Panther Men Pick Up Season Bests in Loss in Dual Meet

Heading into its third year, the Hartnell vs DeAnza "Duel" Meet has featured two of only three programs in the Coast Conference to win the men's team title. DeAnza College has provided a yearly formidable foe just up Highway 101. Dual meet head to head match-ups are rare now in college track & field, but this meet has produced some of the best marks of the season and on Tuesday the trend continued. 

Sophomore Jack Fling had one of his best complete track & field meets. He posted a lifetime best in the 110 high hurdles (17.55) and javelin (48.15m). His javelin mark jumps the former Palma High School standout to fifth in Northern California.  Fling also cleared 4.50m to stay atop the Northern California rankings in the pole vault. Lastly, he returned to the triple jump with a season best 13.21m. Sophomore Nicholas Merillana faced regionally ranked runner Bayat Iman of DeAnza College in three events in three hours and came away with two victories. Merillana timed kicks in the 1500 meters (4:04.47) and 3000 memters (9:15.08) for the victory. He was also third in the 800 meters (2:00.61) after leading much of the race. Freshman De'Antae Williams debuted in the 400 meters and took the win in 51.30 and doubled back with the same outcome in the 200 meters (22.36). Fellow frosh Timothy Hunter took third in the 200 meters with a regional qualifying 22.70. Freshman Shraee Harrison surprised the field with a jump of 6.65m to win the long jump. With Jakob Streeter, Harrison, Williams, and Hunter moved to #12 all-time in the 4x100 meter relay in winning (41.98). Soph Victor Nambo took 25 seconds off his lifetime best in his 3k steeplechase victory (10:25.19). Jesus Avalos and Luis Mendoza recorded identical lifetime best 4:11.31 in the 1500 meters. Freshman jump star Isaiah Guerra leaped out to a season best 13.56 in the triple jump to stay ranked in the top 8 in Northern California. Wyatt Conner cracked the 120 foot barrier in the discus with a metric toss of 39.09 to take second overall and achieve a regional qualifying mark. Thomas Balian also pushed his discus best out to a new lifetime best 34.02m. Freshman Guy Gida had a collegiate best shot put 11.63 as he inches closer to the 40 foot mark. All totaled the Panthers won eight events but lost 76 to 74 to host DeAnza College proving the Coast Conference Championship later this seaosn will be a close affair. 

The Panthers will rest until the CSM Last Chance Meet on Thursday, April 18.