ELK GROVE, Calif. – Senior Sydney Hunter broke the 400 meter school record with a personal-best 55.88 as St. Francis advanced four finalists and both relays at the first night of the Sac-Joaquin Section track and field championships at Elk Grove High School.

“It feels amazing,” said Hunter after her record race. “I thought I was going to go out to just qualify but I qualified for Master’s and I am excited for a new school record and PR. It sets the tone for the rest of the season, especially being the championship season. It is only going up from here as I count down by final races as a St. Francis Troubadour.”

Hunter broke Chloe Jarvis’ record of 55.96 set at the 2000 Sac-Joaquin Section finals in the 400m. She finished second in her heat and qualified fifth overall heading into Friday’s finals. She also advanced to the consolation final in the 200 meters and was part of both advancing relays.

Junior Ariane Arndt also advanced in the 400 by winning her heat with a personal-best time of 56.23 and posted a time of 2:18.24 in the 800 meters to win her heat and advance third overall to Friday.

“I was pretty confident,” said Arndt, who was ranked first in the 800m and fifth in the 400m entering the meet. “I wanted to finish first so I could qualify for Friday. I was challenged at the end (in the 800) and I got a new PR in the 400m.”

Sophomore Elizabeth Hennessy clocked the fourth-best time in the 300m hurdles in winning her heat. She also qualified in the 100m hurdles in 16.57, a personal-best and the 11th-fastest time with a chance to advance to the Master’s meet next week.

“It feels good,” said Hennessy of her 300m hurdle race. “I felt pretty strong. I attacked the first hurdle and I feel like overall I ran a pretty solid race. I am excited that it is getting me further.”

The top 12 finishers overall in Friday’s races (top four in the consolation finals) advance to the next week with the finalists automatically advancing.

The St. Francis 4×400-meter relay was fifth overall with a time of 4:00.13 anchored by Hunter. Junior Lilly Enes, freshman Ava Nkadi and sophomore Katherine Gaston helped the team advance to compete for the section title.

The 4×100-meter relay (Kiani Reyna, Enes, Hunter and Arndt) cruised with a heat-winning 48.45 to advance with the third-fast time on the night.

Overall, St. Francis had four individual finalists, two relay finalists and two consolation finalists.

Two field event finals were contested Wednesday. Nicole Spring finished 10th in the triple jump and Samantha Ruggles was 14th in the shot put.

Friday’s schedule will also include the 1600 and 3200m finals featuring senior Peyton Bilo (1600, 3200), senior Miranda Myers (1600, 3200) and junior Chase Worthen (1600). Ruggles will compete in the discus (3 p.m.) and Spring will be in the long jump (5:30 p.m.). The running events start at 6 p.m.