Sophomore Jasir Fontenot of Mater Dei won his second consecutive 110 hurdles championship and Chiara Dailey of La Jolla won her first, in a final try, after a second in the 1600 preceded victory in the 3200.  State season leaders Josiah Bowman and Dylan Yarbrough came up short and Ava Parker, 15-year-old ninth grader from Helix, showed resolve and toughness over four races in two days in the 106th state meet at Clovis Buchanan High.

Parker was third in the 400 (:53.70) and sixth in the 200 (:23.93).  Bowman, the state leader at 1:49.54 in the 800, was third in 1:50.72.  Yarbrough cleared 16 feet in the pole vault for fourth, below his best of 17-2, Among those ahead of Yarbrough was Otay Ranch’s Dane von Guenthner, second at 16-4.

The  season officially is over but Fontenot, whose winning time was a wind-aided :13.3,  told writer Steve Brand that he would compete in additional events during the summer.  There maybe more competition for others.

There were nine places of at least fifth in Girls and eight in Boys from the 38 total that qualified in Friday’s Trials, plus four more entries in the boys’ and girls’ 4×800 and six in the boys’ and girls’ 3200, which did not have Friday trials.  A tie in the girls’ pole vault was  settled by the difference in the number of misses.
Two San Diego Section gold medals, compared with five in 2025 and 10 in 2024.

Not expected was a strong effort in the Boys’ long jump by Patrick Henry’s Kymani Joseph, who added a half foot to his career best and became the 38th to reach 24 feet in the long jump, first negotiated when the event was called the broad jump and Lincoln’s Luther Hayes spanned that distance in the 1956 state meet.

Joseph finished third at Clovis, Hayes fourth at Chico.

^{*Junior. **Sophomore. ***Ninth-grader.}

106^th STATE TRACK CHAMPIONSHIPS, @CLOVIS BUCHANAN HIGH
GIRLS

BOYS

At Clovis Buchanan High.

Non-qualifiers places noted with —.  Places determined by times in events with more than one heat.
^{*Junior. **Sophomore. ***Ninth-grader.}
GIRLS

