Oakdale’s Chappell, Enochs' Seymour come up huge at Sections

Hannah Chappell admitted to a nervous night’s sleep before her final appearance in the Sac-Joaquin Section Masters Track and Field Championships.

And who could blame her? Ahead was the ambition-loaded goal she identified as a freshman – a chance for four straight Masters titles.

“A lot of people are expecting me to keep winning,” Chappell said. “I knew I could do it. I had to perform.”

Perform she did.

Chappell, the cool-as-ice Oakdale High senior, became only the third discus thrower in section history – joining Downey’s Suzy Powell (1991-94) and Laguna Creek’s Chaniqua Ross (1995-98) – to accomplish the career Masters sweep Friday afternoon.

The Mustangs star, who soon will throw for Alabama, built on a slow start and launched an efficient 142 feet, 5 inches on her third attempt. Though it was about 14 feet shy of her lifetime best last week, it was more than enough. The runner-up was Buhach Colony freshman Morgan Johnson, who PR’d with a 129-4.

“This year was the hardest,” Chappell admitted. “It was hard to get to the top. It’s even harder to stay there.”

About three hours later, Enochs junior Claire Seymour won the Masters 400 in 55.65 seconds.

Seymour, who peaked at the right time over the past week, led with 100 meters left and stubbornly held off sophomore Emily Costello of Vista del Lago (55.82) and third-place Saravaughn King of Armijo (55.98).

“I’ve never had this before,” Seymour said while still gasping for air. “It feels good, and it’s a little crazy.”

Normally composed beyond her years, Chappell let the tears flow near the champion’s podium. Excelling, when everyone expects you to excel, is one of the most difficult feats in sports. Chappell mastered it.

Consider: In four years of CIF competition, the only time Chappell finished lower than first place was in the CIF State Championships. She has logged a seventh, second and fifth in Clovis, her final prep destination next week.

Part of her success stems from the high expectations at Oakdale. The Mustang girls have won 86 straight Valley Oak League dual meets and 12 straight VOL titles.

Chappell stands only 5-foot-4 and gives up a lot of raw strength to many of her foes, especially at state. She overcomes it with speed coupled with power and technique in the ring.

Add one more ingredient: The knack of a born competitor for delivering what is needed at that moment.

“I was a little bit nervous,” she said. “It’s not what could happen. It’s about what I’m going to do. I think I accomplished what I wanted to.”

Another overjoyed athlete was Modesto Christian junior Nicole Warwick, who is headed for state in the long jump for the second straight year. Warwick, who advanced in 2015 by exceeding the event’s standard qualifying mark, leaped a lifetime-best 19-1 1/2 for second place.

In fact, Warwick twice topped her previous best of 18-7. Katherine Jackson, a junior from Rodriguez, sealed her second straight Masters title (19-6 1/2).

Warwick relieved the pressure with her opening leap of 19-1. That alone qualified her for Clovis.

“The game plan was to get the first jump in. My problem this year has been fouling,” she said. “I told myself I had to go for it. I can’t waste any time here. These girls are the best of the best.”

The victories by Chappell and Seymour headlined eight Stanislaus District state qualifiers, who placed in the top three of their respective events at Masters. The rest of the list along with Warwick and Johnson:

▪ Downey junior Anne Stuart, third in the high jump (5-3),

▪ Lathrop junior Isaias Hunter of Lathrop, second in the high jump (6-8),

▪ Merced senior Daniel Ambriz, second in the 800 (1:54.21),

▪ Sierra junior Bikram Thiara, third in the 300 hurdles (38.09).

Downey senior Andrew Raspo ended his career with a fifth in the 100 (10.88). Also fifth was Pitman junior Isaiah Marable in the 400 (49.13).

Gregori’s Briseida Garcia, one of the state’s fastest freshmen in the 800, led through the first lap before she faded to eighth. Escalon’s Yajaira Salinas was 10th.

Sonora’s Cassi Land, a state qualifier last year as a freshman, settled for 19th in the 3200.

This story was originally published May 27, 2016 at 8:30 PM with the headline "Oakdale’s Chappell, Enochs' Seymour come up huge at Sections."