held May 26 at San Jose City College. The top three finishers in each event advanced to the state trials.
Here’s a short recap of the CCS meet:
The St. Francis boys, co-champions of the West Catholic Athletic League, finished fourth in the team competition with 24 points. The Lancers were led by Chisam, who was second in both the 110 hurdles (14.80)) and pole vault (14-6). Lyman took third in the long jump (22-2 3/4), Eric Chaves was seventh in the 1,600 run (4:27.69) and Ben Johnson wound up seventh in the triple jump (43-8 3/4).
The Gunn girls team took eighth with 19 points. Graham placed second in the 3,200 (10:58.73), Eva Shu was fourth in the 800 run (2:18.93) and Lawrence claimed seventh in the 100 dash (12.78).
Mountain View High senior Sarah Chan finished fifth in both the girls long jump (17-1 3/4) and triple jump (36-9 1/2).
St. Francis High senior Danielle Endaya earned sixth in both the girls shot put (35-6 1/4) and discus (117-10 1/2). Teammate Natalie Nunn, a freshman, took seventh in the 400 run (59.76).
The Gunn boys were led by Baker’s second-place finish in the long jump (22-8 1/2) and Khari Jones’ seventh-place mark in the 100 (11.17).
