In the state track and field finals, two Knights runners raced in the 800. Charlotte Tomkinson took second in 2:09.41 and fellow junior Kyra Pretre  was 10th in 2:13.95 at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Clovis on Saturday.

Tomkinson, who took sixth in the state 800 last season, keeps climbing up the podium, and improved her personal-best by more than a second. 

“It does sting a bit to get so close to gold, but overall I am very proud of my season, and the season our team had together. We all grew so much this season, and winning the CCS team title was more than we could have imagined at the beginning of the year,” Tomkinson said.

“Personally, I’m so grateful to have been able to race at the highest level this past weekend, especially with Kyra, and am proud of my PR and second-place performance at state. I left absolutely everything out there and I have no regrets. I never could have gotten this far without my family, coaches, and teammates, and we’ll definitely be back even stronger next year!”

Menlo's Charlotte Tomkinson gives Concord's Rayna Stanziano a hand after the 800 race.It was a dramatic finish Saturday with Marin Catholic’s Samantha Wallenstrom coming on down the stretch, winning the 800 in 2:08.78 beating her own PR by three seconds. Wallenstrom had a much-publicized North Coast Section finals in which she verbally helped competitor Rayna Stanziano of Concord to her feet before winning the 800. Stanziano finished third at state.  

After the state 800, Tomkinson picked up Stanziano from the infield and congratulated Wallenstrom with a big hug.

“This type of sportsmanship and grace is something that we unfortunately don’t see very often nowadays since so many are so competitive toward each other but when we do, it’s something truly special,” Coach Jorge Chen saisd. “And I’m most proud of these young ladies for displaying the spirit of the sport.”

Pretre ran her second-fastest time, with her PR of 2:13.65 coming in the state trials a day before. “She wasn’t expecting she would, but I expected her to make the finals - it was a really great moment Friday when she found out she did.”

Pretre and Tomkinson are just the fourth duo in state history to finish top 10 in the 800.

Pretre went with Tomkinson to the state meet last season to take it all in, and now-Yale freshman Robert Miranda, who took 12th in the boys’ 3200. To have Pretre in her race and six other Knights competing with them Friday was an ideal situation.

Seven Knights represented Menlo at the state track championships Friday and Saturday, Credit: Robert Tomkinson
“It was really great to have such a big presence there,” Tomkinson said. 

The track and field season was remarkable for so many reasons, including when the 4x400 team came in under the 4-minute mark at the Stanford Invitational. They have broken that mark since, however, to do so early in the season and at a meet where they weren’t expected to, was a huge milestone. Then, dominating the league championships and winning the program’s first CCS title was a fitting way to cap the team season.  

“We all kind of rallied and stepped up as individuals for a larger purpose,” Tomkinson said. “Seeing all that come together was really rewarding.” 

“This season these girls have been relentlessly throwing down the hammer meet after meet and I’m very proud of them,” Chen said. “But to have a team like this it takes a village as the saying goes, a very caring village I might add of coaches, staff, and community supporters.”

State track & field trials

5.24.2019 – Menlo’s seven athletes took center stage at the CIF State Track & Field Championships trials Friday night, and will send two on to the finals, at Buchanan High in Clovis.

Juniors Charlotte Tomkinson and Kyra Pretre will advance to today’s finals. Tomkinson took third in 2:12.62, and Pretre was 11th in a personal-best 2:13.65.

Alexandra Chan closed out a stellar high school season setting a school record in the 100 hurdles in 14.60. She surpassed the previous-best of 14.65 set by Damesha Craig at the 1997 CCS Championships. 

The 4x400 relay team also had an outstanding showing. Junior Michelle Louie, senior Lauren Hamilton, along with junior Charlotte Lee and freshman Reena Kagan who filled in for Tomkinson and Pretre, ran in 4:05.80.