BOYS

GIRLS PLAYOFFS
FIRST ROUND
DIVISION I
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 26.
Orange Glen (12-17) 50, @5 Morse (14-12) 42.
Holly Tribbey (16 points) and Rebecca Riddle (13) did the damage to favored Morse.
Granite Hills (10-16) 34, @1 Rancho Buena Vista (24-3) 74.
Torrey Pines (20-8) 60, Point Loma (15-10) 41.
2 Rancho Bernardo (22-6) 76, San Pasqual (8-18) 31.
Mt. Carmel (15-12) 77, @Mira Mesa (16-9) 56.
Lika Black scored 28 points and dished 7 assists for the Sundevils.
Southwest (17-9) 45, @3 Poway (19-7) 66.
Bonita Vista (15-11) 44, @4 Vista (21-7) 81.
La Costa Canyon (15-10) 61, @Valhalla (17-13) 58, OT.
QUARTERFINALS
SATURDAY, MARCH 1.
Poway (19-8) 60, @Torrey Pines (22-8) 64.
La Costa Canyon (15-11) 35, @1 Rancho Buena Vista (26-3) 55.
Orange Glen (13-18) 33, @4 Vista (23-7) 65.
Mt. Carmel (15-12), @2 Rancho Bernardo (22-6).
SEMIFINALS
2 Rancho Bernardo (24-6) 61, Torrey Pines (22-9) 44, @West Hills.
Nicholle Bromley’s 20 points and 11 rebounds were augmented by 14 points from Sarah Wilkins and 13 from Robyn Fortney.
4 Vista (23-8) 38, @1 Rancho Buena Vista (27-3) 50.
The Longhorns pulled away with a 10-2 run in the final 5:27 to earn their first trip to the championship game.
CHAMPIONSHIP
Rancho Bernardo (24-7), 54, Rancho Buena Vista (27-3) 47,  @UCSD Rimac Arena.
“Unbelievable.” Broncos coach Peggy Brose said it to herself three times as her team defeated the Longhorns after losing to them three times during the season.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL
Harbor City Narbonne, L.A. City (23-5) 59, @Rancho Bernardo (24-8) 51. The visiting Gauchos, trailing, 41-40, after three quarters took the lead and pulled away with a 14-2 run in the fourth quarter.
D-II
1 Santana (24-4), bye.
3 Montgomery (20-4), bye.
2 El Capitan (20-7), bye.
Serra (10-16) 57, @Oceanside (18-8) 63.
Marcella Taylor’s 16 points complemented Kehaulani Galeai’s 21 and gave Taylor the Pirates’ all-time lead with 1,549.
El Cajon Valley (10-15) 46, @El Camino(17-9) 69.
LaToya Bristow scored 25 points and Sherita Williams 18 for the Wildcats.
West Hills (10-14) 39, @Scripps Ranch (16-12) 34.
Sophomore Sandra Goins scored 19 points and had 13 rebounds as the Sultans upset the defending D-II champion.
University City (8-16) 42, @Mount Miguel (21-8) 55.
Monte Vista (10-16) 27, @4 Escondido (20-8) 53.
QUARTERFINALS
El Camino (17-10) 48, @3 Montgomery (21-4) 50.
The Aztecs were outscored in every quarter but the first, when they took a 14-7 lead.
West Hills (10-15) 45, @1 Santana (25-4) 83.
Mount Miguel (21-9) 32, @Escondido (21-8) 55.
Oceanside (18-9) 40, @2 El Capitan (21-7) 57.
SEMIFINALS
Escondido (21-9) 52, @1 Santana (26-4) 56.
“I’m very unhappy,” said winning coach Wade Vickery, whose team committed 38 turnovers and saw the underdog Cougars cut a late-third quarter, 15-point deficit to three with nine seconds remaining.
3 Montgomery (22-4) 49, @2 El Capitan (21-8) 38.
The Vaqueros turned the ball over 20 times in the middle quarters and were outscored, 18-4, in the third as Montgomery advanced to the championship game for the first time in the school’s 27-year history.
CHAMPIONSHIP
@UC-San Diego Rimac Arena.
Santana (27-4) 49, Montgomery (22-5) 48.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL
Moorpark, Southern (26-3) 81, @Santana (27-5) 67.
It was a quiet ending for Sultans coach Wade Vickery, who earlier had announced that this would be his final season.
Montgomery (22-6) 39, @Fresno Edison, Central (25-4) 59.
The Aztecs were out of it after a 4-19 first quarter.

D-III
QUARTERFINALS
1 Eastlake (23-3), bye.
Clairemont (10-9), @4 Kearny (14-12).
Madison (13-11) 38, @3 La Jolla (22-3) 66.
Mission Bay (12-12), @2 University (14-9)
SEMIFINALS
Eastlake (24-3) 75, Kearny (15-13) 42, @Mira Mesa High.
Jackie Montalban scored 22 points and Lorraine Gomez 15 for the defending division champion Titans, who shot to a 42-19 halftime lead following a 24-5 second quarter.
University (16-9) 54, La Jolla (22-4) 53. OT.
Uni trailed by 10 points in the first quarter before taking a 49-47 lead, which La Jolla’s Amber Englund forced to overtime with two late free throws. Kelly Crafton (22) and Megan Bryan (16) led the winning Dons.
CHAMPIONSHIP
Eastlake (25-3) 51, University (16-10) 35, @UC-San Diego Rimac Arena.
“We put so much heart into this game,” said the Titans’ Jackie Montalban, who scored 22 points and declined coach Larry Armbrust’s signal to leave the game with one second left.

“Usually the last game of CIF is what you remember,” said Montalban.  “I wanted to be right in the middle of the celebration.”

