Cal Poly Humboldt Athletics

A pair of local athletes have been crowed champions at this week’s California Collegiate Athletic Association track and field championships.

Competing at Cal State Stanislaus in Turlock, Ferndale High graduate Grant Van Emmerik and St. Bernard’s graduate Josie Peterson took home individual titles.

Van Emmerik placed first in the men’s 400 meters, finishing in a time of 48.46 seconds, which was less than a second off the school record he set earlier this spring (47.76.)

Van Emmerik, who also competed for College of the Redwoods before joining the Lumberjacks, is just the second athlete in Cal Poly Humboldt history to break 48 seconds in the 400m.

Peterson, another former CR standout, also had a successful week and posted an NCAA Division-II provisional mark on her way to victory in the women’s javelin.

The 2020 St. Bernard’s graduate was a multi-sport standout for the Crusaders but only took up the javelin when she joined the Corsairs.

Competing for Chico State, Peterson won with a throw of 42.14m, which was more than three meters better than the field.

A third former Corsairs standout, Chance Hefter, also enjoyed a big week at the CCAA championships, as the former CR athletes continue to make their mark at four-year programs.

Josie Paterson (photo courtesy of Chico State Athletics) and Joseph Gonzalez (photo courtesy of Cal Poly Humboldt Athletics)

Hefter, who also competes for Chico State, placed first in the men’s discus with a throw of 49.49m, as well as second in the shot put with a throw of 16.30m.

The Cal Poly Pomona men and women took home the team championships, with Chico State second in both.

The Humboldt men placed fourth as a team, while the Humboldt women were seventh.

Former Eureka Logger Joseph Gonzalez placed seventh in the men’s shot put for the Lumberjacks.

Van Emmerik also teamed with Bryce Pearson, Aris Houston and Joey Bowser to take third in the men’s 4x400m relay, while another former Eureka Logger, Ginny Brooks, teamed with Cocome McKamey, Grace Kasberger and Isabel Perez-Zoghbi to place third in the women’s 4x400m relay.