Stanislaus District athletes sprint, jump, hurdle and heave way to state track meet

When it’s all said and done, sophomore Nicole Warwick will likely leave her mark on the Sac-Joaquin Section Masters Track and Field Championship in the 200-meter dash.

But on Friday, during the final day of the section’s penultimate event, the Modesto Christian dynamo punched her ticket to the CIF State Track and Field Championships in, of all things, the long jump.

Feeding off a talented field and the thrill of the moment, Warwick leaped a personal-best 18 feet, 6 inches. She finished fourth, but more important to those in spikes and spandex, she satisfied the at-large mark.

Warwick, with her highlighter-pink socks and ponytail, advanced … with or without the podium finish.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling,” she said. “You know you have to jump as far as they jump, so it’s like motivation.”

Warwick’s dramatic leap followed another dramatic leap. Remarkably, the two-sport star has competed in the long jump for only two years.

The former Junior Olympic 800-meter champion gave up middle distance to pursue a path in sprints. Long jump was just another event to fill our her dance card. She was the Division IV-V section champion in the 100 and 200, as well as the long jump.

“She wanted to be a sprinter this season,” coach and father John Warwick said. “I expect the 200 will be her event. That’s her favorite.”

The long jump is quickly winning appeal. Knocked out of the 100 and 200 a day earlier, Warwick focused on technique – not distance – and let her body carry her to state.

“I was just trying to look up so I go high,” she said. “I tried to imagine I was a flying squirrel.”

Warwick will join a small cast from the Stanislaus District on Friday and Saturday at Buchanan High School in Clovis, where she’ll test her wings against the state’s best.

The stage shouldn’t have an adverse effect on her psyche. Warwick and twin sister Meagan helped the Crusaders’ girls basketball team win a Division III state championship as freshmen. She’s used to those bright lights and capable of summoning her best.

When Warwick found herself in the final heat of the long jump, the coach had a feeling his daughter would find her way.

“Steel sharpens steel, and she rose to the occasion,” he said.

Kiana Clay’s dream season will include one more stop. After posting a personal-best 55.86 seconds in the 400 prelims Thursday, the Pitman junior clinched a berth at the state meet by going faster in the final. She crossed the finish line in second, at 55.11.

Clay summoned the breath to reflect on a breakout season. She’s knocked nearly four seconds off her 400 time. Those 59s seem like ancient history.

Her time on Friday is the fifth-fastest in the state.

“It feels amazing,” said Clay, who has been running track since she was 8. “I started the season with 59-something, and to come so close to 54 is amazing. I’ve been dreaming about this since I was a little girl.”

Dani Olson was overcome by emotion near the finish line. The Hilmar senior fell to a knee, dropping tears into her water cup after qualifying for state in the 100 hurdles.

Olson clocked a 15.16 to finish third behind Vacaville’s Jurnee Woodward (13.95) and Via Nance (15.15).

She is believed to be Hilmar’s first state participant since “Glee” actress Dot Jones in the shot put. Jones graduated from Hilmar in 1982 and went onto a record-setting career at Fresno State.

“Maybe I’ll be on ‘Glee,’” Olson said.

She sang a sweet tune at Masters, where she entered a mystery and left in the spotlight. Olson was seeded second going into the final with a 14.9.

“I was ranked second, which was unbelievable,” she said. “I knew everyone wanted to beat me because I am this little girl from Hilmar … and we’re a Division IV school.”

Sierra strongman Anthony Santiago finished second in the shot put at 57-11/4, eclipsing his seeding mark by more than 4 feet.

Hannah Hull of Calaveras lived up to her top billing in the 1,600, seizing the Masters title with a time of 4:55.49.

Sonora freshman Cassi Land finished third (10:54.08) in a 3,200-meter final that showcased Davis’ Fiona O’Keeffe, who ran the third-fastest time in the nation (10:00.85) and lapped most of the field.

Hannah Chappell of Oakdale started the day with a third consecutive Masters title in the discus, setting a personal best of 151-2 on her final throw.

Buhach Colony’s Stephon Eastman qualified for state in the high jump on his last attempt at 6-7, the at-large height.

Carl Chandler’s bid for a second state berth fell short in the long jump. The Manteca senior qualified finished third in the triple jump on Thursday but finished 10th in the long jump.

This story was originally published May 29, 2015 at 9:59 PM with the headline "Stanislaus District athletes sprint, jump, hurdle and heave way to state track meet."