San Dieguito Academy’s Dylan Yarbrough had been flirting with 17 feet in the pole vault for so long, he lost track of the number of times he’s attempted it.
Now he can start the count toward 18.
Yarbrough soared 17-1 Friday to capture the Avocado League title and edge into the state lead by an inch. He is now No. 7 in the nation.
“I got it on my third try,” said the 18-year-old UCLA-bound senior, who missed all three attempts at 17-3 in an effort to break the 2021 section record of 17-2 by La Costa Canyon’s Garrett Brown. “I cleared 14-6, 16-0 and 16-6 on my first tries. Clearing 17-1 is huge; it eliminates a huge mental barrier.
“I’d been shooting for 17 so long, but now I’m going for 18.”
First, he hopes to break the section record at Saturday’s Division 2 championships at University City High School.
Most coaches point toward the league championship as their first seasonal goal and they produced some high-quality marks.
San Diego girls runners have won the last three state 100-meter hurdle titles, and it looks like Grossmont’s Gabrielle Thomas is ready to make a run at No. 4. In the Grossmont Conference finals, she clocked a time of 13.69 seconds, No. 2 in the state and just behind the 13.59 by San Jacinto Valley’s Kaahliyah Lacy.
Mater Dei Catholic’s Jasir Fontenot pulled into a tie atop the state leaderboard in the boys 110-meter high hurdles when he sped to a time of 13.67 at the Metro Conference championships. The sophomore, who won the state title a year after clocking a section-record 13.31 in the prelims, appears to be rounding into shape after suffering an ankle injury in basketball.
Steele Canyon’s 4×100 relay team of Evie Allison, Aniya Scott, Asia Broussard and Livia Allison raced to a time of 46.07 seconds at the Grossmont Conference championships, No. 2 all-time in section history behind the converted 440-yard relay time of 45.94 by Crawford in 1977.
La Jolla’s Chiara Dailey clocked a season-best and section-leading 2:10.95 in the 800 while doubling in the Eastern League championships. The state leader in the 1600 at 4:39.31 just cruised (5:27.19) while qualifying there as well.
That Grossmont Conference meet also saw Helix freshman Ava Parker run a section-leading 23.89 seconds in the 200-meter dash as well as easily advancing in the 400 (54.22), where she has the state’s No. 3 time of 53.47.
The section girls 300-meter hurdle leader, Isabell Garcia of Holtville, improved her section-best time while running 42.73 in the Imperial Valley League championships. She is ranked No. 9 in the state.
Rancho Bernardo’s boys 4×100 relay team of Silas Christensen, Brice Abawi, Miles De La Cruz and Callum Grandinetti sped around the Mt. Carmel High School track in a section-leading 41.69 seconds, needing the baton passes to be perfect against San Marcos, which finished second in 41.77 in the Palomar League finals.