Enochs’ Seymour races to breakthrough second at Section D-1 track

Track and field athletes wait, some with more patience than others, for the breakthrough moment when all the hard work pays off.

Enochs High School junior Claire Seymour enjoyed such a moment Friday.

Seymour, unranked going into the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I Championships, stamped her name on the chart in the 400 meters. She placed a strong second, beaten only by section leader Ariane Arndt of St. Francis, with a lifetime best of 55.48 seconds.

Not only is that time second in the section only to Arndt (54.87), it’s also 10th best in the state. Her surprising performance came just in time for the Section Masters this week.

“I knew I was capable of great things, but I had not seen it. Now I know what I can do,” Seymour said. “Every year I’ve shaved off a few seconds. I couldn’t be happier.”

Seymour, whose long stride covers considerable synthetic turf, reached Masters as a sophomore. When she returns to Elk Grove on Thursday, however, she won’t be just another pack runner. Seven of the section’s best 10 matched up in the 400, and Seymour toppled all but one. She overtook Saravaughn King of Armijo in the 50 meters for second.

As it turned out, Seymour’s 56.09 at Wednesday’s trials – her best before Friday – was a harbinger.

The best peak, of course, during the defining late-season meets. The top eight finishers in each event, plus four consolation finalists, advanced from the D-I to Masters.

One qualifier is Gregori’s Briseida Garcia, one of the fastest freshmen in the state in the 800. Garcia, ranked fifth in the section, continued her hello-world season, though her fourth-place time of 2:17.29 was about three seconds slower than her personal best.

The Downey boys 4x100 relay team – Braxton Howze, Andrew Raspo, Trevor Farris and Tyran Daniels – lowered its school record to 43.01 and was 10th overall. Problem was, the Knights led their consolation final until a poor exchange cost them.

Raspo, sixth in the 100 (11.04), didn’t return home from his senior Disneyland trip until early Friday morning.

“Just didn’t get out of the blocks,” he said.

Athletes and track officials stared at ominous storm clouds to the north during the entire meet. Thankfully for everyone, the threatening sky produced only a brief drizzle.

Turlock junior Isaiah Marable is Masters-bound in two events, featuring a fourth in the 400 (49.41).

Six field-event finals were conducted Wednesday. Modesto senior Zayn Largent cleared 13 feet, 2 inches in the pole vault and won a jump-off for 11th place.

Divisions II-III in Fair Oaks – Oakdale senior Kai Tanner took home the girls shot put title at Bella Vista. Tanner tossed 37-7 3/4.

Central Catholic senior pole vaulter Brandon Schimunek, tied with Largent for sixth in the section with a best of 15-0, placed third (12-8).

On Wednesday, Oakdale’s three-time Masters discus champion Hannah Chappell unleashed a 156-6 for the win and moved to fourth place in state rankings.

The top seven in each event qualified for Masters.

This story was originally published May 21, 2016 at 2:12 AM with the headline "Enochs’ Seymour races to breakthrough second at Section D-1 track."