Daniele’s 200-meter victory, impressive depth help Bears capture first crown; Shearer shines in final showcase for Silver Creek to take second, Budwig best in the throws with memorable sweep

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

CLOVIS — Already the most decorated girls track and field program in Central Section history, Buchanan enjoyed its crowning achievement Saturday at the 101st CIF-State Championships in front of a loyal group of supporters at its home venue Veterans Memorial Stadium.

A decade after the state meet was first held at Buchanan High’s facility and more than a century after the first California high school championship was held at nearby Fresno High, the first Central Section sweep of team titles was produced by the Buchanan girls and Clovis North boys.

Buchanan, which had accumulated a combined 47 points the previous four years and never placed higher than fourth in program history, relied on a 200-meter title from Shelby Daniele and second-place finishes from Haley Abirached, Meagen Lowe, Corie Smith and its 4x100-meter relay to amass 50 points and become the first Central Section girls champion since Bakersfield in 1990.

RESULTS | INTERVIEWS | GIRLS TRACK PHOTOS | GIRLS FIELD PHOTOS

Silver Creek senior Jazlynn Shearer delivered one of the most impressive one-day showcases in state finals history, winning the 100-meter hurdles and triple jump, along with placing second in the long jump to accumulate 28 points by herself and place second. The last two athletes to score at least 28 points individually and earn a spot on the team podium were Agoura graduate Tara Davis in 2017 and former Clovis star Jenna Prandini in 2011.

Fowler senior Jocelynn Budwig was the only other double winner, sweeping the discus throw and shot put titles to finish seventh overall with 20 points.

Daniele became the third individual champion in Buchanan history, including the first since Hannah Waller captured the 400-meter crown in 2015. After placing seventh in the 100-meter final in 11.80, she rebounded to prevail in the 200 in 23.73, clinching the team title for the Bears, who opened the meet with Lauren Fowler, Logan Winter, Aleeza Hassan and Daniele finishing second in the 4x100 in 46.75.

Smith and Lowe added 14 additional points by placing second and third in the 3,200 in 10:17.39 and 10:18.87 to help Buchanan become the seventh girls program in meet history to score at least 50 points.

La Costa Canyon senior Kristin Fahy secured the title in 10:11.38, joining older brother Darren Fahy (2012) as state 3,200 champion, becoming the only siblings in meet history to both win the event.

Lowe had earlier placed second in the 1,600 in 4:43.61, trailing only Chino Hills sophomore Jacqueline Duarte in 4:42.58. Duarte became the first 10th-grader to capture the 1,600 championship since Woodbridge’s Christine Babcock in 2006.

Abirached produced a personal-best on her final attempt in the triple jump with a wind-legal 40-3.25 (12.27m) to move into second behind Shearer, who prevailed with a wind-aided 41-1 (12.52m).

Shearer had already won the 100 hurdles in a wind-aided 13.24, the fastest all-conditions mark in the country this season and equal to the No. 10 performer in state history under all conditions. She added a second-place finish in the long jump with a wind-legal 19-10.75 (6.06m) in the fourth round.

Upland freshman Caelyn Harris won the long jump with a wind-legal 20-8.50 (6.31m) effort in the fourth round. She became the first freshman since Harvard-Westlake’s Courtney Corrin in 2013 to capture the title and Harris ascended to the No. 2 all-time freshman performer in U.S. prep history, trailing only Corrin’s 21-foot effort (6.40m) at the World Youth Trials.

Coronado senior Alysah Hickey, who won the long jump title last season, placed third with a wind-aided 19-10.50 (6.06m) in the fifth round. Hickey later captured the high jump championship with a 5-8 (1.72m) clearance on her second attempt, becoming only the second female athlete in state history to win both events, along with Woodside’s Wendy Brown, who swept all three jump titles in 1984.

Budwig became the first female athlete since San Jose Valley Christian’s Elena Bruckner in 2015-16 to capture consecutive state shot put championships. Budwig also became the first thrower to sweep the discus and shot put in the same year since Dos Pueblos graduate Stamatia Scarvelis in 2014.

Despite nursing a sore hamstring, Budwig still produced personal bests in both events, winning the discus with a 171-10 (52.37m) in the first round and delivering a fourth-round effort of 49-2.75 (15.00m) in the shot put. Bakersfield Liberty standout Faith Bender produced a personal-best 168-6 (51.35m) to place second in the discus, elevating to the No. 6 sophomore performer in U.S. prep history, along with a fifth-place effort of 43-8.75 (13.32m) in the shot put.

Hickey highlighted an outstanding night for San Diego Section competitors, especially the female athletes, who won four events.

Sophomore Ashley Callahan became the fourth Rancho Bernardo pole vaulter to secure a title, including the first since 2008, clearing 13-4 (4.06m) on her third attempt to prevail against fellow sophomore Paige Sommers of Westlake.

University City sophomore Katriina Wright prevailed in the 400-meter final in 53.93, becoming the first San Diego athlete since former Morse star Monique Henderson won four in a row from 1998-2001 to secure the championship.

Scripps Ranch edged Buchanan in the 4x100 final in 46.51, with Jaymie Ruskovich, Aubree Bell, Brianna Sproles and Aaliyah McCormick becoming the first quartet from San Diego to capture the title since Crawford in 1977.

Although Long Beach Poly and Long Beach Wilson came up short in their pursuit of the state team title, each program celebrated a championship.

Junior Rachel Glenn prevailed in the 300-meter hurdles in 41.71 seconds for Wilson, with Quwshaya Peters, Kenya Payne, Saminah Haddad and Saundria Martin capturing the 4x400 relay crown for Poly in 3:46.23.

Poly finished tied for third with 25 points and Wilson was fifth with 23 points.

Calabasas senior De’Anna Nowling repeated in the 100-meter final in 11.55 seconds, becoming the first female athlete to accomplish the feat since former Long Beach Poly standout Ariana Washington in 2013-14 and just the eighth in meet history, helping the Coyotes tie Poly for third place overall with 25 points.

A week after stopping during the race to encourage Concord senior Rayna Stanziano to finish in the 800-meter final at the North Coast Section Meet of Champions, Marin Catholic sophomore Samantha Wallenstrom was not only recognized by state officials for her act of sportsmanship, she also celebrated capturing the first girls state title in any event in program history.

Wallenstrom surged past Stanziano and Menlo School junior Charlotte Tomkinson in the final 40 meters to triumph in a personal-best 2:08.78. Tomkinson clocked 2:09.41 and Stanziano placed third for the second year in a row in 2:10.07.

Tomkinson and junior teammate Kyra Pretre, who finished 10th in 2:13.95, became the first female athletes from the same school in Central Coast Section history and only the fourth all-time in the meet to compete in the 800-meter or 880-yard final in the same year.