Northern California high school diamond, track and golf: Top stars, best performances May 22-27

The stars were aplenty at the CIF State Track and Field Championships in Clovis on Friday and Saturday; Plenty of diamond standouts as well, and a lone golfer

Here’s a quick look at some of the top stars and memorable performances from the past week in Northern California.

Note: Entries are based on information provided by coaches, statisticians, media members and high school sports fans. Don’t see any details for your team’s game? Email some notes and/or stats to bodie@scorebooklive.com.

(Lead photo by Steven Silva)

TOP NORCAL STARS MAY 22-27

Mariah Avalos, a junior softball player at Santa Teresa, was six for seven with two doubles and a home run in two CCS playoff wins last week.

Ashlyn Boothby, a 1600 runner from Scotts Valley, broke her PR by more than six seconds to place second behind state-meet recorder holder Sadie Engelhardt, of Ventura. Boothby finished in 4:39.45.

Michael Castaneda, a pitcher for Valley Christian, fired 6.1 innings of scoreless ball and added two RBI in a 5-0 win over Hollister for the CCS Division 1 championship over Hollister.

Anthony Dela Cruz, the pitcher for Santa Teresa, fired a four-hitter to beat Palma 2-0 for the CCS D4 championships.

Jaden Dumdumaya, a golfer for De La Salle, shot a 4-under 68 at Berkeley Country Club to earn medalist honors in the CIF Northern California Championships. He led the Spartans to a team championship, 13 strokes better than Crystal Springs Uplands.

Ashanti Elie, a high jumper at Whitney-Rocklin, won the CIF State high jump with a mark of 5 feet, 10 inches.

Kori Fields, a senior for St. Mary’s-Stockton, won the state 100 hurdles in a wind-aided 13.79 seconds to edge Sac-Joaquin Section rival Giselle Kirchner, of Rocklin (13.85).

Nailea Fields, of Caruthers, won her second straight state discus title with a mark of 167-6, more than six inches better than the runner-up.

Mya Flindt, a junior for Whiitney-Roseville’s softball team, went 2 for 3 with four RBI including a home run, lifting the Wildcats to a 7-1 win over Vacaville for the SJS Division 2 championship.

Leilani Garcia, a sophomore pitcher for KIPP-San Lorenzo, struck out 18 in 10 innings to lift KIPP to a 1-0 win over Oakland for the second championship. She allowed only two hits.

Hilton Green, a pole vaulter at Buchanan-Clovis, became the first to win a state title on his own track, winning with a mark of 16-6. He’s one of eight in the country this year to clear at least 17 feet.

Alexis Hunt, a senior high jumper at Maria Carrillo, set a PR in the high jump by two inches to finish second at the state meet with a mark of 5-10. It matched the mark of Ashanti Elie, who won on fewer misses. Hunt was coming off a torn ACL as a junior.

Joseph Lighthall, of Hughson, won a gritty 800 meters at the CIF State meet Saturday, finishing in 1:52.06, just edging Cathedral-Los Angeles’ Ambodai Ligons (1:52,36) and Buchanan’s Noah Ray (1:52.72).

Ellie McCuskey-Hay, the St. Ignatius-San Francisco freshman, recorded huge PRs while finishing second in the CIF State 100-meter dash (11.52) and sixth in the long jump (19 feet, 7 ½ inches).

Ellie McCuskey-Hay, St. Ignatius. File photo by Paul Ghiglieri

Nickolas Miller, a sprinter at Clovis North, finished third in the state track and field championships in the 200 meters in 21.02. He also finished fifth in the 100 (10.48).

Paul Montgomery, a senior pitcher for Bellarmine, fired a three-hitter with nine strikeouts in a 2-0 win over Leigh to win the CCS D2 basketball championship.

Trevor Rogers, a junior at Acalanes-Lafayette, ran a leg on the Dons’ second-place 400 relay team that set a school record of 49.96 seconds. He also placed fourth in the state long jump with a school record 23-4 he set the previous day during trials.

Robert Stitts, the El Cerrito senior sprinter finished third in the state 100 in a lifetime best of 10.31 seconds, just off the previous state record of 10.30 that was broken by winner Rodrick Pleasant of Serra-Gardena in 10.20.

Robert Stitts (middle) at the North Coast Section Meet of Champions. Photo: Eric Taylor

Chukwononso Udeh, a senior track and field star at De La Salle-Concord, brought home four medals from the state meeting, winning the long jump, an event he just picked up a month earlier, with a mark of 23-9½. He also took fifth in the 100 hurdles (14.29 seconds), the high jump (6-4) and ran a leg on the fifth-place 400 relay team that finished in a lifetime best of 41.28.

Sydnie Vanek, a senior at Clovis, won the girls state long jump with a lifetime best of 20-7¾.