College of the Redwoods Athletics – From left to right, Henry Lamb, Anna Grimmett and Junior Nunez

By Ray Hamill — Three College of the Redwoods athletes have qualified for this week’s state championships in track field after strong performances at the recent NorCals.

Sophomore Henry Lamb and freshman Anna Grimmett both qualified in the men’s and women’s steeplechase, respectively, while sophomore Junior Nunez qualified in the men’s javelin after taking first place in the event at the NorCal meet.

“He’s a student of the sport,” CR head coach Reed More said of Nunez. “He loves javelin.”

Nunez, however, is unable to make the trip to the state championships because of other commitments, but Lamb and Grimmett will both travel for the big meet, which will be held at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo and gets under way on Friday.

Lamb has been a big success story for the Corsairs after not competing in track in high school, as has Grimmett, a Eureka High graduate who only took up the steeplechase this year.

“Anna’s just awesome,” Elmore said. “She’s super nice, and she picks up on things really quickly. She’s just been improving a lot.”

Grimmett placed sixth at the recent NorCals and has quickly taken to the steeplechase this spring.

“It just came to her,” her coach added. “Technically she’s one of the best steeplechasers in NorCal.”

Lamb, meanwhile, also has taken his performances to new heights this spring and he placed eighth at the NorCals.

“He’s made a huge improvement this year, enormous improvement,” Elmore said.

Lamb will take his talents to Fort Lewis College in Colorado after his time at CR, where he will join former Corsairs record-setter Hannah Hartwell, who has qualified for the 2024 NCAA Division-II nationals in the 10K.

Four other CR athletes came real close to qualifying for the state meet, including standout sprinter Tianna Thompson, a former Del Norte Warrior.

The Gasquet native missed out on qualifying in the 400 meters by just .09 seconds, but has left her mark on the program as she gets set to take her talents to Division-II Cal State East Bay.

“She’s really knowledgeable about the sport,” Elmore said of Thompson, who placed third I’m the 400m at the NorCals. “It’s just been a lot of fun coaching her this year. She’s really improved and she’s a great teammate.”

Tianna Thompson

Another former Del Norte Warrior, Alyssa McCovey, also just missed out on state qualification in the 400m hurdles by just 0.5 seconds. 

McCovey, who placed fifth at the NorCal meet, is considering her next options but is expected to continue her career at a four-year program.

Former McKinleyville Panther Che Jimenez also had a good showing at the NorCals and placed sixth in the 400m, also barely missing out on state qualification.

Chloe Allen also barely missed out on the state meet by just .03 seconds after placing fourth at NorCals in the women’s 1500m.