La Costa Canyon Track & Field

Congrats Gioana Lopizzo!! Breaks the SDCIF and LCC records in an incredible race at Arcadia last night. Three fastest times in San Diego CIF history are all Mavericks. Gioana 9:59.08, Kristin Fahy 10:11.38 and McKenna Brown 10:15.97. Best of all 3 wonderful people!!

Showing some love for these early morning workouts.

Congrats to Garrett with a big season opening jump yesterday!

TRACK (& FIELD) IS BACK! — Garrett Brown (16-05), Mia Barnett (2:09.49) drop big marks at Don Green Memorial! (SS) TRACK (& FIELD) IS BACK! — Garrett Brown (16-05), Mia Barnett (2:09.49) drop big marks at Don Green Memorial! (SS) by Rich Gonzalez · March 20, 2021 St. Francis HS junior Dario Rock storms to a lifetime-best 14.85 clocking in the 110 highs! Don Green Memorial Meet Director R...

CARLSBAD — Garrett Brown was grateful to be among the 0.1 percent of the state high school track and field athletes who found a way to compete in more than a couple of early season meets in 2020.
It took something unique and the current La Costa Canyon senior was fortunate to be in the one event — the pole vault — that cut out a niche for itself in a parking lot in Menifee as the COVID-19 pandemic locked down the rest of the sports world.

For a series of summer-long competitions, pole vaulters from beginners to world class used the sanitized facilities at the parking lot in Riverside County, which had been turned into a first-rate vaulting pit with everything from the latest in equipment to fully certified officials to make certain every attempt was legal.

Brown and a young woman from upstate New York, Leah Pasqualetti, took full advantage: Pasqualetti set the national girls junior record at 14-8¼ in June and Brown soared 16-10¾ in August to eclipse the section 15-year-old boys record of 16-8 previously held by El Camino’s Derek Scott.

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“I’m grateful to have been in a situation like that,” said Brown, who has set lofty goals leading into a still mirky season where everything from invitationals to the state meet are tenuous — at best.

“It would have been a lot harder — impossible — to compete in the sprints, say, without some kind of facility. I was able to drive to compete, there was even a meet in Arizona, but it wasn’t perfect — just better than nothing at all.”

He used a short runway and pit in his back yard to practice and most of the time he had his brother, Kyle, a senior at UCLA who finished third in state for the Mavericks in 2016 posting a best of 16-5, as a training partner.

“Obviously, my goal is 17 feet,” said Brown, 17, who will be heading off to Stanford in the fall. “I remember watching my brother try to get 17 in high school. Sure, I’d like to beat my brother’s best.”

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Kyle has cleared 17-7 in practice with a legal PR of 17-2¾.

Meanwhile, Garrett glanced forward.

“My goals are to get 17, win the section and state titles,” said Brown who already has cleared 16-8¾ at one of the Vaulter Magazine meets still being held in Menifee. “I had a good attempt at 17-0¾. I’m faster and stronger this season.”

But memories of 2019 still haunt him.

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That year, Brown cleared 16-feet at the Frosh-Soph championships but Rancho Bernardo’s Jacob Rice was the section champion (second at state) while Brown placed third, qualifying for state. He was among 12 vaulters who cleared 15-3 but didn’t advance needing third-attempt clearances at 14-9 and 15-3.

“I just didn’t have the experience and couldn’t deal with the heat in Fresno,” admitted Brown, who still considers the state meet, as well as the Arcadia Invitational, his favorite events. He loves the atmosphere.

He and only one other vaulter return from that state meet.

Just as unique, he and teammate Aiden Lippert, are the only two boys from the section who appeared in individual events in 2019. Lippert is passing up football to run the sprints.

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“I’m staying optimistic, I’m staying motivated to compete, which gives me a reason to train,” said Brown

“I’m going to compete in as many meets as I can.”

For Brown to better his section record, however, it will need to be in a meet that has four or more schools (invitationals, section, state, national championship), not the dual meets that currently are being offered. Numerous invitationals are still scheduled.

“I just want to compete,” said Brown. “It feels so great to be back on the school runway with my teammates and I’m trying to help coach them. We have fewer athletes than usual, but those who are there want to be there. It’s a lot better than nothing.”

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Brand is a freelance writer.

PREP TRACK AND FIELD
Last day of meets: May 29

CIF Finals: June 12

State meet: June 25-26

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BOYS ATHLETES TO WATCH
(Returning state qualifiers)

Aiden Lippert, La Costa Canyon, Sr. (200-400)

Garrett Brown, La Costa Canyon, Sr. (Pole vault)

GIRLS ATHLETES TO WATCH
(Returning state qualifiers)

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Aysha Shaheed, Madison, Sr. (100-200)

Jaymie Ruskovich, Scripps Ranch, Sr. (100-200)

Elizabeth Hatton, Sage Creek, Jr. (200)

Katriina Wright, University City , Sr. (400 champion)

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Madeline Cramer, Bishop’s, Jr. (400)

Alyssa Bean, Poway, Jr. (400)

Alaina Zamorano, Christian, Sr. (800)

Jacey Farmer, Rancho Bernardo, Jr. (1,600)

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Bella Longo, Mission Vista, Sr. (1,600)

Charlize James, San Diego, Jr. (100 hurdles)

Cheyenne Roberts, Westview, Jr. (High jump)

Ashley Callahan, Rancho Bernardo, Sr. (Pole vault champion)

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Maya Grudman, Sage Creek, Sr (Pole vault)

Elise Miller, San Pasqual, Sr (Long jump, triple jump)

Brandy Atuatasi, West Hills, Sr. (Shot put)

Kaylah McNairy, San Diego, Sr. (Shot put)

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Miranda Nichols, Christian, Sr. (Discus)
HIGH SCHOOLS / PREPS
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LCC’s Brown!

Carlsbad's Brown ready to vault to new heights in 2021 Sets his sights on San Diego Section pole vault record

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