Four local athletes placed in the top six of their respective events at the Sac-Joaquin Section Track and Field Division I Masters at Elk Grove on Friday. No Pitman or Turlock athletes will move on to State, however.

”I think the girls ran very well, they continued to improve and ran one of the best races of the season, they worked very well. It’s cool to get these kids taking the challenge because they earned it,” said Pitman head coach Thad Moren.

Cierra Booz placed sixth in the long jump representing the Bulldogs and jumped a season best of 17 feet, 9 inches. Mallory Patino placed eighth in the 300m hurdles with a time of 45.78.

“I am pleased that these kids got to run today, proud of the kids and how well they have done, it has been tough,” Turlock head coach Mike Brown said.

Chance Hagar and Lindsey Phillips finished in the top six spots for the Pride in the pole vault in the boys and girls events, respectively. The girls 4x100m relay team finished in sixth, with a team of Claire Littlefield, Kiana Clay, Lauren Cariaso and Kelsee Derr.

“Kelsee [Derr] did a great job overall. We will miss Kelsee and hopefully the younger kids learned from her,” Moren said. “She’s been a great asset and Derr has big spikes to fill for the upcoming kids.”

Other Pitman athletes at the finals included: Aaron Lusher, who took 15th place in the shot put; Rashel Pritchard, who placed 16th in the girls discus; Clay, who took 12th place in the 200m with a time of 25.77; Littlefield, who took the 11th in the triple jump; and Derr, who placed 9th in the 100m hurdles with a time of 15.40.

“It’s a real grind, trying to make them understand that what they accomplished to get here was great,” Moren said. “[We] must be competitive and at the end of the day they did good and next year we will be ready.”