Track and Field
St. Francis Track and Field
7-Time Sac-Joaquin Section Champions
2002, 2003, 2004, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015
18-Time league Champions
1987, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
2018 Track and Field Highlights
- Sophomore Isabella Palchak made the CIF State meet for the first time in her career. She qualified by finishing third at the Section Masters meet. She also won the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I meet with a season-best 5-7 clearance to record the second-best jump in school history and won the Delta League title this year. She was the Troubadours only representative at the state meet. She did not record a height in the final.
- St. Francis finished seventh at Sac-Joaquin Section Division 1 meet with 24 points.
2018 Track and Field Highlights
- Sophomore Isabella Palchak made the CIF State meet for the first time in her career. She qualified by finishing third at the Section Masters meet. She also won the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I meet with a season-best 5-7 clearance to record the second-best jump in school history and won the Delta League title this year. She was the Troubadours only representative at the state meet. She did not record a height in the final.
- St. Francis finished seventh at Sac-Joaquin Section Division 1 meet with 24 points.
Lacrosse Named Sac-Joaquin Section Academic Team Champion; Track and Field Second
LODI, Calif. – The St. Francis varsity lacrosse team was named the Sac-Joaquin Section Academic Team Champion for the 2018 spring campaign.
“We are a well-rounded group of people,” said Head Coach Julia Southard about her team. “The best athletes are good at other things and this show these girls are working hard in the classroom. I am really proud of this achievement.”
The Troubadours posted a combined 3.389 grade point average to edge Oak Ridge (3.354) for the sport title. St. Francis lost to Oak Ridge in the SVL playoffs and North Coast Section playoffs.
Sophomore Isabelle Palchak Wins High Jump at Section Meet
ELK GROVE, Calif. – Sophomore Isabella Palchak won the Sac-Joaquin Section high jump title Wednesday night with a personal-best clearance of 5-7 to highlight a great first day at the meet. It was the second-best jump in school history to only Karen Lysaght, who won the state title in 1980 with a clearance of 6-0.
“It feels really good,” said Palchak. “I had so much help from Coach Lynda (Shadman) and support from my teammates and the other coaches.”
Track and Field Takes Third at Delta League Finals
ELK GROVE, Calif. – The St. Francis track and field team finished third at the Delta League Finals and qualified numerous student-athletes into the Sac-Joaquin Section Trials on Wednesday.
“We did pretty good,” said Head Coach Rod Jett. “The girls that ran today ran well.”
The Troubadours advanced both relays with 4×100m relay (Reyna
Johnson, Chanel Grimes, Saniyah Williams, Isabelle Grassel)
placing third in 49.70, while the 4×400-meter relay was fourth
with Haley Silva, Isabelle Rudis, Grimes and Yahsmeene Duffey
placing fourth in 4:14.33
Track and Field Second Entering Delta League Finals
Elk Grove, Calif. – The St. Francis track and field team was led by pole vault champion Meghan Ladd in scoring 18 points Friday in the opening day of the Delta League Championships. The Troubadours scored 18 points on the night in three finals and advanced 18 student-athletes in the trials to next week’s finals.
Ladd won the pole vault with a clearance at 10-11 and the Troubadours received a fourth-place finish by Isabelle Rudis in the triple jump (34-9.25) and sixth-place by Sarah Healey in the shot put (29-7) in finals contested Friday.
Track and Field’s Ladd Breaks School Record, Palchak Wins Fifth High Jump
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Sophomore Meghan Ladd set a St. Francis school record Friday night at the Bronco Distance Carnival with a 12-0 clearance in the pole vault, breaking a 16-year old record. She broke the mark held by alumnae Laura Huarte (11-9, 2002) and equaled by Ingrid Kantola (11-9, 2004).
In other action at the Bella Vista meet, sophomore Haley Silva placed fourth in the 800 meters with a personal-best 2:19.96. She also placed fifth in the 3200.
Track and Field Dominates Field Events at Husky
ELK GROVE, Calif. – The St. Francis track and field team had three event winners at the Husky Invitational on Saturday.
Sophomore Meghan Ladd cleared a personal-best 11-6 to win the pole vaulty, tied for the second-best mark in school history and three inches off the school record. Sophomore Isabella Palchak cleared 5-3 in the high jump for a new personal best mark to win her event, while Isabelle Grassel leaped 17-2 to win the long jump ahead of third-pace finisher Isabelle Rudis with a personal-best 16-7. Rudis was also third in the high jump and triple jump.
