ELK GROVE, Calif. – Sophomore Emma Dobson posted the highest finish of any St. Francis runner while freshman Chloe Hickey scored two medals, highlighting a crew of five Troubie competitors at the Glenn Rogers Distance Carnival at Sheldon-Pleasant Grove Community Stadium Friday night.
Dobson placed fifth in the varsity 3,200 meters with a personal-best time of 12 minutes, 49.72 seconds, surpassing the 12:50.99 she ran at the Bella Vista Bronco Distance Carnival almost exactly one month earlier. Teammate Stella Davenport finished 11th in the same race at 13:46.29, almost a 10-second improvement from her time at that same March 25 distance meet.
Hickey was the only Troubadour to run in multiple events, placing 29th overall in the frosh-soph 1,600 at 6:51.34, then 13th in the frosh-soph 800 at 2:57.19. She received two medals in the meet, as the top five finishers in any given heat were presented with awards. Hickey's cut more than a half-second from her previous best of 2:57.86, set in the Davis dual meet on April 9.
Sophomore Pamela Vargas joined Dobson among SFHS top-10 finishers in the meet, placing ninth in the varsity 800 at 2:40.22. Yixin Huang ran the frosh-soph version of the 800, and enjoyed a PR: a 3:22.79 to improve on the 3:24.00 she ran at Bella Vista on March 25.
Formerly the Sheldon Distance Carnival, the meet was renamed in memory of Rogers, the 24-year cross country and distance coach at Sheldon High, who passed away unexpectedly last summer at the age of 70. A moment of silence was observed prior to the national anthem in honor of the meet namesake.
The Glenn Rogers carnival had a relatively small delegation from St. Francis due to its odd spot on the schedule: two days after the second Delta League center meet but also on the eve of the Sacramento Meet of Champions, at which 16 St. Francis athletes will compete.
Saturday's MOC features four Troubadour individuals and one relay that rank among the top 10 in the Sac-Joaquin Section. Tatiana Cornejo will compete in the Invitational 800 and 1600, in which she ranks third and second, respectively. Cate Joaquin sits immediately behind Cornejo in the area 1,600 rankings. Junior Madison Pelfrey ranks third among SJS pole vaulters, while Grace Heisinger is seventh in the 300 hurdles. Finally, St. Francis has the No. 8 4x400 relay in the section, with the foursome of Peyton Carson, Kayla Towne, Heisinger and Cornejo slated to run in Saturday's finale.
GLENN ROGERS DISTANCE CARNIVAL
Sheldon-Pleasant Grove Community Stadium
Results with SFHS entrants only • Winners plus SFHS finishers listed
GIRLS' 1600 METERS FROSH-SOPH - 1. Natalie Underwood, Pleasant Grove, 5:41.20… 29. Chloe Hickey, 6:51.34.
GIRLS' 800 METERS FROSH-SOPH - 1. Julia Gipson, Franklin, 2:43.70… 13. Chloe Hickey, 2:57.19; 32. Yixin Huang, 3:22.79
GIRLS' 800 METERS VARSITY - 1. Kaitlene Ofilan, Rodriguez, 2:28.40… 9. Pamela Vargas, 2:40.22
GIRLS' VARSITY/FROSH-SOPH 3,200 METERS - 1. Louisa McNatt, McClatchy, 11:17.20… 5. Emma Dobson, 12.49.72; 11. Stella Davenport, 13:46.29.
