Track & Field setting new standards
Cats to compete at state finals this Friday
The 2026 track & field season is down to the state championships this weekend and the Bobcats are primed to have one of their best finishes in program history. The men's team finished tied for sixth at the 3C2A Southern California Regional Finals this past weekend while the women were 11th.
Saddleback has been shattering program records this season. Roxanne Meyer defended both her long jump and triple jump records this past weekend by winning both events at the SoCal Finals. Meyer leaped 5.97 meters (19'7") to win the long jump and 12.77 meters to win the triple jump (41' 10.75"). Her leap in the triple jump was the longest jump in the state this season and broke her own program record in the event. She is the favorite this next weekend at the state finals.
Joining Meyer at the top of the podium was men's hurdler Mikey Schinstock, who had the run of his life in winning the 400 hurdles. Schinstock shaved more than two seconds off of his qualifying time in setting the new program record at 52.06 to win the event by nearly a second. Schinstock's run was the fastest run in the state this season and makes him one of the favorites at the state finals this weekend.
Saddleback had a handful of other electric finishes. Isaiah Williams finished second in the long jump with a leap of 7.19 meters. Williams has the longest jump in the state this season when he set the new program record at the Orange Empire Conference Finals at 7.42 meters. Williams should be in the mix to challenge for a state title next weekend.
Connor Hutchison had a solid performance in the pole vault by finishing third over the weekend. Hutchison cleared 4.35 meters to qualify for the state finals. Hutchison has a season-best of 4.55 meters at the Cerritos Invitational a few weeks back, which is the seventh highest vault of the season.
Joining Hutchison from the pole vault ranks is women's vaulter Alexandra McCoy, who finished fourth at the SoCal Finals when she cleared 3.35 meters. It was a personal-best for McCoy and moved her into sixth all-time in program history. McCoy is tied for 10th in the state this season.
Saddleback's 4 x 100 relay team has been working magic in recent weeks and closing in on breaking a program record. The Bobcats finished in fourth place over the weekend when crossing the tape in 41.43. The program record of 41.25 was set back in 2004. Saddleback has the 12th fastest time in the state this season.
Jameel Naber also had a top 5 finish when finishing fourth in the javelin. Naber's toss of 51.85 meters was good enough to qualify for the state finals this coming weekend. Naber's has the third longest javelin throw in the state this season when he threw it 56.14 meters at the Cerritos Invitational last month.
Saddleback track & field will head to Mt. San Antonio College for the state finals this Friday.
NOTE: The sixth place finish for the men's team at the SoCal Finals was the fifth best finish in program history.