LAWERNCE TAKES SECOND IN NORCAL 5,000

Jacob Lawrence placed second in the men's 5,000 meters with a time of 14:51.63 at the Northern California Community College Track and Field Championships Friday at Chabot. Lawrence, an Amador Valley graduate, bolted into the lead in the first 50 meters and was either first or second throughout the race. He led with 600 meters remaining, but Hartnell's Isaac Gensel made a big move and eventually won in 14:45.95. Four runners broke 15 minutes in the race.

"For Jacob, I think that's a good setup (for the State Meet, May 20-21)," said Chabot coach Kyle Robinson. "We went out real hot … I think there's a legitimate chance for a lot of those guys to really come in the top two."

Daniel Abdala of Mt. SAC leads the state with a time of 14:01.93, and teammate Jesus Alvarado is second in 14:19.43. The next three are within 1.15 seconds of each other, including Lawrence, who has the fifth-fastest time this season (14:38.51). Gensel is third in 14:37.36.

In the first men's track event of the day, Chabot's 400 relay team placed second in a season-best 41.29, which ranks fourth in the state. The team of Marcel Anderson, Zion Mayo, Obinna Elendu and Shamil Youngblood. Youngblood, in an impressive anchor leg, held off San Joaquin Delta's anchor runner by .01. Merritt won the race in 40.96.

Chabot's Nico Melendres placed third in the men's 800 on Friday (1:53.90). Only eight athletes in the state have a better time than that, including Melendres, who is ranked second (1:51.49). American River's Cristian Martinez is the state leader with a time of 1:51.45. Diablo Valley's Iyan Godwin, who ranks fourth, won the race Friday in 1:53.08.

"I think the 800 for Nico is a lot of motivation for him," said Robinson about Friday's race. "We talked quite a bit about race strategy and I think we kind of were focusing a little bit too much on Cristian Martinez." Martinez finished second in 1:53.18.

Other Chabot third-place finishes were achieved by Mayo in both the men's 100 (a personal-record 10.62) and 200 (21.58). His sister Masina Mayo was also third in the women's 100 (12.32).

"My start was a little off today, but … you know, I can't be too upset about a PR," said Zion Mayo after the 100. "Just trying to consistently drop the times, get the form down, get the execution down. Still got some things to work on, so I'm excited for state."

Other Chabot athletes who competed in the Northern California championships on Friday included Skyelar Connelly and Joel Castillo in the men's pole vault (Connelly tied for fifth with 13 feet, 9 ¼ inches; Castillo was eighth with 13-3 ½), the men's 1,600 relay team (sixth, 3:20.49), Adonis Prince in the men's 400 (eighth, 50.63), Devin Walker and Youngblood in the men's 100 (eighth in 10.96 and ninth in 10.99 respectively), Chris Michael Velasquez in the men's hammer throw (ninth, 148-1), and Cole Pineda in the men's 1,500 (10th in 4:13.10).