SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Cal Poly Humboldt men's track & field team showcased a strong performance at the Sacramento State Hornet Invite this past weekend, setting multiple personal bests and securing top finishes against a highly competitive field.
Sprints and Relays Shine
Senior Ryan Castro led the Lumberjacks in the 100 meters, clocking in at 10.96 seconds to place 29th overall. Cristian Megas followed closely, finishing in 11.02 seconds for 33rd place, while Harry Singh (11.14) and Aidan Shelton (11.18) also had solid performances. In the 200 meters, Megas posted a 21.98-second finish for 30th place, ranking 9th in the CCAA.
In the 400 meters, Joey Bowser and Dylan Ochoa delivered standout performances, recording sub-49 second finishes at 48.91 (19th place) and 48.93 (20th place), respectively. Bowser now ranks 8th in the CCAA, while Ochoa is 9th. Humboldt's 4x100 relay team of Shelton, Bowser, Megas, and Castro clocked 42.06, securing a top-10 finish at the meet, ranking 5th in the CCAA, and marking the 9th fastest time in program history. The 4x400 relay team of Singh, Saunders, Bowser, and Ochoa posted an impressive 3:18.90, ranking 3rd in the CCAA.
Middle and Long-Distance Success
Senior Dominic Raffetto led the way in the 800 meters, placing 14th with a time of 1:55.67, now 7th in the CCAA. Freshman Saul Jimenez followed closely in 1:56.39, ranking 9th in the CCAA. Junior Elias Wiggins had an impressive 1,500-meter race, finishing 9th overall in 3:54.01, which places him 2nd in the CCAA.
In the 5,000 meters, sophomore Finn Granger achieved a significant personal record, running 15:06.02 and placing 26th. Overcoming adversity after being tripped and knocked down mid-race, he rebounded to finish 4th in his heat with a strong kick.
Hurdles and Field Events Stand Out
Freshman Isaak Kasso and junior Walker Dorris impressed in the 110-meter hurdles, finishing 17th (15.34) and 18th (15.62), with Kasso now 9th in the CCAA. Dorris also shined in the 400 hurdles, clocking 56.33, nearly a two-second personal record.
In the high jump, freshman Gabriel Bondurant cleared 1.82m (5' 11.5") to place 6th, while Kasso finished 12th at 1.72m (5' 7.75").
The standout performance of the meet came from freshman Michael Payan in the pole vault, who cleared 5.08m (16' 8") to finish 4th and achieve an NCAA Division II provisional mark. His performance ranks 4th nationally in Division II, leads the CCAA, and is 2nd all-time in Humboldt program history. Junior Justin Vigna also posted a strong mark, finishing 5th at 4.03m (13' 2.5").
Throws Showcase Strength
Sophomore Joseph Gonzalez delivered a top-10 finish in the shot put, throwing 15.86m (52' 0.5") to place 8th. Freshman Ruari Mulrey led the discus contingent with a throw of 44.29m (145' 4"), finishing 12th. In the hammer throw, sophomore Adam Gomez recorded a distance of 45.65m (149' 9") to place 12th.
Looking Ahead
The Lumberjacks host the Cal Poly Humboldt Invite on Saturday, March 29 from the Redwood Bowl. The full meet schedule and information can be found by clicking here.
For more information on Cal Poly Humboldt Track & Field, please visit humboldtathletics.com, download our mobile app, and follow us on all social media platforms.
