Saddleback men and women finish strong at home meet
WOMEN'S RECAP
MISSION VIEJO - The Saddleback women's track & field team had a solid showing at the Saddleback Invitational on Friday inside the stadium. The Bobcats showed off their new digs and won five events in the process.
It has been a while since Saddleback hosted a big event in track & field. Last year the Bobcats hosted a small event during a pandemic-ravaged season, which acted as a warm-up for the event on Friday. Saddleback finished second to Orange Empire Conference (OEC) foe Orange Coast College, beating all four teams from outside the OEC.
Olivia Knobbe was the headliner for the women, winning two events for the day. Knobbe (pictured) was a winner in both the 800 meters and 1,500 meters, collecting 20 points for the team. She crossed the finish line in the 800 meters in 2:26.69 to beat Bakersfield's Crystal Raya by 1.45 seconds. Knobbe then finished nearly three seconds ahead of Orange Coast's McKay Arvidson in winning the 1,500 in 4:59.49.
Saddleback's other winners on the day were Isabelle Teh, Danielle Lister and Kianna Turner in field events. Teh cleared 3.30 meters in the pole vault to comfortably win the event. Lister set a personal-best in the discus with a toss of 38.89 meters (127' 7") to upset Bakersfield's Tearra Haney, who entered the event with the fifth-best throw in the state this season. Lister's throw is now the eighth-best throw in the state during the spring. Turner also set a personal-best when she tossed the hammer 39.48 meters (129' 6"), beating Haney by over three meters and putting herself in the top-15 in the state this spring.
Other top-5 performances from Saddleback on Friday were turned in by Jolie Robinson Esther Parrish Shaelynn Barbieri and Rachel Whitten. Robinson was second in the 100 hurdles (15.87), third in the high jump (1.55 m) and second in the triple jump (11.08 m). Parrish was third in the 100 hurdles (16.68) and third in the 400 hurdles (1:20.15). Barbieri was second in the 400 hurdles (1:15.11) and third in the pole vault (2.85 m). Whitten was fourth in the high jump (1.50 m) and third in the triple jump (10.69 m).
Saddleback will be back in action on Friday at the Arnie Robinson Invitational at San Diego Mesa College.
MEN'S RECAP
MISSION VIEJO - The Saddleback men's track & field team was impressive at the Saddleback Invitational on Friday inside the stadium. The Bobcats won five events and gave the other programs a chance to see the new facilities while finishing third.
It has been a while since Saddleback hosted a big event in track & field. Last year the Bobcats hosted a small event during a pandemic-ravaged season, which acted as a warm-up for the event on Friday. Saddleback finished third to Orange Empire Conference (OEC) foe Orange Coast College and El Camino College on Friday, beating Southwestern College, Cuyamaca College and Bakersfield College.
Saddleback had five individual winners on Friday as Brandon Pizano-Pintor, Marquis Colvin, Steven Shadell, Sam Gatta and Ezekiel Sapp all stood at the top of the podium. Pizano-Pintor (pictured) won the 3,000 steeplechase in a time of 10:14.54 to win by over 15 seconds. Colvin was a winner in the 800 meters when he set a personal-best with a time of 1:56.65. Shadell set a personal-best in winning the 1,500 meters in a time of 4:11.22. Gatta was a winner in the shot put when he had a toss of 13.91 meters (45' 7.75"). Sapp was an easy winner in the hammer throw when he set a personal-best with a toss of 37.16 meters (121' 11").
Saddleback had other top-5 performances turned in by Jullian Dorantes-Lara, Timothy Lacanienta, Jacob Bambao, Grant Karn, Trazler McGrath, Koa Kosco, James Begando and Coleton Klingenmeier. Dorantes-Lara was second in the 1,500 meters (4:15.06) and third in the 3,000 meters (9:22.34). Lacanienta was fourth in the 3,000 steeplechase (1:45.90) while Bambao was fifth (1:50.80). Karn finished in third place in the high jump when he tied a personal-best 1.80 meters (5' 10.75"). McGrath and Kosco both cleared 3.90 meters (12' 9.5") in the pole vault to finish fourth and fifth, respectively. Begando finished in a tie for fourth place in the long jump when he leaped 6.28 meters (20' 7.25"). Klingenmeier had a personal-best in the discus (30.75 m) in finishing second.
Saddleback will be back in action on Friday at the Arnie Robinson Invitational at San Diego Mesa College.
(Brad Hoiseth, Saddleback College Athletics)