On Saturday, May 6 Sierra High School hosted the annual Valley Oak League track and field championship meet. The Oakdale girls team placed first with a total team score of 121 points. Also taking first place were the JV boys and girls teams. Oakdale’s JV boys scored a team total of 122 points, 43 points higher than second place Central Catholic and the JV girls totaled 193 points, 105 points higher than second place Lathrop. Oakdale’s varsity boys totaled 45 points and placed sixth as a team.

For the varsity girls Sara Stevens took first place in the 800 meters race, setting a personal best of 2:21.00. Stevens also appeared on the varsity girls 4x400 team that placed second overall along with Courtney Dickens, Marnelle Salie and Kyla Novotny. In discus, senior Kyndall Vargas powered her way to a season best throw of 113-09 to take first place. Senior Deonna Osmundson took fourth in the same event. In the high jump a trio of Oakdale girls swept the top spots as Hannah Wessling took first at 5-0. There was a tie for second as Samantha Nickerson and Cassie England each cleared 4-8 in the high jump. All three of the jumps were personal records. In the triple jump Oakdale’s Cassie England took second at 34-10 and Kayla Budine came in third at 34-00.

For the varsity boys senior Justin Crescenti set a personal best in the 800 meters at 2:03.50 and placed fourth. Crescenti also placed fourth in the high jump at 6-0. Cade Middaugh set a personal best in the 3200 meters as he finished fifth with a time of 10:23.50. Francisco Vargas earned a third place finish in the 110 meter hurdles with a time of 14.80, a personal best. In the shot put, Michael Everett finished third at 45-11 and Jorge Barajas was fourth at 45-07.5. Barajas placed third in the discus at 127-8. Justin Carlos placed fifth in the varsity boys pole vault clearing 10-6.

Oakdale’s junior varsity girls made an impression at the VOL meet as well, with several team members standing out. Melanie Jericoff and Carly Maaske set personal records in the 100 meter race, taking first and second. Taylor Alosio placed first in the 800 meter race for Oakdale setting a personal best at 2:50.20. In the 100 meter hurdles Kyndall Green and Kaitlyn Miller came in first and second for Oakdale. Green also placed first in the 300 meter hurdles. Green’s big weekend continued when she helped the 4x100 relay team place first along with Jericoff, Maaske and Madison Carter. Green also took first in the pole vault at 7-0. Holly Thompson placed second in the shot put, and Elizabeth Rushing placed first in the discus at 80-10. Coming in second in discus was Aubree Ugalde at 80-02. Maaske took first in the long jump at 14-10.25 and first in the triple jump at 31-09.

For the JV boys, Carson Frazee placed third in the 200 meter race. Cameron Burke earned second in the 400 meters at 53.30, a personal best. Taking first in the 110 meter hurdles was A.J. Martinez, who also placed first in the 300 meter hurdles at 42.10. Burke came in second in the event at 42.50. Martinez was also a part of the first place 4x100 meter relay with Steven Morris, Frazee and John Foreman. Freshman Ben Chappell claimed first in the discus at 114-05. Trevor Nickerson took first place in the high jump at 5-06. Devin Murphy placed first in the pole vault clearing 9-0.

The team will now get some much needed rest as they don’t return to action until Wednesday, May 17 for divisional trials at Bella Vista High School.