TRACK: Carpenter Leads M-A Standouts at PALs

Barbara Coll, the general manager of the Menlo-Atherton High track program, brings Patch readers a flavor of the Bears’ accomplishments this season.

Several M-A athletes enjoyed outstanding performances in the opening day of the Peninsula Athletic League track championships at College of San Mateo on Wednesday afternoon.

Catherine Carpenter took first in the preliminaries of the girls 200-meter race in 26.08 seconds, as well as the girls 400 (57.99). Her time in the 400 was low enough to put her into the top 10 in the Central Coast Section.

Daryn Tinsley (61.66) and Payton Bush (63.43) also qualified fifth and seventh, respectively, in the girls 400, so M-A will fill three of the nine slots for the final next Wednesday. Tinsley also qualified in the 200 at 27.36. Bush also advanced to the finals in the 300 hurdles by placing seventh at 53.21.

Stas Della Morte captured the PAL championship in the boys long jump with a leap of 21-3. The CCS leader earned his spot in the section semifinals, which will be at Gilroy High on May 21. Della Morte qualified for the PAL finals in the 100 in 11.25.

Three Bears qualified for the boys 1600 final, out of nine slots. Mike Hester (4:33.78), Jack Beckwith (4:35.74) and Jordan Scandlyn (4:35.79). Hester also qualified second in the boys 800 in 2:02.24, and will be joined in that final by Scandlyn (2:03.83) and George Baier (2:04.82).

Naomi Tovar and Megan Kurtz, both freshmen, qualified for CCS in girls long jump. Tovar finished second in 14-9.25, and Kurtz (14-5) was fifth. Tovar also qualified for the league finals in the 100 in 13.08.

Ian Proulx finished fourth in the boys pole vault in 11-0.25 to earn his ticket to CCS.

Taylor Fortnam (2:37.85) and Paige Keating (2:40.32) qualified for the league finals in the girls 800. Fortnam, a freshman, also qualified in the 1600 in 5:43.39.

The PAL meet concludes on May 11 at CSM. M-A has the possibility of qualifying two for CCS in the boys high jump.