Montalban’s teammate, 6-foot-2 forward Erin McGrath, came away with 18 rebounds and blocked six shots.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL
Shafter, Central (20-7) 46, @Eastlake (26-3) 69.
Jackie Montalban (30) and Erin McGrath (16) equaled Shafter’s total.
University (16-11) 64, @Torrance Bishop Montgomery, Southern (27-3) 90.
Kelly Crafton scored 21 for the Dons, who couldn’t keep up with the state No. 13-ranked Knights.
RRGIONAL SEMIFINALS
Pasadena Muir (25-8) 69, @Eastlake (27-3) 70.
REGIONAL CHAM[PIONSHIP

D-IV
SEMIFINALS
THURSDAY, FEB. 27.
3 Imperial (17-9) 25,  2 The Bishop’s (14-11) 53, @Francis Parker.
Kristen Grimm’s line for the Knights included 17 points, 13 rebounds, and 4 steals.
SATURDAY, MARCH 1.
1 Coronado (22-3) 61, 4 Holtville (12-12) 29, @Grossmont College.
CHAMPIONSHIP
2 The Bishop’s (15-11) 56, 1 Coronado (22-4) 38, @UC-San Diego Rimac Arena.
Sophomore point guard Angela Ortega scored 23 points, which included six three-point baskets.  “It’s the highlight of my career!” shouted Ortega to a question and then added, “It’s the best day of my life!”

Ortega and her teammates, including 5-9 freshman Kristen Grimm, 13 points and 10 rebounds, swarmed the favored Islanders on defense, who had the advantage of size and experience.
SOUTHERN CALIFORIA REGIONAL
The Bishop’s (15-12) 33, @Cerritos Valley Christian, Southern (27-4) 66, @Torrey Pines.
The Lady Knights trailed the state’s 14th-ranked team, 29-24, one minute into the second half and then the roof fell in, beginning with five consecutive turnovers.
Coronado (22-5) 44, @Burbank Bellarmine-Jefferson (30-1) 67. Josee Lalonde had 25points and 18 rebounds but her Islanders teammates couldn’t keep up with the Guards, who listed Hollywood star Angie Dickerson among their alumni.
D-V
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 26.
FIRST ROUND
(19-8), bye.
4 Francis Parker (8-13), bye.
1 Christian (24-0), bye.
3 Julian (23-7), bye.
2 Horizon (19-8), bye.
Borrego Springs (12-13) 28, @Santa Fe Christian (4-18) 38.
Citrus League player of the year Ana Landeros led the losing Rams with 16 points, while Alison Slamon scored 13 and added six steals for Santa Fe.
Calipatria (18-13) 41, @Lutheran (13-5) 39.
Tri-City (10-17) 43, @La Jolla Country Day (11-13) 61.
QUARTERFINALS
Francis Parker (9-13) 48, Calvin Christian 34.
La Jolla Country Day (11-14) 43, @3 Julian (24-7) 61.
Horizon (20-8) 62, Calipatria 26.
The Panthers won their 14^th  game in a row and 19^th in the last 20.
SEMIFINALS
Horizon (21-8) 67, Julian (24-8) 56, @University City High.
Overcoming a bout with the flu, Katrina Vestal scored 26 points for the Panthers. Coach Richard Andujo said, “More than anything, we had fresh legs in the fourth quarter and they didn’t”.

Christian (25-0) 77, Francis Parker (9-14) 49, @Eastlake High.

CHAMPIONSHIP

Horizon (22-8) 49, Christian (26-1) 45, @UC-San Diego Rimac Arena.
In what was described as the upset of the season, the Panthers overcame the undefeated Patriots behind Katie Magnuson’s 19 points and nine rebounds.

“I knew we could pull through because we played them close (losing, 43-39) early in the season,” said Magnuson, a 6-foot, 1-inch junior who scored seven consecutive points after the Patriots, the state’s No. 1-ranked D-V team, had taken a 39-26 lead five minutes into the third quarter.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL PLAYOFFS
Christian (27-1) 59, @L.A. Pilgrim Southern (26-5) 34. Alyssa Frederick led the scoring with 24 points.
Capistrano Valley Christian, Southern (23-7) 48, @Horizon (23-8) 69.
REGIONAL SEMIFINAL
Christian (28-1) 62, @Horizon (23-9) 43.
Unlike the San Diego Section championship game in which Horizon
upset the Patriots, this game was not close. The hosts, riding an 18-game winning streak, were behind, 38-17, at intermission, stunned by a 17-1 Christian run in the second quarter.
Alyssa Frederick, Christian’s 6-foot, 3-inch center was 10 for 10 from the field and 2 for 3 from the free throw line to lead with 22 points.
REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Christian  (29-1) 73, San Luis Obispo Mission Prep (21-9) 55, @Anaheim Arrowhead Pond.

STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
Rincon Valley Christian (29-4)) 53, Christian (29-2) 38, @Anaheim Arrowhead Pond.
Scott Oatsvall’s team, which rode to the game in two limousines could not overcome Rincon’s opening, 11-0 run.  The Patriots made a trip to Knotts Berry Farm in nearby Buena Park after the game.
Christian shot 24 per cent on field goal attempts and 30 per cent from the free-throw line and never got closer than seven points, with 2:43 remaining in the second quarter.

Ava Parker is stepping on her big brothers’ toes while continuing a family tradition at Helix.

The ninth grader ran :53.47, the fourth fastest 400 meters in County history last week in the Mt. San Antonio Invitational in Walnut.  Ava was second in the race to the state-leading :53.13 by Clara Adams of Long Beach Wilson.

The Parker family is steeped in running and athletics.  Adren Parker, Ava’s older brother, set the County record of :46.48 in the 400 in 2024.  Eric Parker, Adren’s older brother, ran the 400 in :47.91 for Helix in 2019.

It starts with the father, also named Eric.  That Parker played college football at Tennessee and then six seasons for the San Diego Chargers in the early 2000’s and caught 187 passes for a 13.8 average and scored 11 touchdowns.

Ava’s 400 is second fastest in the state this season and she also leads the San Diego Section with a wind-aided :24.05 in the 200 meters.

The Escondido Invitational and Dick Wilkins Frosh-Sophomore meet at Del Norte headline the meet schedule this week.

San Diego Section athletes in state top 25 are noted in Athletic.net, except any with the — designation.  *Junior. **Sophomore. ***Frosh.

Marks in bold represent new season bests.

GIRLS

Del Norte set a San Diego Section record in the four-man, 800-meter relay with a time of 7:44.70 at the 65^th Mt. San Antonio Relays in Walnut Last week.

The team of Finn Butler, Isaac Bradshaw, Nick Echsner, and Cam Yarbrough bettered the mark of 7:48.39 by a Torrey Pines foursome at Mt. Sac in 2011.

The former two-mile relay has been re-gaining popularity since it was added to the state meet menu in 2023, when the Del Norte girls’ team won in 8:55.99.

San Diego teams had participated in the event at Mt. Sac as far back as the 1960’s, when a Grossmont squad of Dick Monahan, Reo Nathan, Bruce Rogers, and Joe O’Connor ran 8:06.4, converted to a 3,200 meters time of 8:01.5.

A Clairemont squad of Henry Halleland, Tom Blake, Steve Rocha, and Larry Castillo had set a San Diego two-mile relay record of 7:59 in 1968. That time converts to a metric 7:55.9.

San Diego Section athletes in state top 25 are noted by Athletic.net, except any with the — designation. Marks in bold indicate new season best. The dual meet and invitational season will end by April 30, with league championships generally scheduled May 8.

*Junior. **Sophomore.***Ninth-grader.

BOYS

La Jolla’s Chiara Dailey won the Arcadia Invitational mile in 4:41.12 last week, which converted to a 4:39.31 for 1,600 meters and put Dailey at the top of the list in California, along with her state-leading 9:53.8 for 3,200 meters.  Dailey ran 4:37.08 after the state meet and conclusion of her high school season in 2025, for a non-qualifying record.

Dailey, who reportedly is headed to Stanford University along with San Diego Section rival Jaelyn Williams of Eastlake, ranked third in the state in 2025 in the 800, 1,600, and 3,200.  Williams has not run outdoors in 2026.  She is believed to have sustained an injury after running indoors.

Big meet in California this week is the Mt. San Antonio Invitational in Walnut.