Buhach Colony’s Brandy Coward on the right track

Each track season is a process for Buhach Colony’s Brandy Coward.

So far, that process has worked well, leading Coward to three CIF State Meet appearances in her first three years. It’s early in her senior season, but she likes where she is after winning the 100- and 200-meter dash Wednesday at the Central California Conference’s first center meet at Veterans Stadium.

Coward put up season-bests of 12.19 seconds in the 100 and 25.04 in the 200.

“Usually, I don’t see my times start dropping until May,” Coward said. “So I’m happy to see improvement early.”

Coward is headed to the Stanford Invitational this weekend where she’ll get to see how she compares to other elite runners.

“I’m looking forward to facing competition,” Coward said. “We have Stanford this weekend and then Arcadia next weekend. I like to be pushed.”

The center meet gave athletes an opportunity to see how they stack up against the rest of the CCC – and like Coward, some shined.

▪ Buhach Colony senior Stephon Eastman won the high jump (6 feet, 2 inches) and the 100 (11.18) before he had to leave for a school project.

▪ Merced senior Daniel Ambriz also won two events with victories in the 800 (2:00.09) and 1,600 (4:31.08).

▪ Bears freshman Ciara Colon also was a double-winner in the 800 (2:31.37) and 1,600 (5:29.80).

Merced’s Jamar Turner, who finished eighth in the 300 hurdles at the Sac-Joaquin Section Masters finals last season, is trying to make a run to the state meet this season.

Turner won the 300 hurdles on Wednesday in 39.97 seconds.

“I feel pretty good,” Turner said. “I’m still working on getting faster that last 100 meters. I have to work harder to get my trail leg over and snap it down.”

Atwater sophomore Jared Del Real is competing on varsity for the first time this year and won the shot put with a toss of 45 feet, 81/2 inches. Del Real routinely throws 46 feet in practice and set a personal best of 47-1 last week at the County Clash in Oakdale.

“It was an off day today, but I’ll take first place any day,” Del Real said.

Last year was a learning experience for Merced junior Ashanti McFarland. McFarland lifted weights the day before divisionals and then came out slow, failing to reach the Masters.

McFarland won the 200 on Wednesday in 22.42.

“That’s a big (personal record) for me,” McFarland said. “Last week, I ran a 23 flat, so I was hoping to get in the 22s, but I wasn’t expecting a (22.42). That was unexpected.”

Other local winners on the boys side were: Golden Valley’s Marcus Luiz (400) and Guillermo Rivas (3200) and the Merced 4x100 relay team of Jabar Byrd, Turner, Brandon McKinney and McFarland.

The other area girls winners were: Atwater’s Jackie Magana (3200), Merced’s Serena Arandia (shot put) and Buhach Colony’s Barbara Coward (discus).

Turlock (105 points) edged Pitman (102) and Atwater (101) for first place in the boys team race. Pitman ran away with the girls team race with 177 points.

This story was originally published April 1, 2015 at 11:23 PM with the headline "Buhach Colony’s Brandy Coward on the right track."