Panther Men Test Themselves in Modesto

The Hartnell College track & field team split squads sending a majority of the team to what was essentially the Norcal Championship preview meet at Modesto Junior College while a handful of distance runners ventured south to the Occidental College Distance Carnival. The Jack Albiani Invitational at Modesto was held under cold, cloudy but rain-free conditions and helped the Panthers produce numerous season bests despite unusually large field event entries which made those competitions take an extremely long time to complete. 

Freshman Tim Hunter dipped under the 100 meter qualifying mark for the first time this season at 11.17. He followed his teammate De'Antae Williams lead who was 10.93 for his second best mark this season. Sophomore Wyatt Conner saw a season best in the shot put at 12.31 that puts him very close to qualifying to the regional meet with the 16lb shot. Hot on his heels is freshman Guy Gida who had season bests in the shot put and discus throw. He put the 16 pounder to 11.38m and squeezed the discus to 33.66m. Sophomore Jack Fling hit 6.05m in the long jump in preparation for the decathlon with teammate Isaiah Guerra posting a lifetime best 11.64 in the 100m as he readies himself to join Jack in the 10 event competition in April. Julian Resendiz flirted with the regional qualifier in the pole vault but did clear a season best 3.85m. Yrrah Buena hit a season best long jump 5.90m. Tyson Damon is showing potential in the javelin he didn't know he had with an improved 38.86. Sophomore Brendan Lepe improved in the 400m to 53.12. Luis Meza was the leading distance runner with his first 1500m race this spring at 4:29.08.

The Panthers will take a small group of athletes to the Sac State Hornet Invitational on Friday, March 14 and Saturday, March 15.