All six track & field CCS finalists earn bids to state meet

5.20.2023 –All six Menlo School athletes and CCS finalists are headed to the state meet, and the boys placed third becoming the first small school with a high podium team finish in Saturday night’s CCS Championships at Gilroy High.

The Knights are headed to the CIF State Championships, which begin Friday with qualifying for field events at 3:00 pm and track events at 5:00 pm at Buchanan High in Clovis. Finals are Friday.
Menlo senior Justin Pretre raced an unthinkable triple yet climbed the podium after each event, except the 800 because he had to get ready for his relay. His schedule Saturday started with the 1600, then roughly an hour later, the 800 and an hour after that, the 4x800. The relay of Aiden Deffner, Will Hauser and brother Landon Pretre won handily in 7:50.88 making history in the event’s CCS debut. In the 800, Justin Pretre finished fourth in the 1600 in 4:11.42 making the standard for state, and fifth in the 800 in 1:55.68.

“The goal going into (CCS Finals) was to score as many points as possible for the team. I knew it was going to be grueling but I also knew that I had it in me to get through it,” Justin Pretre said. 

Fellow Menlo senior Aiden Deffner ran the anchor of the 4x800 relay, coming from third place before starting a kick with 50 meters to go. 

Knights senior William Floyd broke his own school record to take gold in pole vault, clearing 15 feet. He reached his previous mark of 14-6 he set at the first WBAL meet this season.

In her first season, junior Summer Young won silver in the high jump and broke a school record with a jump of 5 feet, 5 inches. The previous best was set by Makayla Conley in 2018.

Hauser, a sophomore, reached the podium twice and before running a leg on the winning 4x800, he ran the 1600 in 4:15.02 for fifth place.

The Knights carved another place in CCS history, winning the first 4x800 relay. 

“Winning the 4x800 was one of the most exciting moments of my high school career,” said Menlo’s Justin Pretre. “I did my best to give the team a lead but couldn’t create enough separation having already raced a couple times, so it really came down to all of my teammates.

“Aiden’s final hundred was an emotional roller coaster, ranging from terrified to ecstatic, and I’m so glad that we were able to secure the win in the last few meters.”

Before the meet, Head Coach Jorge Chen was recognized as Spring CCS Honor Coach.