PHOTOS: Halden Invitational 2014

By Zach Hertz and Charlie Harris,

Bluedevilhub.com Staff–

Cloudless skies and a slight breeze set the tone for what was an enjoyable day at the Halden Invitational on April 12. 22 schools joined Davis High for an all-day meet in which almost 1,000 athletes competed in various events. Athletes came from rivals such as St. Francis and Jesuit, as well as Elk Grove, Laguna Creek, Woodland and Pioneer.

The morning started off with the “Bud” Henle 4×100 relay. The relay was named after the late Albert J. Henle, a DHS alumnus who besides being DHS’s first athletic director also held a school record in the long jump and served as head track coach.

The track was occupied by sprinters and hurdlers for the rest of the morning. Jumpers, led by coach Hideshi Okamoto for high jump and coach Leo Sacramento for long and triple, were in the pits. They vied for a win in the long, triple and high jumps but faced stiff competition from several schools.

Throwers, led by coaches Lauren Guerrieri and Ian Marrow, had their time too. Despite the slight winds, throwers excelled in both the discus and the shot put.

After a rendition of the national anthem, performed by senior Ilana Crenin, the Distance Carnival filled the afternoon.

Distance runners under coach Bill Gregg competed in the 800, 1600 and 3200 meter races that lasted well into the evening. The 1600 meter race gave junior Brian Song and sophomore Ben Roberts a chance to show their strengths, and senior Han-ah Sumner and junior Jeanne-Marie McPherson excelled in the 800.

Despite the conflict with UC Davis’s 100th Picnic Day, attendance was high for the event. Halden traditionally serves as a major fundraiser for DHS, and last year the meet raised about $9,000 for the school.