Alumna LaRocco Finishes 13th at USATF Championships 10K
SACRAMENTO, CALIF. – Alumna Lauren LaRocco ‘14 finished 13th in the 10,000 meters with a time of 33:41.08 at the USATF Championships on Thursday at Sacramento State.
“My goal was to start really conservative,” said LaRocco. “I did not know how I would feel coming down from altitude. I really tried to run my own race and slowly pick off girls. I think I did a pretty good job of it and I was close to one of them at the end.”
Track’s Meaghan Rogers to Compete for American River College
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Recent graduate Meaghan Rogers ’17 will continue her track and field career at American River College this fall after a standout out career for the Troubadours.
Track and Field Season Ends at Masters
ELK GROVE, Calif. – The St. Francis track and field team posted eight top-10 finishes and advanced nine competitors to the finals at the Sac-Joaquin Section Finals Friday night.
“The standards at St. Francis are so high for us it is a disappointment to not make it to the state meet,” said Head Coach Rod Jett. “Everyone that ran today, ran well and at or near their seasons bests. This meet has such a high caliber of competition. We had a lot of good marks and personal-bests. It was a great season.”
Sophomore Isabelle Grassel Finishes 11th in Long Jump
ELK GROVE, Calif. – Sophomore Isabelle Grassel has been flying far lately, resulting in a berth in the Sac-Joaquin Section Masters meet. But she almost never started taking off.
“I was not jumping what I wanted to earlier in the season,’ said Grassel. “I was thinking about quitting (jumping). I finally got what I wanted at Delta and made it to sections. You have to never give up. When your season is not going as you wanted it to, you can’t give up. You have to keep going because it could change.”
Track and Field Sets Stage at Masters Trials
ELK GROVE, CALIF. – The St. Francis Troubadours will run in five individual events and the 4×100-meter relay on Friday seeking berths in the CIF State Track and Field Championships after qualifying at the Sac-Joaquin Section Masters on Thursday.
Ladd Soaring in the Pole Vault
ELK GROVE, Calif. – When your meet ends with a phone call with an Olympian, you probably had a pretty good day. That is what happened to St. Francis freshman Meghan Ladd, who talked to Olympic Gold medalist Stacy Dragila Friday night.
“I don’t know (how it happened) but it was really exciting,” said Ladd. “I have seen her YouTube videos of her winning the Olympics. It was really exciting. I did not believe it at first.”
Track and Field Finishes Third at Section Meet
ELK GROVE, Calif. – The St. Francis track and field team finished third at the Sac-Joaquin Section Championships as a host of Troubadours advanced to the Masters meet next week.
“We had lots of personal and season bests and that is how you want to perform at this meet when everyone is peaking,” said Head Coach Rod Jett. “We had a lot of people advance to next week and we will come back again next week and do it again. It will be interesting and fun.”
Wilson Finishes T10th at CIF State Diving Championship
FRESNO, Calif. – St. Francis junior Molly Wilson finished tied for 10th at the 2017 CIF State Diving Championships on Friday, posting a personal-best 464.75 for her 11 dives.
Wilson is the second Troubadour to represent St. Francis at the State meet and the first to qualify in consecutive seasons. She won the Sac-Joaquin Section title for the second consecutive season to earn her spot.
She scored 6.5 points for her team, insuring them a place among the final rankings at the state championships.
Track and Field Posts Strong First Day at Sections
ELK GROVE, Calif. – The St Francis track and field team was successful in their goal for the day – advancing to Friday’s finals and setting up several Masters meet runs.
The Troubies were led by their senior leaders in the sprints and hurdles. Meaghan Rogers advanced in both the 100 and 200 meters, while Elizabeth Hennessy was a double qualifier in the 100m and 300m hurdles.
Track and Field Finishes Second at Delta League Champs
DAVIS, Calif. – The St. Francis track and field team finished second at the Delta League finals Friday at Davis Senior High School. The Troubadours qualified several student-athletes to the Sac-Joaquin Section championships next week.
“No matter what place we get, I like to see our girls come out and see everyone try their best,” said senior captain Meaghan Rogers. “It is the last meet we all come together and see what we can do.”
Track and Field Advances 10 from Trials
DAVIS, Calif. – The St. Francis track and field team set the stage for an exciting final next week with strong performances in the Delta League Trials Friday at Davis High School. The Troubies qualified nine athletes in 13 events and scored 11 points in the first three event finals.
Hennessy Breaks 300m Hurdles Record at MOC
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Senior Elizabeth Hennessy broke the school record in the 300-meter hurdles Saturday, clocking a 43.91 at the Meet of Champions at American River College. She broke the mark of 44.17 by Amanda Schnabel in 2013, improving on her personal-best of 44.37.