Antonio Bayon of Redwood attempts a pole vault during the MCAL Track Tri-meet between Archie Williams, Tam, and Redwood at Redwood High School in Larkspur, Calif. on April 18, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Ruby Hauth of Redwood (center) jumps a hurdle during the girls 100 meter hurdles race at the MCAL Track Tri-meet between Archie Williams, Tam, and Redwood at Redwood High School in Larkspur, Calif. on April 18, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Emma Gardner of Tamalpais finishes well in front of the pack in the girls 800 meter race during the MCAL Track Tri-meet between Archie Williams, Tam, and Redwood at Redwood High School in Larkspur, Calif. on April 18, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
William Mulliken of Archie Williams celebrates finishing in first place in the boys 800 meter race during the MCAL Track Tri-meet between Archie Williams, Tam, and Redwood at Redwood High School in Larkspur, Calif. on April 18, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
William Ghalam of Redwood crosses the finish line first as the last leg of the 4x100m race during the MCAL Track Tri-meet between Archie Williams, Tam, and Redwood at Redwood High School in Larkspur, Calif. on April 18, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Marley Nacco of Redwood races in front of Ani Stieg of Archie Williams in the girls 1600 meter race during the MCAL Track Tri-meet between Archie Williams, Tam, and Redwood at Redwood High School in Larkspur, Calif. on April 18, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Tatum McPeek of Redwood (left) and Sabine Szylko of Tamalpais (right) compete in the girls 200 meter dash during the MCAL Track Tri-meet between Archie Williams, Tam, and Redwood at Redwood High School in Larkspur, Calif. on April 18, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Annalise Horn of Redwood (center) races in front of Indeya Sanders of Tamalpais and Sabine Szylko of Tamalpais in the girls 100 meter dash during the MCAL Track Tri-meet between Archie Williams, Tam, and Redwood at Redwood High School in Larkspur, Calif. on April 18, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
John Minutoli of Archie Williams attempt a pole vault during the MCAL Track Tri-meet between Archie Williams, Tam, and Redwood at Redwood High School in Larkspur, Calif. on April 18, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Antonio Bayon of Redwood (center) races in the boys 110 meter varsity hurdles during the MCAL Track Tri-meet between Archie Williams, Tam, and Redwood at Redwood High School in Larkspur, Calif. on April 18, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Runners take part in the girls 1600 meter varsity race during the MCAL Track Tri-meet between Archie Williams, Tam, and Redwood at Redwood High School in Larkspur, Calif. on April 18, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Boys 800 meter racers take off from the start line during the MCAL Track Tri-meet between Archie Williams, Tam, and Redwood at Redwood High School in Larkspur, Calif. on April 18, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Runners take off from the start line of the girls 800 meter race during the MCAL Track Tri-meet between Archie Williams, Tam, and Redwood at Redwood High School in Larkspur, Calif. on April 18, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
William Ghalam of Redwood sprints across the finish line in the boys 200 meter dash during the MCAL Track Tri-meet between Archie Williams, Tam, and Redwood at Redwood High School in Larkspur, Calif. on April 18, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Duke Sutherland of Redwood competes in the long jump during the MCAL Track Tri-meet between Archie Williams, Tam, and Redwood at Redwood High School in Larkspur, Calif. on April 18, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Runners take part in the Boys junior varsity 1600 meter race during the MCAL Track Tri-meet between Archie Williams, Tam, and Redwood at Redwood High School in Larkspur, Calif. on April 18, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
William Ghalam of Redwood crosses the finish line first as the last leg of the 4x100m race during the MCAL Track Tri-meet between Archie Williams, Tam, and Redwood at Redwood High School in Larkspur, Calif. on April 18, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
William Mulliken of Archie Williams crosses the finish line in the boys 1,600 meter race during the MCAL Track Tri-meet between Archie Williams, Tam, and Redwood at Redwood High School in Larkspur, Calif. on April 18, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Ben Vaughn takes part in the shot put during the MCAL Track Tri-meet between Archie Williams, Tam, and Redwood at Redwood High School in Larkspur, Calif. on April 18, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Sophia Perry of Redwood competes in the girl's high jump during the MCAL Track Tri-meet between Archie Williams, Tam, and Redwood at Redwood High School in Larkspur, Calif. on April 18, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Thomas Bartram of Tamalpais jumps in the long jump during the MCAL Track Tri-meet between Archie Williams, Tam, and Redwood at Redwood High School in Larkspur, Calif. on April 18, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Runners take off from the start line in the boys 1,600 meter race during the MCAL Track Tri-meet between Archie Williams, Tam, and Redwood at Redwood High School in Larkspur, Calif. on April 18, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
The final showdown of the regular season proved to be an exciting setup for the postseason.
After four hours of competition, the MCAL boys championship came down to the final race of the day: the 4×400 relay. With Redwood leading Archie Williams by two points, both teams needed to win the event. The Giants — with William Ghalam, Finn Nelson, Paolo Guerrero and Justin Sherm — pushed hard from the start to claim the win and the title.
The entire season led up to this one meet with Redwood, Tam and Archie Williams all undefeated and tied for first place. Redwood’s boys came out on top Thursday on its home track as the Giants beat Archie Williams, 76-65, and beat Tam, 91-49. Archie WIlliams placed second with an 83-58 advantage over Tam.
Redwood’s girls beat Tam, 87-54, and beat Archie Williams, 99-42. Tam finished ahead of Archie Williams, 99-41.
“This is the most competitive meet, and it’s the last league meet of the season,” said Will Mulliken of Archie Williams after winning the boys 1,600 (4:19.94). “I wanted to throw down a time that I was happy with, just to give me some good confidence going into the postseason.”
Mulliken also won the 800 (1:58.47) from start to finish. The Falcons also won the 4×800 relay.
Redwood High’s Marley Nacco caught up to Archie Williams’ Ani Stieg after the runners rounded the third turn and finished first line by a foot in the girls 1,600.
The Giants’ Ruby Hauth won the 100 hurdles handily, after which Antonio Bayon earned his second win of the day in the boys 110 hurdles (15.71). Redwood’s Sydney Middleton won the girls 300 hurdles (50.86) and Tam’s Shea Sorcher won the boys 300 hurdles (41.68).
Bayon started the event with a win in the pole vault with a personal best mark of 14 feet, 7 inches. He also won the high jump (5’10”) and triple jump (42’1”). Archie Williams’ Aiden Stieg won the long jump (19’5”).
“I definitely get more nervous in in the hurdles,” Bayon said. “I can see my competition right next to me in the hurdles, but with the pole vault, it’s just a bar, it’s just an obstacle that I have to get over.”
Ghalam won the 200 (22.40) ahead of three Archie Williams runners, and placed first in the 400 (49.65).
The Giants’ Tatum McPeek was breathless after a stellar run to win the girls 400. She also won the 200 and ran with the winning 4×400 and 4×100 relay teams. Redwood’s girls Annalise Horn won the 100.
Tam’s Emma Gardner won the 800 ahead of Stieg and Nacco. The Hawks’ Ellery Barnes won the 3,200.
Redwood’s Ethan Werner won the 3,200 (9:37.85) just before going out to compete in the 4×400 with one of three Giants teams. The Giants also got wins in the 100 from senior Anthony Cleary (11.48), and in the 4×100 relay.
Redwood’s Holden Turner won the shot put (43’8.5”), while the Falcons’ Alex Rossi won the discus (87’3”).
