By Leonard COUTIN

The CIF Southern Championship Track and Field Masters Meet was held at El Camino College on Saturday. The top 12 performers in the 800m, 1600m, 3200m and in all field events advanced from the Southern Section divisional finals to the Masters Meet. Steep competition met Division 1 1600m champion Dylan Wilbur, from Crescenta Valley High School, who posted 4:12.31 at the finals. Among those competing was Division 2 senior Noah Hibbard of Arroyo, who won his division running 4:11.65; junior Jake Parker of West Torrance, who placed second running 4:12.06; division 3 finalists Peter Herold, a senior from JSerra who won the 1600m running 4:10.52, senior Sebastian Fisher of Laguna Beach who placed second in the 1600m running 4:11.00, and JSerra junior Anthony Grover who took third in the 1600m running 4:12.26.

The runners were off to a good start.

“It was a tight pack and there was a lot of bumping and contact early,” said CVHS coach Mark Evans. “Dylan was in a good position through the race.”

Completing his first lap short of the leaders and looking comfortable in the rear of the pack, Wilbur’s time was 63.7 for the 400m. As he approached his second lap, Wilbur moved into the middle of the pack, running 2:08 split time for the 800m. Keeping his eye on the lead runners, he looked strong and moved into the first lane tucking behind Fisher as he approached the third lap in 3:10. 

“He made a good move with the leaders at about 250 and again at about 150. This put him in a solid fourth place at the finish,” said Evans. “Since the top six automatically qualified that is all he had to do to make the state meet.”

Herold of JSerra won with a time of 4:11.38 followed by Arroyo’s Hibbard (4:11.99) and Grover (4:12.59), also from JSerra. CV’s Dylan Wilbur grabbed fourth running 4:12.78, followed by Fisher (4:13.13) and Carrick Denker of Dana Hills (4:13.59).

The Pacific League also saw another advancement to the state meet. Burbank sophomore Jayla Flowers placed fourth in the triple jump, executing a PR jump of 38-11.50.

The top six finishers in each event advance to the state meet at Buchanan High School in Clovis on Friday and Saturday, May 24-25.

  Leonard Coutin