Five Merced County athletes excited to compete at state track championships
Five Merced County athletes will get to compete on the biggest track and field stage California has to offer at the CIF State Championships on Friday and Saturday at Buchanan High in Clovis.
The quintet won’t only be competing against the top athletes in the state, they’ll also have to do it in scorching heat with triple-digit temperatures scheduled for Friday and Saturday.
Reaching the championships has been a goal of Atwater High senior hurdlers Jordin McDowell (100-meter hurdles) and Senerca Ybarra II (300 hurdles) and Golden Valley thrower Donielle Willis (shot put) have been striving for their entire high school career.
Ybarra’s junior season came to an end after a false start ruling at the Sac-Joaquin Section Division III meet.
“It was emotional for me and my family because a lot of work went into it,” said Ybarra, who is coached by his father. “It felt wrong last year, so this year I came back with vengeance and wanted to make it all the way to state.”
Willis added over four feet to her throws this year, eventually breaking the school shot put record that stood since 2002 with a toss of 40 feet, 1 inch.
“I think that was probably my proudest moment this season,” she said.
McDowell, Ybarra and Willis will be joined at the state meet by Dos Palos junior sprinter Jesus Bon (200 and 400), and Buhach Colony freshman Emily Gallegos (300 hurdles).
But the heat adds another element to the competition.
Bon, who is the first Dos Palos athlete to compete at the state meet in over 20 years, said growing up in the Central Valley, the weather could be an advantage for him.
“I work out a lot during the summer when it’s hot and I also spend long hours working in the field with my dad,” said Bon, who helps irrigate fields in Dos Palos.
McDowell said she always remembers what one of her old coaches used to tell her during hot days.
“My old coach used to say, ‘Warm muscles are fast muscles.’ So yes, I work really well in the hot weather,” McDowell said.
Ybarra said with only one event on his schedule the heat shouldn’t be much of a factor.
“I’ll drink a lot of water, stay hydrated, stay off my feet and in the shade,” he said.
The field qualifying events begin at 3 p.m. on Friday with the track events scheduled to start at 5 p.m. The Finals on Saturday start at 4:30 p.m. for the field events and 5:45 p.m. for the track finals.
