TRACK: Locals set for section semifinals Saturday

Gilroy High track and field coach Cathy Silva said senior sprinter Jourdan Soares hasn’t peaked yet this season. That thought is indeed promising for Soares, one of the Mustangs most successful track athletes in recent years. It is also scary for anyone lined up to his right or left.
With a possible three meets left in his prep career, Soares appears ready to take flight, and all signs are pointing to a scintillating finish.
“He is getting to see all of his hard work pay off,” Silva has said this season.
As a junior in 2011, Soares won the Central Coast Section crown in the 100-meter dash, clocking 10.66 seconds. A long jump title accompanied a stellar season.
Having to adjust to a much smaller boys team – no relay squads – and after deciding to ditch the long jump from his arsenal, Soares has diligently worked toward defending his 100 championship and has four meet victories, not including league dual outings, to his credit in 2012.
Though he hasn’t hit that 10.66 time this season, his 10.87 at last Friday’s Tri-County Athletic League finals (first place) is the sixth-fastest time in the section this year, according to the most recent list of top CCS times. Palo Alto’s EJ Ploreal owns the quickest 100 at 10.52.
Through all of the 100 preparation, he has found a new niche – the 200.
Soares broke the school record in that race at the TCAL finals with a blistering 21.64 – the section’s second best time. It was the second occurrence in three seasons a 200 record was set. Mike Wynn had held the top time since 1984 before GHS 2011 graduate Julius Travis – also a CCS champion – clipped it in 2010.
Soares’ current path should lead him through Saturday’s CCS Trials at Garcia-Elder Sports Complex and onto the section finals May 25. After that it’s Clovis and the CIF State Championships.
Step 1 is Saturday, though, as Soares, along with fellow Mustangs senior Chelsey Kalata (100, 200), senior Sarina Sandoval (shot put), senior Luis Magana (pole vault) and junior Samantha Una Dia (100 hurdles, 300 hurdles), plus Christopher High’s freshman Ally Foster (100 hurdles, 300 hurdles, long jump and triple jump), senior Haylee Peterson (100), Monique Esparza (800), senior Marty Ettema (110 hurdles) and the girls 4×100 relay (Peterson, Carly McPolin, Olivia Baxter and Cailin McCarry), will lace up looking to extend their season one more week and qualify next Friday’s section finale.
A top-8 time or mark is needed in most events (exceptions are the 1600 and 3200 where 12 will make it through) to advance to those finals, which are back at Garcia-Elder Sports Complex. There are podium spots are up for grabs for six competitors, but only first and second place finishers receive the coveted automatic berth into the state meet.
NOTES: Magana is No. 5 in the pole vault (14-feet); Una Dia is No. 9 in the 100 hurdles (15.64); Sandoval is No. 6 (38-08.75) in the shot put.