ATHLETES AND TEAM OF THE WEEK — Track stars lead the way again

By barstoolfanatics on May 26, 2023 • ( Leave a comment )

Submitted photo – Eureka’s Jamin Guilbert and Joseph Gonzalez and McKinleyville’s Derek Ray.

By Ray Hamill — Three H-DNL track and field athletes qualified for this week’s CIF State Championships after a big showing for the league at last weekend’s NCS Meet of Champions.

Seniors Derek Ray of McKinleyville and Jamin Guilbert of Eureka both took top spot in throwing events at the prestigious MOC, qualifying each for the state meet.

Arcata sophomore Quincy Collins also qualified for state after placing third in the girls high jump.

All three standouts are our Athletes of the Week, an award sponsored by College of the Redwoods Athletics.

Ray and Guilbert have both enjoyed stellar senior campaigns and carried that into the MOC.

Ray out-threw everyone else in the NCS in the shot put with a throw of 54’ 3”, while Gilbert won the discus with a throw of 164’ 4”.

Collins, meanwhile, has shown steady improvement all season long and continued that at the MOC with a PR of 5’ 4”, just two inches out of first place.

For our Team of the Week, we stay with track and field.

Fresh off their conference championship and a sixth-place finish at the NorCal championships, the College of the Redwoods women placed seventh as a team at the California community college track and field championships in Modesto last weekend.

Three CR women traveled to compete at the state meet, including Hannah Hartwell, who was crowned state champion in the 800 meters, the 1500m and the 5K, as well as Alexee Kline and Addi Slaybaugh, who placed sixth and 11th, respectively, in the women’s javelin.

Two CR men also made the trip and also turned in big performances.

Chance Hefter placed third in the men’s hammer, fourth in the shot put, and seventh in the discus, while Kyle Byrne placed seventh in the men’s 800m.