PIONEERS TAKE THEIR MARK AT THE RAFER JOHNSON INVITATIONAL THE PIONEERS HEADED NORTH TO THE Rafer Johnson Invitational IN Kingsburg—A MEET LOADED WITH OVER 25 TEAMS, EACH BRINGING THEIR FASTEST SPRINTERS, STRONGEST THROWERS, AND MOST ELITE FIELD ATHLETES. AND WHEN THE GUN SOUNDED, THE PIONEERS ANSWERED THE CALL. IN A HIGHLY COMPETITIVE FIELD, THE BOYS VARSITY FINISHED 13TH, THE VARSITY GIRLS STRIDED INTO A 10TH PLACE FINISH, AND THE BOYS FROSH SOPH SQUAD STOLE THE SHOW CROSSING THE LINE IN 1ST PLACE OVERALL. ON THE TRACK, THE BOYS VARSITY 4 BY 400 RELAY TEAM RAN A GRITTY RACE, KICKING DOWN THE FINAL STRETCH TO A 4TH PLACE FINISH. THE SQUAD OF CRAWFORD, GAMEZ, PERKINS AND MARTINEZ SHOWED ELITE BATON HANDOFFS AND STRONG CLOSING SPEED. AT THE FROSH SOPH LEVEL, IT WAS ALL GAS, NO BRAKES OSCAR MANCILLA DOUBLED UP IN DOMINANT FASHION TAKING 1ST IN THE 800 METERS WITH A PERSONAL BEST OF 2:05.8 THEN COMING BACK TO WIN THE 1600 METERS IN 4:50.37 THAT IS ENDURANCE AND TURNAROUND SPEED BRETT ROGERS CLOCKED A PERSONAL BEST 10:59.19 IN THE 3200 METERS GOOD FOR 4TH PLACE IN A GRUELING DISTANCE RACE LIAM CONNELLY CONTINUED TO CLEAR HURDLES AND COMPETITION FINISHING 1ST IN THE 110 HURDLES AND 3RD IN THE 300 ETHAN SERRATO KEPT IT TIGHT OVER THE BARRIERS AS WELL TAKING 3RD IN THE 110 HURDLES THE RELAY CREWS WERE RUNNING IN THE FAST LANE ALL DAY WILLIAMS PENA TYLER AND MENDEZ RAMIREZ SPRINTED TO FIRST PLACE IN BOTH THE 4 BY 100 AND 4 BY 200 RELAYS MENDEZ RAMIREZ CONNELLY WILLIAMS AND MANCILLA CLOSED THE SHOW WITH A 1ST PLACE FINISH IN THE 4 BY 400 RELAY IN THE FIELD EVENTS, THE PIONEERS KEPT STACKING POINTS THOMAS CATANO CLEARED 5 FEET 5 INCHES IN THE HIGH JUMP FOR 3RD PLACE YAIR PENA HIT A SEASON BEST IN THE LONG JUMP LANDING 4TH BRANDON INTHACHACK BOUNDED HIS WAY TO 3RD IN THE TRIPLE JUMP OUR 4 BY 400 RELAY TEAM RAN A PERSONAL BEST FOR A STRONG 3RD PLACE FINISH ON THE GIRLS SIDE, DOLORES CARTER DOMINATED THE THROWING RING TAKING 2ND IN THE SHOT PUT AND LAUNCHING A SEASON BEST 106 FEET TO WIN THE DISCUS FROM THE STARTING BLOCKS TO THE FINISH LINE FROM THE RUNWAY TO THE RING THE PIONEERS SHOWED HEART SPEED AND CHAMPIONSHIP LEVEL COMPETITION CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OUR ATHLETES FOR THEIR DEDICATION HARD WORK AND RELENTLESS DRIVE TO COMPETE AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL THE SEASON IS HITTING FULL STRIDE