The Taft Union High School track and field team held their Wildcat Invitational on Saturday, March 16, 2019. It was an all-varsity meet. There were 11 different schools that attended. The men’s varsity track and field team got first place overall and the women’s varsity track and field team got second place.

Four of our fellow wildcats from the men’s varsity team competed in the 100-meter race. Craig Popejoy and Connor McAfee placed 11th with a time of 12.20. Jordan Miranda placed 17th with a 12.55 and Elmer Orsonia made it in 23rd place with a time of 13.16. Only two women competed in the 100-meter. Bree Johansen won 2nd place with a time of 13.24 and Marilyn Rodriguez placed 23rd with a 15.53.

We had four people out of the men’s varsity team participate in the 200-meter race. Tyler Terrell won 3rd place with a time of 24.25. Craig Popejoy placed 14th with a time of 24.80 followed by Jordan Miranda had a time of 25.75 placing him in 23rd. Jadon Neher was in 30th place with 26.78. One female from the women’s varsity team, Marilyn Rodriguez, placed in 3rd with a time of 31.54.

For men’s 400-meter race, Tyler Terrell placed 2nd with a 53.72, and Jadon Neher with a time of 58.33 who placed 21st. Mariah Nevarez ran for our women’s 400-meter race and placed 6th with a time of 1:07.77.

There were four men who competed in the 800-meter race. Oscar Arrellano won 6th place with a time of 2:15.67, Caedan McAfee placed 11th with a 2:18.13, Sergio Cruz got the time of 2:38.21 placing him in 28th, and Michael White got 29th place with a 2:38.37. Two women ran in the women’s 800-meter race. Hanna Walls placed 13th with a time of 3:09.87 and Marimar Torrez got a time of 3:17.97 placing her at 15th.

Michael White and Sergio Cruz were the only two who ran for the men’s 1600-meter race. White placed 16th with a 6:01.46 and Cruz came in 18th place with a time of 6:01.76. There were two runners for the women’s 1600-meter as well. Hanna Walls was in 10th place with a time of 6:56.66 and Marimar Torrez came in 11th place with a 6:58.39.

For men’s 110-meter hurdles, there was one athlete that competed, Jonathan Hopkins ran with a time of 16.46 and won 1st.

During the women’s 100-meter hurdles, Macayla Wells was the only one to compete and won 2nd place with a time of 16.85.

For the men’s 300-meter hurdles, we had Jonathan Hopkins place 7th with a time of 47.03 and Oscar Arrellano coming in 9th with a 47.44. For women’s 300-meter hurdles, Bree Johansen won 1st with a time of 48.30 and Mariah Nevarez came in 3rd with a 55.38.

Oscar Arrellano came in 6th place with a time of 11:34.98 for the 3k steeplechase.

For men’s 4×100 relay, Ilan Katz, Jordan Miranda, Connor McAfee, and Jadon Neher competed and came in 8th with a time of 48.17. The women’s 4×100 relay didn’t have anyone to participate.

Oscar Arrellano, Tyler Terrell, Caeden McAfee, and Craig Popejoy won 1st place in the men’s 4×400 relay with a time of 3:40.29. There were no participants for the women’s  4×400 relay.

For men’s shot put, we have two boys compete. Ilan Katz threw a 47-02.50 and won 1st place. In 6th place, we had Seth Smith who threw a 37-11.50. We have 4 girls participate for the women’s shot put. Willow Pilgrim threw a 29-08.00 and won 2nd place, Alice Tauta came in 6th place with a throw of 26-11.00, Jennifer Atriano placed 9th with a throw of  24-08.00, and Bailey Baldwin came in 15th place and threw a 21-11.00.

In men’s discus, we had 4 boys participate. Ilan Katz win 1st place with 139-02, Seth Smith came in 2nd with 117-07, Guy Katz placed 6th with 106-09, and Bryson Ginn came in 11th place with 101-09. For the women’s discus, we had four participants. Willow Pilgrim won 2nd place with 88-10, Alice Tauta came in 5th with 83-10, Jennifer Atriano placed 7th with a 69-06, and Seven Macaulay came in 17th place with a 53-08.

Men’s high jump had 3 boys participate. Drake Null-Silva won 2nd place with a height of 6-04.00, Jonathan Hopkins came in 4th with a height of 5-08.00, and Connor McAfee in 7th place with a height of 5-04.00. For the women’s high jump, we had only one girl participate, Hallie Terrazas came in 4th place with a height of 4-02.00.

Jonathan Hopkins won 1st place for the men’s pole vault with a height of 11-00.00. The women’s pole vault ended with Macayla Wells winning 1st place with a height of 9-06.00.

There were three boys that participated in the men’s long jump. Drake Null-Silva placed 3rd place with a jump of 19-02.00, Connor McAfee placed 12th with a jump of 16-08.00, and Elmer Orsonia came in 16th place with a jump of 16-00.00. Macayla Wells was the only girl to participate in the women’s long jump and won 1st place with a jump of 17-00.00.

For men’s triple jump, we had two of our fellow Wildcats participate. Tyler Terrell placed in 2nd place with a jump of 41-05.50. Craig Popejoy came in 5th with a jump of 37-05.00. Macayla Wells was the only girl to participate in the women’s triple jump and won 1st place with a jump of 36-09.00.