Back in November, Woodcrest Christian’s Eyan Turk outkicked Atherton Menlo’s Landon Pitre to capture the CIF State Division V boys cross county championship.
Saturday night, Turk and Pitre battled with another state championship on the line. And Turk once again delivered a brilliant finish to take the top spot on the podium.
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Turk was victorious on the track, as he won the 3200-meter run at the CIF State Championships at Buchanan High School in Clovis. Turk’s posted the wining time of 8 minutes and 51.62 seconds, 3.63 seconds better than Pitre. Turk’s time broke the Riverside County record of 8:51.85, set in 2016 by Great Oak’s Cole Spencer.
The victory put Turk in select company, as he joins Big Bear’s Ryan Hall and Caleb Webb as the only Inland boys runners to win a state cross county championship and the state 3200-meter title during the same school year. Turk also became the first Woodcrest Christian athlete to claim a state championship in track and field.
Turk ran negative splits throughout the race. He was fourth at the halfway point of the race, but he split 2:02.96 over the final 800 meters to pull away for the win.
“It was kind of my mindset (to win),” Turk told Youth Runner Magazine following the race. “I kept talking to the Lord, just give me strength and endurance to be able to go out there and push through no matter how bad I was feeling. … With about 600 or so to go, I just went for it. This is mine. I’m not going to let anyone take it. … The last 250, 200, my legs felt so heavy, but by that point I could feel him (Pitre) right behind me. It was everything I had. I kept driving no matter how bad it hurt.”
Turk was 1 of 3 Inland boys athletes to bring home a state championship this season.
Cajon’s Keith Cotlage capped his remarkable senior campaign with a state title in the triple jump. Cotlage was one of the favorites entering the competition, as he won the Southern Section’s Division 1 and Masters Meet title in the event. Cotlage took the lead in the second round with a jump of 51 feet and 4 1/2 inches, and that mark stood up until the end. Cotlage’s jump, which was wind-legal, also broke his own Inland Empire record of 50-7 set at this year’s Citrus Belt League finals.
“I’m excited. This is my first year being at state,” Cotlage told Youth Runner Magazine. “In the past, I was hurt, so I couldn’t come. But this is my first year at state, and I came out and showed out and won. … I’ve come a long way, and I’m trying to go even further. … I want to be one of the best in triple. That’s what I strive for.”
Temecula Valley’s Jack Stadlman had a breakthrough senior season, and he cruised to victory in the 400 meters with a winning time of 46.02. Stadlman became the first Temecula Valley athlete to win a state title in track and field. Stadlman also finished second in the 200 meters with a personal-best and wind-legal time of 20.82.
“Honestly I think I definitely should have run faster. The conditions weren’t really in my favor today,” Stadlman told Youth Runner Magazine about the 400-meter race. “I was definitely hoping for 44. I know it seems like a reach. But with my training and times I have (a PR of 45.69 in first 400 of the season and 45.92 at the Arcadia Invitational), I feel I definitely could have got it. But 46 flat is an amazing accomplishment. … I’m a little sad I only PR’d once this season, but that PR was insane.”
Elsinore’s Nicolas Alexis was Cotlage’s fiercest competition in the triple jump. Alexis was sitting third in the standings after five rounds, but he moved up to second when he leaped a personal-best 50-1 1/4 on his final attempt. Alexis also finished second in the long jump with a personal-best but wind-aided jump of 24-11 1/4.
Yucaipa’s Benjamin Lingenfelter scored a pair of fourth-place finishes in the shot put (58-6 3/4) and the discus (182-7).
Rancho Cucamonga’s Rodney Sermons placed fourth in the 100 meters (10.48) and sixth in the 200 meters (21.05).
King’s Maximo Zavaleta was fifth in the 3200 meters (season-best 8:57.63), while Riverside Poly’s Beckett Sullivan placed seventh in the 800 meters (1:52.42).
Alta Loma’s Quishawn Stanford finished seventh in the 300 hurdles (37.88), and Etiwanda’s Brandon Andrade was ninth in the 110 hurdles (14.19).
Ayala’s Joshua Komrosky placed seventh in the discus (174-10). Michael Cullen of Redlands was eighth in the pole vault (16-0). Great Oak’s Colin Green finished eighth in the triple jump (47-2 1/2).
Murrieta Valley’s Darius Johnson, Camden Palos-Connor, Sedrwick Dunklin and Brandon Ortega placed seventh in the 4 x 100 relay (41.38).
