William Hunnel rested in the shade and waited anxiously.
The Central Valley High School varsity boys track and field standout tied for fourth in the pole vault at the Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV-V Championships on Thursday at Modesto Junior College.
The top six placers in each event qualified for the Masters Meet, which will be staged this Thursday and Friday at Elk Grove High School.
Hunnel will be joined by Hawk teammates Cristian Chavez and Matt Menor, and Ceres High's Bryce Ford and Bella Carlyle.
William broke his own school record by six inches.
Hunnel cleared 12-6, 12-0 and 11-6 on his first attempts.
He had three unsuccessful tries at 13 feet.
William placed 10th (10-7) at Divisionals last season.
"I went to a pole vault camp during the summer and learned from Jan Johnson," Hunnel said. "He was a bronze medalist (at the 1972 Summer Olympics). My technique is better. I got to work on my drive knee, pushing up a lot harder."
Chavez, a senior thrower, placed second in the shot put (51-91/4) and seventh in the discus (145-6).
Cristian shattered his personal-record in the shot put by five feet, one-quarter inch. He also exceeded the Masters at-large qualifying mark (49-08).
"I'm really happy I made it," Chavez said. "I get to throw at a meet one more time. You can't have any bad throws at this point. There's a lot of pressure."
Cristian placed seventh in the discus for the second straight year and will serve as an alternate at Masters. Chavez was edged out by Central Catholic's Ivan Swalve (sixth place, 146).
Cristian failed to advance past the Western Athletic Conference finals in the shot put as a junior.
Menor finished fifth in the 110 hurdles (16.82).
Central Valley freshman Heaven Simon took eighth in the 400 (1:05.81).
Simon posted the sixth-fastest time (1:05.81) during trials.
Heaven appeared to be on her way to a top-four finish in the finals before stumbling with 20 meters to go.
"She hasn't been pushed that hard all year," Hawks head coach Mike Reynolds said. "She ran a heck of a race. She was going to get a medal. She just lost her balance and rolled. She got back up and finished. This is going to make her work harder."
Central Valley's 4x100 relay team of Christina Morales, Heaven Simon, Angel Simon and Maday Padilla didn't post a time thanks to a bad exchange.
Ford accounted for 20 of Ceres High's 21 team points.
The junior standout finished second in the 300 hurdles (46.37) and 100 hurdles (16.06), and fourth in the high jump (5-0).
Carlyle, a senior, was sixth in shot put (32-11). She set a personal record in the event.
Ceres High's Cecilia Carretero (Jr.), Jacob Meyer (Sr.) and Austin Payne (Sr.) will be alternates for Masters.
Carretero placed seventh in the 1,600 (5:40.76) and 10th in the 800 (2:29.89).
Meyer took seventh in the high jump (5-11). He missed three attempts at 6-1.
Jacob set a personal record in the event (6-3) at Patterson earlier this year.
"I did the same thing as last year," said Meyer, a two-time Masters alternate. "I missed it by one scratch. It hurts."
Jacob did track and field at Ceres High and Mae Hensley Jr. High for four and two years, respectively.
Meyer won back-to-back Western Athletic Conference high jump titles (2012, 2011) with the Bulldogs.
Payne placed seventh in 300 hurdles (42.48). Austin was seeded fourth (41.53).
Ceres High's boys 4x400 relay team of Payne, Gabriel Solis, Ryan Ramirez and Eddie Aceves placed seventh (3:31.01).
Ceres High's girls 4x400 relay team of Carretero, Nour Lopez, Yvonne Verduzco and Sophia Garcia placed 16th (4:45.49).
Solis finished 12th in the 400 (53.38).
Ryleigh Honberger finished 19th in the long jump (12-41/2).
Ceres High's girls and Central Valley's boys placed ninth and 15th, respectively, in the team standings.
The top three individuals in each event at Masters advance to the CIF state championships.
"I'm so excited," Hunnel said. "It's going to be a great experience."
