Shayna Chau cleared eight feet to take first place in the girls pole vault at the West Alameda County Conference championships on May 3 at Castro Valley.
Berkeley’s Sophie Horvath led the competition after clearing 7-6 on her second attempt while Chau cleared on her third. But Chau got over 8-0 on her first try. Horvath failed on all three to give Chau the victory. “Shayna just started pole vaulting a few weeks ago and now she’s a league champion and first team all-WACC,” Piedmont coach Pouyan Assadi said.
Highlander athletes had a strong performance at the meet, which ran May 1 and 3. The top six finishers in each event (plus some wild cards) qualified for the North Coast Section Bayshore championships on May 11 at James Logan. Field events begin at 8 a.m., running events at 10:30.
Sebastien Swain continued his terrific freshman year, recording personal-bests and taking second in both the boys 800 and 1,600. Swain finished the 1,600 on May 1 in four minutes, 18.58 seconds, behind just Olaf Dietz of Berkeley (4:17.60). Xander Schulte-Sasse finished sixth in 4:24.35 with Julien Lee eighth in 4:29.58.
On May 3, Swain came back for a runner-up finish in the 800 in 1:57.07. James Prater of Bishop O’Dowd won the race in 1:56.72. Oliver Horsley was ninth in 2:03.78. Swain also ran a leg on the fourth-place 1,600-meter relay team. He was joined by Maddox Ma, Sean McKee and Dean Olliphant in running 3:37.26.
Albert Bellingrath and Miguel Long went 3-4 in the 110 hurdles. Bellingrath was timed in 16.20 and Long in 17.17. Avedis Gourjian tied for fourth in the pole vault at 9-6. Long was sixth in the triple jump at 40-6.
Breah Bell took second in the girls 100 (12.80), fourth in the 200 (27.43) and fifth in the long jump (16-3). She also ran a leg on the 400 relay, which took third place in 50.89. Miranda Liu, Ella Yasar and Claire Aubrecht joined Bell on that team.
“Breah’s on to the next level in all 4 of her events,” Assadi said. “We knew she was capable of this and we’re glad it’s all coming together for her. Now we just need to hope for good week of practice and nice weather on Saturday and see if she can take down a couple of our all-time records.”
Darcy McKee was 10th in the 100 in 13.57. The 1,600 relay team of Daniela Lucaccini, Skylar Best, Jamie Schwarz and Yasar also took second place in 4:11.68, just behind winner Castro Valley (4:11.31). Schwarz finished fourth in
the 800 in a personal-best 2:20.97. She finished sixth in the 1,600 in a season-best 5:23.32. Leighton Mand was eighth in 5:32.57.
Yasar took second in the 300 hurdles in 47.74, just .15 behind winner Daia Sanders of Bishop O’Dowd. Alina Shahid took fourth in the discus with a throw of 90-10. Lucaccini was 10 th in the 400 in 1:03.92.
Darcy McKee tied for sixth in the high jump at 4-4. Malia Williams was eighth, also at 4-4. Piedmont took fourth in both meets. The boys scored 43 points with Bishop O’Dowd winning the championship with 140. The Highlanders girls scored 55 ½. Castro Valley took the title with 132.