Enochs sophomore a triple-threat at MMC final

Enochs High School sophomore Claire Seymour admits to bouts of anxiety on the day of a big meet.

She doesn’t look forward to the stress, but it tells her two things: No. 1, She’s ready to run, and No. 2, she’s ready to win.

“Before the race, I’m so jumpy,” Seymour said. “But I love to win.”

When Seymour relaxed Tuesday night, she reflected on an exhausting performance at the Modesto Metro Conference Track and Field Championship. She won the 200, 400 and 800 meters, a triple that makes even veterans of the sport cringe. Three wins on the track demand everything – speed, power and stamina.

Seymour showed off all those talents on a breezy evening at Modesto Junior College Stadium. The top four finishers in each event extended their seasons, none more impressively than the Eagles’ young star.

Enochs nearly fielded a team for the meet-closing 4x400 relay, which meant Seymour would have closed with a grueling baton-clutching lap.

“My dad told me I was going for four,” she said.

Regardless, she must have slept well.

Seymour won the MMC 200 and 400 titles as a freshman, yet was too exhausted to push her season beyond the Sac-Joaquin Section level. This spring, she caught the eye of observers with promising times in the 400, her specialty.

She opened the MMC meet with an easy win in the 400 – the runner-up trailed by six seconds – though her 58.16 wasn’t her best. Despite the fact that she competed in the 800 for only the third time, she won it (2:23.78).

After not much time to recover, Seymour finished her trifecta by holding off Downey’s Erykah Hall in the 200 (26.45).

Seymour will probably save most of her energy for the 400 at next week’s Sac-Joaquin Section Division I meet at Elk Grove. That said, the 800 could still be in play.

“Ultimately, I want to get to state,” Seymour said. “I don’t know if it will be this year or next year.”

randolph, alvarado among warriors to qualify for finals

Stanislaus State’s Gary Randolph and Abraham Alvarado are bound for the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

Randolph qualified in all three throwing disciplines, while Alvarado punched his ticket in the 800-meter run.

A sophomore from Atwater, Alvarado has the second-best qualifying time in the country at 1 minute, 48.09 seconds. The California Collegiate Athletic Association champion qualified for the same event last year, but finished 17th overall with a time more than 6 seconds slower.

Randolph is ranked 14th in the nation in the hammer and shot put, and won both events at the CCAA Championships.

Also qualifying for the NCAAs are Stanislaus hammer throwers Lindsay McKee and Krystal Alnas and 800 runner Kyrah Vaughn.

pitcher named mjc’s baseball team mvp

Pitcher Brent Montgomery was named MJC’s MVP during the team’s postseason banquet. Infielder Josh Miguel was was given the Pirate Award for best teammate.

Montgomery and catcher-outfielders William Reeder and Jacob Cooper all earned All-Big 8 Conference second-team honors.

This story was originally published May 13, 2015 at 10:39 PM with the headline "Enochs sophomore a triple-threat at MMC final."