Hartnell's Samms Breaks Own Hammer Record
Hartnell College sophomore thrower Dustin Samms still has a sour taste in his mouth from his first year at Hartnell College despite setting a new school record in the hammer throw and reaching the state championship final. It was in that final, the former Monte Vista Christian thrower took three throws all ending in no marks and his historic season came to and end. Samms is on a mission to not repeat that performance and on Friday at the Norcal Preview Meet at Chabot College he was able to push his previous school record out to 177'3" against the top two throwers in the state from Modesto Junior College. Samms remains as the only Hartnell College hammer thrower even to go beyond 170 feet and is looking to become the first to 180 feet.
The Panther men also had solid marks from the distance runners lead by Edgar Bonilla in the 5000 meter run. He pushed five other Panthers well under the regional qualifying mark for the 12.5 lap race while placing second overall in the event. Bonilla's mark of 15:32.28 was a season best and puts him on the school's all-time list. Jorge Sanchez (15:33.74), Javier Garcia (15:36.06), Oscar Mora, Jr. (15:48.28), Andrew Martinez (16:13.89), and Angel Mejia, Jr. (16:17.21).Nathan Bishop and Norman Napolitano cleared lifetime personal bests in the pole vault with identical clearances of 14'2.75". Panther hurdles dipped under the regional qualifying marks in the high hurdles and intermediate hurdles. Sophomore Rhett Gonazalez had a season best in the 110 HH (15.73) with freshman Paul Koenig leading in the intermediate hurdles (57.45). Eduardo Orozco placed fourth in the 800 meters in his first run in the event stopping the clock in 1:57.52.
Sophomore Malena Grover lowered her lifetime personal best in the 800 meters with her winning time of 2:20.85. The mark is a state "B" qualifier and leads all of Northern California. Grover also placed second in the 5000 meters (18:05.50) to Norcal cross country champion Jenica Dodge of American River College continuing their rivalry from the trails to the track. Her time is the second best in the state. Also achieving state "B" qualifying marks were Chelsea Andrade and Yessika Mayo. Andrade pulled the discus out to 123'11". Mayo competed in the 3000 meter steeplechase for the first time recorded the sixth best mark in school history (12:12.20). She just missed the state "A" mark of 12:11.90. Andrade also joined three Lady Panther hammer throwers who eclipsed the regional qualifying mark.Tori Teraji (128'1"), Alyssa Pochop (126'1"), Chelsea Andrade (122'11"), and Elizabeth Alcala (119'3") all advance to Norcal Trials in May. Alcala also picked up a provisional mark in the discus (112'8"). Nancy Rodriguez ran the 20th best mark in school history in the 1500 meters and nine second personal best (5:02.01).
In team scoring, the women placed second to American River College coming within 11 points of the team victory. The Lady Panthers tallied 102.5 points to their opponent's 113. The men placed fifth overall in a very tough team competition. The placed behind winner American River College, Modesto Junior College, College of Sequoias, and Diablo Valley College. The Panther men totaled 63.5 points and were just 7.5 points from placing in the top four.
For Full Norcal Preview Results:
https://www.directathletics.com/results/track/43397.html