The Central Valley High School varsity boys track and field standout tied for fourth in the pole vault at the Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV-V Championships on Thursday at Modesto Junior College.
The top six placers in each event qualified for the Masters Meet, which will be staged this Thursday and Friday at Elk Grove High School.
Hunnel will be joined by Hawk teammates Cristian Chavez and Matt Menor, and Ceres High's Bryce Ford and Bella Carlyle.
William broke his own school record by six inches.
Hunnel cleared 12-6, 12-0 and 11-6 on his first attempts.
He had three unsuccessful tries at 13 feet.
William placed 10th (10-7) at Divisionals last season.
"I went to a pole vault camp during the summer and learned from Jan Johnson," Hunnel said. "He was a bronze medalist (at the 1972 Summer Olympics). My technique is better. I got to work on my drive knee, pushing up a lot harder."
Chavez, a senior thrower, placed second in the shot put (51-91/4) and seventh in the discus (145-6).
Cristian shattered his personal-record in the shot put by five feet, one-quarter inch. He also exceeded the Masters at-large qualifying mark (49-08).
"I'm really happy I made it," Chavez said. "I get to throw at a meet one more time. You can't have any bad throws at this point. There's a lot of pressure."
Cristian placed seventh in the discus for the second straight year and will serve as an alternate at Masters. Chavez was edged out by Central Catholic's Ivan Swalve (sixth place, 146).
Cristian failed to advance past the Western Athletic Conference finals in the shot put as a junior.
Menor finished fifth in the 110 hurdles (16.82).
Central Valley freshman Heaven Simon took eighth in the 400 (1:05.81).
Simon posted the sixth-fastest time (1:05.81) during trials.
Heaven appeared to be on her way to a top-four finish in the finals before stumbling with 20 meters to go.
"She hasn't been pushed that hard all year," Hawks head coach Mike Reynolds said. "She ran a heck of a race. She was going to get a medal. She just lost her balance and rolled. She got back up and finished. This is going to make her work harder."
Central Valley's 4x100 relay team of Christina Morales, Heaven Simon, Angel Simon and Maday Padilla didn't post a time thanks to a bad exchange.
Ford accounted for 20 of Ceres High's 21 team points.
The junior standout finished second in the 300 hurdles (46.37) and 100 hurdles (16.06), and fourth in the high jump (5-0).
Carlyle, a senior, was sixth in shot put (32-11). She set a personal record in the event.
Ceres High's Cecilia Carretero (Jr.), Jacob Meyer (Sr.) and Austin Payne (Sr.) will be alternates for Masters.
Carretero placed seventh in the 1,600 (5:40.76) and 10th in the 800 (2:29.89).
Meyer took seventh in the high jump (5-11). He missed three attempts at 6-1.
Jacob set a personal record in the event (6-3) at Patterson earlier this year.
"I did the same thing as last year," said Meyer, a two-time Masters alternate. "I missed it by one scratch. It hurts."
Jacob did track and field at Ceres High and Mae Hensley Jr. High for four and two years, respectively.
Meyer won back-to-back Western Athletic Conference high jump titles (2012, 2011) with the Bulldogs.
Payne placed seventh in 300 hurdles (42.48). Austin was seeded fourth (41.53).
Ceres High's boys 4x400 relay team of Payne, Gabriel Solis, Ryan Ramirez and Eddie Aceves placed seventh (3:31.01).
Ceres High's girls 4x400 relay team of Carretero, Nour Lopez, Yvonne Verduzco and Sophia Garcia placed 16th (4:45.49).
Solis finished 12th in the 400 (53.38).
Ryleigh Honberger finished 19th in the long jump (12-41/2).
Ceres High's girls and Central Valley's boys placed ninth and 15th, respectively, in the team standings.
The top three individuals in each event at Masters advance to the CIF state championships.
"I'm so excited," Hunnel said. "It's going to be a great experience."
