Funk sets Central Section junior class pole vault record, elevates to No. 2 in the state this year with 13-1 clearance

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Clovis West junior Elizabeth Funk didn’t want to wait until the CIF Central Section Masters meet to produce the most significant pole vault clearance of her career.

Funk cleared a personal-best 13 feet, 1 inch (3.99m) on her third attempt Wednesday at the North Area qualifying meet at Clovis East High, helping her add the section’s all-time junior record to a resume that already includes the top sophomore mark last season at 12-6 (3.81m).

Funk elevated to No. 2 in California this season and equal to 12th in the country. She became the fifth female athlete in Central Section history to clear 13 feet, including the second from Clovis West, along with program record holder Anginae Monteverde (13-6, 4.11m) in 2011.

Fresno Edison freshman Kennedy Jennings won the girls 800 meters in 2:14.99, helping her ascend into the top five in section history among ninth-graders. Jennings also anchored Edison’s victorious 4x400 relay in 3:56.13.

Clovis North continued to strengthen its bid for the program’s first boys section team title May 19 at Buchanan’s Veterans Memorial Stadium, behind strong performances from Isaiah Galindo, Caleb Foster, Kurtis Kobzeff, Shomari Somerville and Tobin Phillips.

Galindo prevailed in the 1,600 and 3,200 in 4:21.82 and 9:43.73, with Foster winning the 100 in a wind-legal 10.68, capturing the long jump with a leap of 23-8 and placing second in the 110 hurdles in 14.48. Somerville (45-11) and Jared Whitt (45-5) took the top two spots in the triple jump.

Kobzeff took the 200 in 21.71 and placed third in the 100 in 10.81, along with contributing to victories in both the 4x100 and 4x400 relays in 41.95 and 3:25.30. After winning the shot put with a mark of 54-9.50, Phillips finished sixth in the discus with a throw of 139-4, with Buchanan junior Christian Johnson securing victory at 177-8.

Buchanan and Fresno Central remained the top two challengers for the girls team title.

Meagen Lowe and Corie Smith took the top two spots in the 1,600 and 3,200 for Buchanan, with Lowe also placing third in the 800. Maren Butler won the girls shot put (41-1) and McKenna Chaney earned a discus victory (123-11) for the Bears.

Shelby Daniele and Lauren Fowler were the two leading qualifiers in the 100 and 200 for the Bears, with Fowler also prevailing in the long jump with a leap of 18-4. Central’s Simone Johnson took second in the long jump with a leap of 18-2 and earned a victory in the triple jump with a leap of 38-7, in addition to contributing to the Grizzlies’ win in the 4x100 relay in 48.35.

Daveion Robinson was victorious in the girls 400 in 57.12, with Monea Jennings securing victory in the 300 hurdles in 45.20 for Central, which also received a personal-best 2:15.91 in the 800 from senior Sophie Jimenez. Jennings also took second in the 100 hurdles (14.87) to Bullard’s Gianna Dickson (14.85).

Stanley Cain of Clovis West won the boys high jump with a 6-6 clearance, with Clovis senior Alexis Vincent-Walker clearing 5-4 to secure the girls high jump title.