Zebras and Rhinos both start track and field seasons at Glenn Poole Invitational

The Lincoln High and Twelve Bridges High track and field teams recently started their 2023 seasons and both teams competed at the Glenn Poole Invitational at Oakmont High School on Feb. 25. The Fighting Zebras saw a number of solid performances, such as sophomore Autumn LaMontagne who placed fourth in the 100-meter and 300-meter hurdles races. Junior Matteo Biagi placed well in the high jump, long jump and triple jump, coming in third, sixth and fifth, respectively. "I was very pleased with the start of the season," Zebras coach Dan Friese said. "I believe that in the conditions that we competed in, we had some very good results and even a few surprise performances. I think that we are very young and have some solid up and comers that will contribute at the varsity level this season. Matteo had solid performances in the field events and Autumn had a very good day against some very strong competitors." Junior Josiah Morales and senior Vincent Ferguson placed third and fourth, respectively, in the 300-meter hurdles race. Senior Jaden Trujillo came in fourth out of 42 runners in the 1,600-meter race with a time of 4:39. Senior Savanah Penders placed 13th out of 24 runners in the 400-meter race at 1:10. Sophomore Cameron Dunlap placed 21st and 24th, respectively, in the 400-meter and 800-meter races while Lucas Nelson was 21st in the 100-meter race. In the throwing events, senior Jacob Lopez came in 14th in the discus while Simon Barros was 17th in the shot put. "I'm looking forward to our throws and jumps group to continue to gain experience and grow. I think we will end up with some good depth as the season progresses," Friese said. The Fighting Zebras also competed in The Rhinos Throws Classic at Twelve Bridges High on Saturday where Lopez placed eighth in the discus at 102 feet, six inches. Barros came in eighth in the shot put at 36 feet, four inches. For the girls, junior Katelyn Lauderdale got a personal record in the shot put at 26 feet, seven inches and placed sixth while Alex Maalouf was sixth in the discus with a new personal record of 70 feet. Lincoln High will now prepare for the Roy Crabtree Pirate Classic on Friday at Wheatland High. "I believe as the season progresses and we return some of our athletes who are out with injuries that we will be able to put forth a very strong team for both boys and girls," Friese said. "I want to see our athletes continue to improve day in and day out. I want to see them grow as teammates, competitors and people throughout the season. We have high standards for our Track and Field athletes and culture within our program. Watching these amazing athletes gain experience and confidence is the catalyst to a great season and a tight bond between teammates and coaches. Having that type of atmosphere year in and year out is what makes this school and track and field so special." Lincoln High will host the third annual Zebra Invitational on March 18 where 15 to 20 schools and more than 1,200 athletes will compete. It is their largest fundraiser of the season and the meet will start at 9 a.m. Lincoln High will also host the Sac-Joaquin Section Championships in May. Twelve Bridges High The Raging Rhinos got their season started on the frosh/soph side at the SacTown Races at Whitney High School on Feb. 24. Twelve Bridges High was led by sophomore Paul Risdal who won the high jump at five feet, two inches and placed third in the shot put at 38 feet. John High and Peter Kendall placed second and third in the high jump. For the girls, freshman Analeigh Van Nes placed second in the high jump while Amelia Oriel came in third in the long jump. At the Glenn Poole Invitational on Feb. 25, sophomore Aly Winston tied for first-place in the 100-meter race at 12.77 seconds and won the 200-meter race at 26.3 seconds. Also on the girls' side, junior Mary York placed 15th out of 36 competitors in the discus throw. On the boys' side, junior Aaron Oriel placed 14th in both the 100-meter and 200-meter races. Oriel also placed ninth in the long jump. Sophomore Jackson Muir came in 18th in the 400-meter race while freshman Cameron Mobley placed 18th in the 800-meter race. Sophomore Jackson Geiselman was 11th in the 3,200-meter race and 19th in the 1,600-meter race. Geiselman improved his time in the 3,200-meter race by 17 seconds from last season. The boys' distance medley relay team, consisting of Geiselman, Mobley, Lorenzo Lopez and Peter Cannon, came in second out of six teams with a time of 7:28. In the throwing events, junior Nate Sheiring came in 11th in the discus at 115 feet, two inches and was 21st in the shot put. Sophomore Jackson Muir got a personal record in the high jump of five feet, four inches and placed sixth. At The Rhinos Throws Classic, Sheiring placed sixth in the shot put and the discus. The Rhinos will also compete at the Roy Crabtree Pirate Classic on Friday. "We're going to have to take a 'wait and see' approach and continue to tell the team that the most important thing is that they don't give up or lose hope and just continue to get better each and every time they compete and, if they do that, we'll have a successful season," Rhinos coach Rick Brown said. "My expectations are to build on the foundation that was started last year and improve the sport so that student-athletes want to be a part of this team and represent the school as intensely as they do in their other sports."