Track & Field / Wayne Guffin 

The Breakers opened their 2020 Track season on Leap Day at the inaugural Bellarmine Invitational in San Jose. Unfortunately, due to last minute complications this reporter was unable to attend, so all I know is what’s in the meet results. A quick run-down: 

The foursome of Devean Batres, Anthony da Silva, Ray Birkett, and Delson Hayes finished 2nd in the 4×100 Meter Relay with a respectable early season time of 48.19. 

Jeremy Kain of Scotts Valley ran away to an easy 10 second victory in the Varsity Boys 1600, clocking 4:26.01. Sam Coutts – fresh off a superb cross country season – took almost 11 seconds off his personal record to finish 3rd in 4:38.57. Will Stefanou placed 5th in a (modest for him) 4:40.33, Leo Lauritzen was 6th in a PR 4:42.15, Kai Hoadley PR’d to finish 10th in 4:47.73, and Jake Santana was 12th in 5:03.57. 

Luke Stefanou won the Frosh-Soph Boys 1600 by over five seconds in 4:47.43, while William Bennett, in his first ever race at this distance, ran a nice 5:27.73 to place 17th. That completed the Breakers’ day, and the team was probably home in time for lunch. 

So, what does the 2020 season hold for P.G.? With the PCAL moving teams from one division to another each year in the 

interest of “competitive equity,” making an accurate forecast is a bit of a challenge. Last year the Breaker boys were the co-Cypress Division Champions, sharing that title with Monte Vista Christian. MVC, along with Marina, Stevenson, Ceiba Academy, and Trinity Christian have been moved to the Mission Division, while Gilroy, Gonzales, Seaside, Soledad, and on the girls’ side Santa Catalina have moved from the Mission to the Cypress Division. A quick peruse through last year’s Cypress and Mission Division championship meets results – and this is by no means a comprehensive analysis – seems to indicate that both the P.G. boys and girls should do well this season, as follows: 

The Breaker boys’ main strength is in the distance events, with good scoring potential from Will Stefanou and Sam Coutts in the 800 and 1600, Leo Lauritzen, Kai Hoadley, Jake Santana in the 1600, and Luke Stefanou and Robertson Rice in the 1600 and 3200. In addition, freshmen Will Coen and Chris Fenstermaker – Chris was the Gabilan Div. J.V. Cross Country Champion – should do very well in whichever events they choose to run. Winning individual titles will be a challenge as they face off against the likes of York’s superb Michael Julian. 

In the short sprints evenly matched Ray Birkett and Delson Hayes – on paper at least – are ranked first and second in both the 100 and 200. The 4×100 Meter Relay team placed 2nd at last year’s Cypress meet and could do at least as well this year. 

Thomas Jameson and Bryce Montgomery should provide a good one-two punch in the 400, as well a building a solid core for a potentially strong 4×400 Meter Relay team. Both of these athletes have also shown some ability in the 800. 

In the 300 Meter Hurdles, an event which requires not only speed and strength but technical ability as well, Jack Hansen last year – as a freshman – placed 5th in the Cypress finals and appears to be ranked third in that event going into this season. 

Moving to the field events, Mae Tulua was 3rd in last year’s shot put and is third ranked this year. Andrew Crannell placed 2nd in the discus and like Mae is ranked third this season. Last year freshman Cameron Powley leaped 18’-00” in the Long Jump, a mark which has him too currently ranked third. 

Looking at the distaff side of the team: last year Mikayla Gamboa managed only a 12th place finish in the Cypress 100 Meter final. However, with almost all of the girls who beat her in that race having graduated or changed divisions, she is fourth ranked in that event. In addition, she’s currently ranked number two in the Long Jump and first in the Triple Jump. 

Despite ending her freshman campaign with an injury, Olivia Pearman still managed to put up times in the 200 and 400 which have her ranked first in both events. If she ever tries her hand at 800 Meters, she will excel at that event as well. 

Caroline Coen placed 2nd in both the 1600 and 3200 in last year’s Cypress finals. Given her superb cross country season last fall, culminating in a 5,000 meter PR at the State Meet, she has to be considered a very strong contender to win either or both of those events this year. She will face competition from Gilroy’s Karina Rodriguez who was faster than Caroline on the track last spring, but slower on the trails last fall. 

Returning to the field events – in addition to the aforementioned Ms. Gamboa – junior Lindsey Llantero is ranked second (tie) in the Shot Put and third in the Discus, in which she is the defending Cypress Division Champion. She could potentially also place well in the High Jump. Last but not least, Karis Myers finished 2nd in the Pole Vault last year and looks to do as well this season. 

Disclaimer: these rankings are based almost solely on last year’s division championships results and do not take into account athletes who may have missed those meets, or talented incoming freshmen or transfer students, or athletes who have improved mightily. 

This season’s schedule: 

Sat. Feb. 29 – Bellarmine Invitational 

Sat. Mar. 7 – King City Invitational 

Tue. Mar. 17 – PCAL Cluster Meet @ Pacific Grove (P.G. apparently hosting but not competing) 

Sat. Mar. 21 – Dublin Distance Fiesta 

Tue. Mar. 24 – PCAL Cluster Meet @ Pacific Grove 

Tue. Mar. 31 – PCAL Cluster Meet @ Greenfield 

Sat. Apr. 4 – North Salinas Invitational & Stanford Invitational 

Sat. Apr. 11 – Pacific Grove Rotary Invitational 

Tue. Apr. 14 – PCAL Cluster Meet @ Pacific Grove 

Fri. Apr. 17 – CCS Top 8 Invitational @ Los Gatos 

Thur. Apr. 23 – PCAL Cypress Division Varsity Trials and J.V. Finals @ Pacific Grove 

Fri. May 1 – PCAL Cypress Division Varsity Finals @ Gilroy 

Fri. May 8 – PCAL Masters Meet @ TBD 

Sat. May 16 – CCS Semi-Finals @ Gilroy 

Sat May 23 – CCS Finals @ Gilroy