SSL championships: Tehachapi wins doubles title; Jelmini gets PR in shot put
| Thursday, May 07 2009 11:12 PM
Last Updated Thursday, May 07 2009 11:12 PM
TAFT -- At one point, it seemed like it would have to be enough that Tehachapi's boys tennis team won the first South Sequoia League title in school history.
The individual title, it appeared, would have to wait.
Then Tyler Thoms and David Croy dug out of a big hole, swung momentum violently and then held on to win the schools' first individual hardware by beating Wasco's Cody Beach and Cameron Visser 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-4 for the SSL doubles championship Thursday at Taft.
"We just had to buckle down," Thoms said. "It's awesome that we can be a part of it."
On the singles side, Bakersfield Christian senior Alex Nichols, the 2007 Central Section singles champion, won his second straight SSL title by dismantling teammate Josh Bligh 6-0, 6-0.
"It's a good feeling to defend my title," Nichols said. "It's a little more relaxing against a teammate."
Nichols reached the semifinals of the section singles tournament again last year, but he was suspended for disciplinary reasons before its conclusion and had to watch as Stockdale's Jeremy Quiroz took the title.
"Last year was horrible," said Nichols, who lost to Quiroz in their only meeting this year. "I was ready last year, and I'm even more ready this year."
So is the Warriors' doubles team. Tehachapi upstaged traditional powers Wasco and BCHS -- which had won every title since it joined the SSL in 2005 -- with a 10-0 dual-meet record this season. Now they have an individual title to go with it.
"As a senior, it's a good way to go out," Croy said.
Wasco's Eric Sanchez nipped Grisso 7-5, 6-2 for third place in singles. BCHS' Jon Wulfkuehler and David Stevens beat Wasco's Jacob Skinner and Gary Steward 6-4, 6-0 for third in doubles. Each of the top four finishers advance to the section tournament.
Track and field: Jelmini sets PR in shot put
In her final SSL meet, Anna Jelmini added yet another chapter to her record-breaking high school career.
The Shafter senior dominated the throwing events, eclipsing her personal best in the shot put, and edged closer to the national high school mark to highlight Thursday's SSL Track and Field Championships at Cal State Bakersfield.
The Shafter girls finished third, behind of Taft (131.5 points) and Bakersfield Christian (122.5). It was Taft's fourth straight SSL title.
Tehachapi won the boys title with 148 points, and Wasco (106) was second.
Jelmini posted a personal best in the shot put (51 feet, 11 inches) on her second toss, topping her previous best (51-5) set in February. On her second throw in the finals, Jelmini extended the mark to 52-3. The high school record is 54-10.
In the discus, Jelmini fell short of another PR, but still won handily with a 184-6. Her season best is 188-4. Shafter teammate Lacie Rasley finished second in both events, posting her personal best in the shot put (44-5) and a 120-1 discus.
Megan Thompson of Taft won three events, setting season bests in the 1,600 (5:24.29) 400 (1:00.74) and 800 (2:24.47).
Arvin's Bailey Tarver posted her season-best in winning the 100 (12.91) and also won the 200 (27.25), while Bakersfield Christian's Melissa Merrill set season bests in winning the 300 hurdles (47.84) and 100 hurdles (16.65).
In the boys competition, Brennen Davis of Tehachapi equaled his season best in the 200 (22.94) and also won the 400 (51.89) and Wasco's Jonathan Wimberly won both the 100 hurdles (15.53) and 300 hurdles (41.81, a season best).
-- Ron Stapp
