The 2018 North Bay League Finals will look for the most part like all the rest in the last decade but some things will be new and in other ways this will be the last of it’s kind.
The first NBL Finals was took place on May 7, 1921 and looked very different from what we are use to. Here is how the NBL has changed over the years.
What’s new involves how the qualifying on to the NCS Redwood Area meet from here is, Instead of just the top 8 from the trials in the laned events moving to the finals 16 will move on to a fast heat final and a slow heat final. Runners from both heats have the potential to advance to next week if their time is one of the best of all the league finals happening this week.
Some are calling this the last NBL Finals but really the changes next year, although unlike any in the past, are still common to the NBL over the years.
Next year the teams from the NBL and SCL will be rearranged with three of the teams moving to a new league that will still be part of my coverage.
Healdsburg, Maria Carrillo, Montgomery, Piner, Santa Rosa and Ukiah will be in what will be called the NBL Oak division.
Analy, Cardinal Newman, El Molino, Elsie Allen, Rancho Cotate and Windsor will be in what will be called the NBL Redwood division.
Casa Grande, Petaluma and Sonoma Valley experience the biggest change as they will join schools not currently in The Redwood Empire in the new Vine Valley Athletic League.
2018 NBL TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIP BULLETIN
Boys Meet History
Girls Meet History
This year’s meet will have both of the 2017 Redwood Empire Runners of the Year in Montgomery’s Jaymes Tischbern and Santa Rosa’s Kirsten Carter.
Both seniors opened the season looking stronger than ever but both have had to overcome injuries this season that have caused them to miss many meets.
Tischbern who made state last year in the 200 will concentrate on the 400 this year.
Carter who was a state medalist in the 100 last year ran some of the fastest times in the nation this year in the 300 hurdles but is entered in the 400, 200, shot put and the 1600 relay this year.
Boys Preview
100: Maria Carrillo’s Severin Ramirez is back to defend his 2017 title and take a shot at the metric record of 10.94+ by Bob Brown, Ukiah 1982.
200: Ramirez as a slight favorite over teammate Tyler VanArden.
400: Tischbern will try and use his speed to keep Maria Carrillo’s Tyler VanArden from repeating as champ here.
800: Maria Carrillo’s Will McCloud has a solid chance to repeat as champion here.
1600: Can Windsor’s Lucas Chung out kick the talented squad of Carrillo runners.
3200: Maria Carrillo’s Harrison Frankl and Chung look like the top dogs but don’t count out Maria Carrillo’s Benjamin Lawson.
110HH: Maria Carrillo’s Cameron De Latorre should destroy the field here and take down the wind legal record of 15.29 +1.1 by Kyle Hauser, Santa Rosa 2010
300IH: This could be one of the most exciting races of the day as defending champ Santa Rosa’s Brayden Glascock will need a perfect race to hold off Montgomery’s Brent Oru-Craig and De Latorre.
400 Relay: Maria Carrillo will be after one of the oldest records here of 42.79a by Vallejo 1970.
1600 Relay: Maria Carrillo will be trying for their 7th straight title and another record of 3:21.74+ Santa Rosa 1987.
HJ: Montgomery’s Waisea Jikoiono is a big favorite to repeat here.
PV: Maria Carrillo’s Cooper Plattus looks to repeat as a junior.
LJ: Windsor’s Casey Mclaughlin will need a good jump to repeat as champ here.
TJ: Mclaughlin has a good chance to make it a double.
SP: Maria Carrillo’s Christoper Herrera and Casa Grande’s Matthew Hart look to battle for crown here.
DT: Who’s going to uncork one here? Santa Rosa’s Scott McCamish, Montgomery’s Brian Day or Cardinal Newman’s Sam Davison.
Team: Maria Carrillo will be trying for a record 7th straight title to break the record of 6 held by themselves and Santa Rosa from 2004-09.
Girls Preview
100: Who will the new champ be? Cardinal Newman’s Kira Kelley, Casa Grande’s Lauren Doran or Maria Carrillo’s Habibah Sanusi-who could earn four golds.
200: 4th straight title for Kirsten Carter if she wins. Record 24.69 Kirsten Carter, Santa Rosa 2017 –0.8
400: Carter won this in 2015 & 2016 while Maria Carrillo’s Assata Polk is the defending champ. Record is 57.17 Jackie Chalmers, Montgomery 2013
800: Maria Carrillo’s Aimee Armstrong will try and defend here title here.
1600: Maria Carrillo’s Aimee Armstrong defends here as well but teammate Sydnie Rivas is equally strong here.
3200: Rivas is a big favorite here.
100HH: Sanusi will run away from the others and challenge the record of 14.83 by Katie Schukle, Santa Rosa 1996
300LH: Sanusi again a big favorite here.
400 Relay: Maria Carrillo will be after the record of 49.50 by Santa Rosa 2011
1600 Relay: Maria Carrillo defends but can Carter make it up for Santa Rosa.
HJ: Montgomery’s Isabelle Ponts is defending here but teammate Natalie Barr has cleared 5-2 this season.
PV: Maria Carrillo’s Savannah Nied could go for the meet record of 11-6 by Siobhan Anderson, Maria Carrillo 2012
LJ: Maria Carrillo’s Sarah Aanenson is a big favorite here.
TJ: Aanenson good bet to double.
SP: Santa Rosa’s Caitlin Grace is defending here but Casa Grande’s Lilly McCoy is right with her.
DT: Grace has a chance to double with this event.
Team: Maria Carrillo will be trying for a 3rd straight title.