Three Sierra High athletes finished in the top six in their field events at the Sac-Joaquin Section Division III trials Tuesday, May 19, to qualify for the SJS Masters Championships.

The remaining track and field events were Thursday, May 21. Results weren’t available at press time.

Sierra’s Taylor-Renae Wilson made waves in the long jump pit after staggering in to make the final jumps just moments after finishing a grueling 400-meter dash.

After taking a few minutes to catch her breath, Wilson sprinted and leapt to a career-high distance of 17 feet, 2 inches to qualify for the finals. She finished second overall for the masters qualification.

Teammate Ulysses Knapps finished third in the long jump at the Valley Oak League championships this month but topped his personal-best distance with a 21-5 jump that was good enough for third in the finals.

The two jumpers who bested Knapps at the league finals, Oakdale’s John Brunk (20-8) and East Union’s Stevyn Teeple (20-11), were unable to qualify for masters.

Christina Westover saw a terrific third-place finish in her best event with a career-best 36-6 toss in the shot put to land a trip to masters. Sierra’s talented senior competed in the discus Thursday.

Four runners and three of Sierra’s relay teams advanced to Thursday’s finals. Sierra’s 400 girls relay team was second overall with a 51.38-second finish, and its 1,600 relay girls were fifth in 4:20.24. The Sierra boys finished in 3:33.52 to take sixth in the 1,600 relay.

Timberwolves hurdler Courtney Whitlock was fourth in the 300 hurdles (47.94) and fifth in the 100 hurdles (16.41) to advance in both events. Shanedra Pitts was fourth in the 100 (12.92), and Julianna Flores of Manteca ended sixth in the 100 (13.17) and seventh in the 200 (27.24).

Sierra’s Mike Garcia was ninth in the 300 hurdles (42.87) and advanced.

The SJS Masters begins Thursday, May 28.

• Contact Sports Editor Ike Dodson at

239-6351, ext. 306, or ike@sunpost.net.