Flower Gets State "A" at UCSB Open Meet
Despite the short turnaround of just two days since competing in the Norcal Heptathlon Championship, sophomore Taylan Flower found the conditions just right for the triple jump. Not only did the Salinas High School grad win the event but she set a new lifetime personal best with a jump of 10.91m. That mark is the third best in Northern California and second in the Coast Conference. Flower, who is only in her second year triple jumping, also moved into the top 12 all-time in Hartnell history and joins the list of women to do the jump at 36 feet or longer. The UCSB Open held on the campus of UC Santa Barbara gave the Panthers a chance to compete away from home under ideal central coast weather conditions. In addition to Flower's mark, several other notable season bests were acheived.
Flower along with Jenna Emerson, Emily Orozco, and Daisy Andrade set a season best 51.59 in the 4x100 relay, just 0.1 short fo the State "B". Emerson would put together a fine sprint double of 59.11 in the 400m and 25.94, both season bests and the one lap being a lifetime best. Orozco tied her season best in the 100mH at 18.04 and also lowered her 200 meter best to 27.38. Andrade shocked herself lowering her 400mLH time to 1:11.09, a four second drop of her prevous best. Freshman Janai Orozco lowered her 5000m to 19:39.01. Freshman Alexa Flores was 5:33.70 and 2:46.90 in just her third mmeet of the year. Yareli Meza ran a lifetime best 800 meters (2:42.05). Freshman Dominayah Black pushed her high jump season best to 1.51m, now good for top 8 in Northern California. Miriam Salinas cleared 2.11m for the first time this season in the pole vault. Marissa Avelar-Hernandez tossed the hammer 38.38m to lead the Panthers with Sofia Beltran Espino setting a lifetime best 34.60m. Isolina Mittelsteadt Barrett threw the discus 33.01m and Belle Caasi lead in the shot put 8.04m.
The Panthers return home for the Gary Shaw Last Chance Meet on Friday-Saturday, April 18-19. The hammer will be contested on Friday with all remaining events on Saturday.
