This past Saturday, the Dons Track and Field team traveled to nearby Miramonte High School for their season opening scrimmage and first meet since March 11, 2020 (1 year and 9 days ago, for those of you who are keeping track (pun)).

The proud coaching staff would like to salute each and every Acalanes athlete who competed. Due to the craziness of this year and all of the other sports happening right now, all but 7 of the athletes on the team of 60 or so are 9th and 10th graders who were asked to compete against mostly Juniors and Seniors. Despite that, our Dons showed up and showed out in every single event!

This week, the Dons travel to Campolindo Wednesday (distance) and Saturday (everyone else). Details forthcoming on whether spectators will be allowed…but if they are, be there!

Pictures here, full results here, and highlights below:

Throws:

• Ben Thiselton-Dyer found PR’s in both the shotput and discus, cracking 30’ for the first time with the 12lb shot
• Kyle Otsuka PR’s in the discus with a throw of 113 feet and wins the event

Sprints:

• Bennett Dodge leaves it all on the track with an impressive split of ~52 seconds as he anchors our boys 4×400 team to their first victory of the season – he is helped by strong legs from his teammates Luca Mathias, Josh Gohres, and Ben Kokel 
• Our Girls 4×400 was so exciting that they each deserve an entry of their own:
  • Carly Harriman runs a brave leadoff leg from lane 1, making up the massive stagger on her opponents in the far outside lanes
  • Portia Seymour battles back to put us within striking distance after an impressive second leg by Miramonte’s Ava Moran
  • Lena Johnson flys out of the gates to put us out in front at the 150m mark
  • Bella Starbuck slams the door with a gutsy opening 200
• Josh Gohres looks to pick up where he left off last year and leads his teammates Liam Hill, Luca Mathias, and Portia Seymour in a Dons only 300 Meter Hurdles race

Distance: 

• Dominic Basaldua runs a season best of 2:06 in the 800 Meter, and brings the small crowd to their feet as he passes Miramonte’s lead runner with less than 100 meters to go
• Josh Evans hits a 2 second PR (!!!) in the same heat
• Nina Gehrig and Helen O’Neal PR in the Girls race

Jumps:

• Carly Harriman makes her Long Jump debut and wins the event with a jump of 13’ 11”
• Brody Lim takes the boys Long Jump with a PR of 18’ 1.5”
• Sarah Gohres PR’s in the Pole Vault with a jump of 5’6”
• Jack Bayless jumps a PR of 7’6” to take 3rd

See you all Wednesday and Saturday!

Thank you to our fantastic, dedicated coaches!

Joy Upshaw

Ed Basaldua

Chris Clark

Sue Gersten

Tim Silvera 

Aidan Mosley

Riley Noon

David Kohls

Joe Escobar