As Wil Brennan crossed the finish line in the boys 4×400-meter relay race in the Central Coast Section Track and Field Championships at Gilroy High on May 21, he reached out and gave a little tap to Los Altos’ fast-charging anchor leg runner.
The two athletes shared pleasantries afterwards on a great race. Brennan’s teammates—Levi Romero, Brady Kamali and Luke Pittock—had gotten him the lead, and Brennan wasn’t about to give it back. The Wildcats busted off a huge personal-record (PR) of 3 minutes, 20.74 seconds to win the event and qualify for the CIF State Championships May 27-28 at Buchanan High in Clovis.
The relay team’s performance highlighted a huge day for the Los Gatos program, which also saw Hannah Slover (high jump) and Nicole Steiner (shot put) finish in the top three in their respective events to earn a spot at state. Brennan also qualified in the individual 400-meter run as he finished second with a PR of 49.48 seconds.
The boys 4×400 relay team were the favorites entering their race, but it took a huge 3-plus second PR for them to win it.
“We all felt more ready than we ever have before,” said Kamali, who ran the second leg and also competed in the high jump, clearing 5 feet, 10 inches to finish in a tie for ninth place. “Our goal was to go as fast as we can and we all did that. That’s what kills you. That’s what makes you throw up, but that’s what it takes sometimes.”
Kamali was talking as Pittock was hunched over a garbage can, spent with exhaustion after emptying himself—literally.
“It’s all about heart,” said Pittock, the only senior on a relay team with three juniors. “We’re running for one another. You can’t let your teammates down. You have to finish well and that’s our mindset.”
What happens in the 4×400 relay is anyone who receives the baton tends to run way too fast in the first 200, leaving them to slow down considerably in the final 200. That’s why mental toughness plays a vital role in the event.
“It takes so much mental strength,” Kamali said. “It’s adrenaline but also the willingness to give your all. It’s tough and in a lot of races we’ve been coming back. When you have Wil Brennan—the second fastest in the CCS—he definitely helps us get to the finish line first.”
Brennan was pleased with his individual 400-meter race, passing a couple of runners in the final 200.
“At the qualifier (CCS Semifinals the week before), I went out too hard, died at the end and ended up losing,” Brennan said. “So I figured this race I’m going to go out differently. I’m going to relax, especially the first 200, and I’m going to come home strong. It feels good. It was a PR, barely, but I’m always happy with a PR.”
While Steiner and Slover were both initially disappointed with their respective second- and third-place finishes, they knew they had plenty to be proud of in making it to state. In fact, it wouldn’t be beyond the scope of imagination to see Slover win a state title given she has a PR of 5-8, which is just two inches off from the state-leading mark and an inch off the 5-9 mark that two competitors have coming into the event.
“I’m really grateful I have the opportunity to compete again this year,” Slover said. “The competition is going to be amazing at state and I’m just very happy that I have that opportunity to jump again.”
Nevertheless, Slover wished she had performed better in the CCS Championships. She entered the meet with the goal of winning the high jump and looked strong in the early going, clearing 5-5 with room to spare. But she struggled at 5-7, clearing it on her third and final attempt before being unable to clear the winning mark of 5-9.
“I wasn’t feeling amazing today,” she said. “I didn’t have the lift you get when you have a really great day, so it was rough. I wanted to do better. This whole week I was getting mentally prepared to get first, but my first attempt (at 5-9) didn’t cut it, and it was really hard to get my head back into the game. The other two competitors were amazing today and came out here and competed really hard. I just wish I could’ve done better for myself.”
This is Slover’s first season of high school track and field competition as she previously focused on club volleyball in the spring. However, Slover committed to play for UC Santa Barbara last fall which freed her up to do track and field this season.
Slover has lived up to expectations after jumping 5-5 in the seventh grade, and the standout two-sport athlete is primed to hit another PR and possibly win state.
“I’ve known I had some potential in this sport, so it’s been really great to get back out here and work on some things and keep learning,” she said. “For state I want to focus on lift, getting in the right position at takeoff and making my run very consistent so I have the confidence to make it over that bar at those top heights.”
Steiner’s emergence onto the CCS elite has been remarkable and meteoric, yet totally understandable. A talented and hard-working athlete who does volleyball in the fall and basketball in the spring, Steiner got a late start to the season because the hoops team had a long season, advancing all the way to the CIF Nor-Cal playoff quarterfinals.
Steiner didn’t compete in her first track and field competition until a March 24 league dual meet against Milpitas in which she hit 33-6. She kept on improving, culminating with a huge PR of 39-5 in the CCS Semifinals on May 14, the No. 1 mark in the section this year.
For that reason, Steiner went into the Finals with the goal of winning it.
“When I left the meet, I was quite upset for getting second place because I thought I could’ve done better,” Steiner said. “But after thinking about it, I know making state is an incredible accomplishment and something to be proud of.
“Before the season started, I didn’t expect to go this far and qualify for state. I know for state there will be a lot of girls better than me. I think I’ll really be enjoying the setting and atmosphere. I don’t really have much pressure on me. I was really thinking I’d hit 40 (feet) at CCS. Now, I can put more time in for practice and I think 40 is within reach at state.”
Other Los Gatos athletes who competed in the CCS Finals included Sophie Tau and Fiona Herron in the 1600-meter run, and Hailey Stone in the pole vault. Tau went 5:03.26 to place a solid fifth and reach the podium. The girls 4×100 relay team of Emma Arbitaylo, Gianna Golino, Jeanette Li and Emma Curran took seventh in 50.85 seconds.
Sports editor Emanuel Lee can be reached at el**@we*****.com
