The sun is out and the grass is green again, but the real indication of spring’s arrival resides in the action of the DVC track and field season.
Just as the weather is heating up, so is the race to make it to the Nor Cal Finals.
Things are looking up for the Vikings in a vast number of events including the men’s 4×1 and 4×4 relay teams, the women’s 4×1 team and individual sprinters and jumpers just to name a few.
“Right now we probably have the fastest men’s 4×1 and 4×4 team that we’ve had since I started coaching three years ago,” head coach Shelly Pierson stated. “The women’s 4 x 1 team PR’d (personal record) by two seconds in this last meet and the men’s 4 x4 team PR’d (personal record) by four seconds which is pretty big.”
Many of the core leaders on the team have set courageous goals and are intent on achieving them. First year athlete Chris Kuoh Essombe has been busy gaining the respect of his own coach and various opponents by proving he will be a contender in the 400-meters with some impressive recent performances.
“Chris Kuoh Essombe has never run track before in his life, and has actually never been an athlete,” Coach Pierson explained. “Hc has a lot of raw ability. He wants to win and he wants to do well.”
He has not disappointed to this point of the season and looks to be a key performer for the team come Big 8 Conference Finals and Nor Cal Finals. While Kuoh Essombe is having a strong freshman campaign, sophomore Anthony Nguyen adds a veteran presence and leadership to the 400 athletes on the team.
“This year, I’d say the 400 is my best event because I’ve been knocking down my time,” said Nguyen. “I really like getting better and better. It feels good making improvements each week. Personally, I want to get under 50 seconds in the 400.”
Doing so would clump Nguyen’s score with that of Kuoh Essombe’s recent time of 49.63 seconds. Nguyen is also a threat to qualify in the long jump event.
Perhaps the most well-known performer in the long jump and triple jump for both men and women is standout and Big 8 Conference week 5 Player of the Week, Khyia Slone. With her recent season best of 5.73-meters in the long jump and 11.78 in the triple jump, she is questing towards defeating her own personal records as well as school records.
“We still have one of the top women’s long jumper and triple jumper in the state, Khyia Slone. She was a state finalist last year,” said coach Pierson. “She won both Nor Cal’s and Conference finals last year. She’s ranked number one in Nor Cal right now and is doing exceptionally well.”
With top performers in nearly every event and continual progression, the Vikings have created a competitive and cohesive unit.
“I love the team atmosphere. We all get along together pretty well,” said Dylan Winn, a team leader in the 800 and 1500. He shares the spotlight in the 800 and 1500 with Dominique Caston, and also shares the same views on the team’s camaraderie. “My favorite thing is probably just running with everybody, making friends, and going on a long run while having a conversation with each other,” said Caston.
The Vikings are working towards elite performances in the Big 8 Conference Finals on April 23 and 26 and NorCal Finals on May 4 and 11.
Don’t miss the action as the Vikings’ fate will unfold in the upcoming weeks.