CR Athletics – Sprinter Sativa Younge reacts at a recent meet.

By Ray Hamill — The Corsairs will look to continue what has been a strong start to the new track and field season when they travel south to Santa Rosa JC for the Pat Ryan Invitational on Friday.

With a sizable roster of 27 athletes, including several former H-DN standouts, the Corsairs are poised for another big showing this spring, as they look to build on their recent success under head coach Reed Elmore and his staff.

Sophomore Hannah Hartwell leads the way and has picked up this year just where she left off in 2022.

The defending 5000 meter women’s state champion set yet another school record in the 1500m at the Wildcat Cup in Yuba last weekend, finishing in a time of 4 minutes, 30.14 seconds.

Hartwell’s time is No. 1 in the nation this season and she also holds the third-best state mark in the 5000m.

Former Eureka Logger Thomas Becannon also is enjoying an outstanding season, recently knocking an incredible 12 seconds off his best-ever time in the men’s 1500m.

“He’s killing it,” Elmore said. “His workouts have been stellar. It’s cool to see. He works so hard. I think he’ll break two minutes in the 800.”

Teammate Chance Hefter also is enjoying a big season, as expected, as he looks to build on an outstanding showing at last year’s state meet, where he placed second in both the shot put and the hammer, as well fourth in the discus.

The sophomore standout was a double winner at last week’s Yuba College meet, taking first in both the shot put (50’4”) and the discus (47.68m).

Some former McKinleyville and Del Norte High athletes, meanwhile, have adapted well to the collegiate competition.

McKinleyville’s Che Jimenez recently broke 40 feet in the triple jump and “his sprints are coming along really well,” according to his head coach.

Last weekend, Jimenez set a PR in the 200m with a time of 23.49 seconds.

Fellow Mack graduate Nathan Witte has been limited early in the season with a minor injury but is one of four Corsairs who have been invited to compete in the 400m hurdles at the prestigious Stanford Invitational next week, along with Daegan McClary, Alexee Kline and Adriannan Slaybaugh, all in the javelin.

McClary placed fourth in the javelin last weekend with a season-best throw of 47.55m.

A pair of Del Norte athletes, Tianna Thompson and Alyssa McCovey give the Corsairs some depth in the women’s sprints, along with the speedy Sativa Younge of Eureka.

Younge led the CR charge last weekend with a fourth-place finish in the 100m in a time of 12.71 seconds, which was a PR, while Thompson placed sixth in the 200m in a time of 26.69 seconds.

McCovey has battled some injuries early in the season but is expected to play a key role as the season progresses.

Sophomore Kyle Byrne, out of Oakland, also is enjoying an outstanding season and has the sixth best time in state in the men’s 800m.

Florida native Myles Gilbert, meanwhile, already has a state qualifying mark in the men’s high jump, continuing his outstanding freshman season with a jump of 1.90m to place third last week.

From left to right, Alexee Kline, assistant coach Eric Wright and Adriannan Slaybaugh

Other standout performances last weekend included Eureka’s Kristin Bonomini, who was seventh in the women’s 800m in a time of 2:31.21, followed by Chloe Allen in eighth with a PR of 2:36.36.

Arnold Dilworth, meanwhile, also set a PR in the 200m in a time of 23.51 seconds, while Fortuna’s Tai Bolden finished less than half a second back in a time of 23.99 seconds.

Wyatt Wheetley also had a PR of 5:48.68 in the 1500m, while Henry Lamb placed fifth in his first steeple ever in a time of 10:53.27.

Maggie Stacy also ran her first steeple and placed fourth in a time of 13:45.50, while the 4x100m women’s relay team of Younge, Thompson, Bonomini and Kallie Schoenbachler placed fifth and Dennis Petrus placed 13th in the men’s triple jump.

Younge was also fifth in the long jump, while  Lilianna Hoban was fourth in the triple jump, one spot ahead of Schoenbachler.

Kline was also fifth in the hammer and 11th in the discus.