This weekend is shaping up to be a thrilling one for local track and field fans, as both Bakersfield College and Cal State Bakersfield head south for major championship meets. The stakes are high, and the talent is ready to shine.
For BC, the 3C2A State Championships at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut mark a significant milestone. All four Renegade qualifiers are freshmen, a promising sign for the program's future. Jacob Quezada will compete in the 800 meters, having opted out of the steeplechase to focus on his best event. Kai Wilkins aims high in the men's high jump, Sofia Moody takes on the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase, and Mason Level throws in the men's hammer throw—the only event scheduled for today at 4:30 p.m. Saturday's action picks up with Moody's steeplechase at 3:30 p.m., followed by Wilkins' high jump at 4:30 p.m., and Quezada's 800-meter run at 6:10 p.m.
Across town, Cal State Bakersfield sends 34 athletes to the Big West Conference championships at Long Beach State's Jack Rose Track. This meet could be a springboard to NCAA postseason qualification for several standouts. Keep an eye on shot put and hammer thrower Javier Toro, sprinter Makiah Parker—the defending Big West 200-meter champion—and the women's 4x100 relay team, which Parker anchors. That relay squad enters with a school-record time of 44.69 seconds, just shy of the meet record of 44.43 set by Cal State Northridge in 2013.
Field events kick off today at 10:30 a.m., with track events starting at 12:45 p.m. Saturday's schedule begins with field events at 10 a.m. and track events at 2 p.m. Here's a full look at the Roadrunner lineup:
Today – Women: Hammer throw (Griselda Padron, Annie Amneus); 1,500 meters (Rain Gomez, Ava Leisenfelder); 100 hurdles (Emilia Mandela); 400 meters (Adeline Rangel, Julie Johnson); 100 meters (Amiera Hollis, Chizitere Okey-Dike, Makiah Parker, Ronna Wallace, Teague Marzetta); 800 meters (Rain Gomez); 400 hurdles (Ivy Miller); 200 meters (Rionna Wallace, Chizitere Okey-Dike, Makiah Parker); triple jump (Skye Odom).
Today – Men: Long jump (Ethan Lavina); hammer throw (Tyler Balgeman, Javier Toro, Daniel Hartman, Adam Torres); shot put (Adam Torres, Javier Toro); 1,500 meters (Jacob Yagers); 400 meters (Hyun-Jin Beck); 100 meters (Laurance Burston, Dylan Thompson, Jacob Mounmanivong, John Ware); 400 hurdles (Jaden Cutliff); 10,000 meters (Ishmael Nungaray, Fransico Felix).
Saturday – Women: 4x100 relay (Okey-Dike, Wallace, Marzetta, Parker); 4x400 relay (four of these fine athletes).
Whether you're cheering for the Renegades or the Roadrunners, this weekend promises top-tier competition and a glimpse of future stars. Stay tuned for results and celebrate the hard work these athletes have put in all season.