BC’s 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 on in her senior season, but she likes where she’s at after winning the 100- and 200-meter dash at Wednesday’s Central California Conference’s first center meet at Veterans Stadium.

Coward put up her best times of the season with 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 where she’s at compared to other elite runners.

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

Pitman High ran away with the girls team race, scoring 177 points. Buhach Colony finished a distant second with 78.

The Pride were led by victories by Kiana Clay (400/59.87 seconds), Sydney Holmes (100 hurdles/17.12), Cerah Moren (300 hurdles/49.10), Jamie Stroup (high jump/4 feet, 10 inches), Lindsey Phillips (pole vault/10-0), Lauren Cariaso (long jump/16-6) and Sydney Holmes (triple jump/36-6) and two relay wins.

Turlock (105 points) edged out Pitman (102) and Atwater (101) for first in the boys team race. The Bulldogs were led by Justin Serpa’s wins in the long jump (21-1.5) and triple jump (41-6) and Bryan Montes’ win in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 15.88 seconds. Turlock also won the 4x400 relay (3:27.65).

The center meet gave athletes an opportunity to see how they stack up against the rest of the CCC.

▪ Buhach Colony senior Stephon Eastman stuck around long enough to win 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 1600 (4:31.08).

▪ Bears freshman Ciara Colon also was a double-winner in the 800 (2:31.37) and 1600 (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 with a time of 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.”

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

Wednesday he won the 200 with a time of 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.”

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