Two years ago, El Capitan High School’s Spencer Chastang decided to go out for track just to improve his speed for football.

Now it’s a little different.

“I was a football player who ran track,” the Vaqueros senior said after sweeping both hurdle events in Saturday’s Don Jones Invitational track meet at Rancho Bernardo High School. “Now I’m a track runner who plays football.”

Chastang sped to times of 14.68 seconds in the 110-meter high hurdles and 38.85 in the 300-intermediates, just off his seasonal best times of 14.50 and 38.40.

“The times show I’m developing consistency,” said Chastang. “That’s important for a hurdler. I want to make it to the state meet and I’m looking to break the school record of 14.2 in the 110s and 37.4 in the 300s.

“This is a good start.”

In fact, it was a major competition for Chastang because although he won a race in the day portion of the Arcadia Invitational a year ago, he said he has never finished first in an invitational event prior to Saturday.

In both races he also scored psychological points, beating Grossmont Conference rival Tain Alobaidi (15.05 and 39.07) of Grossmont.

“I’m really happy to win an invitational and I want to make up for last year of just missing the state meet in the 300s,” Chastang said.

Chastang was closing ground quickly on the leaders a year ago when he stumbled over the last hurdle to place fifth. The top three qualify for state.

The Vaqueros hurdler is fully aware that he’ll eventually have to face section record-holder Jasir Fontenot of Mater Dei Catholic, who set the state and section high hurdle record at 13.31 in the state prelims last season.

But Fontenot did not compete in the 300s at the end of last season and if he again focuses on the shorter race, Chastang will be ready to push for a pair of state berths.

Elsewhere, a lot of distance runners would be discouraged when they have competition like section record-holders Jaelyn Williams of Eastlake (3200) and La Jolla’s Chiara Dailey (1600).

Not Francis Parker’s Ari Llorens.

“I wouldn’t be getting the times I’m getting without competition like that, I need it,” said Llorens, who sped to a time of 10:41.57 to win the 3200.

“It really helps to have someone like them to run against. When I’m by myself, I tend to fall off the pace.”

Llorens led Classical Academy’s Lindsey Billotte (10:53.01) and Point Loma’s Kelly McIntire (10:54.61) under 11 minutes just three days after rolling to a personal-best 10:25.74 in a Coastal League Cluster meet.

That time can’t be considered official since she ran against boys when the two 3200-meter races were combined.

“I was able to go out in a 5:09 for the 1600 (in the combined race), so I was pleased,” said Llorens, who will run cross country and track at the Naval Academy in the fall. “I’m looking for something like 10:05 in the 3200 and sub 5-minutes in the 1600.”

Ayanna Hickey of Bishop’s came very close to cracking the 5-minute barrier in the 1600 Friday when she clocked a 5:03.24 to run away with the event by 10 seconds. That is the fastest time in the section this season.

Cam Yarbrough of Del Norte was just as dominant in the boys’ metric mile, winning in 4:15.05.

The boys pole vaulters kept the crowd around late as San Dieguito’s Dylan Yarbrough and Torrey Pines’ Tyler Suhar each cleared 16 feet, 1 inch. For Yarbrough it was a one-inch improvement on his personal best but for Suhar it was his first 16-footer.

The marks are No. 2 in the state behind the 16-9 by Arroyo Grande’s Riley Gash.