The562’s cross country and track & field coverage is sponsored by an anonymous donation, in appreciation of Coach Ron Allice.
Millikan senior Jason Parra has accomplished so many championship and record feats in his four-year career with the Rams, it can be easy to feel like there’s not much left on the list. But the Notre Dame signee continues to push the line, and he did something that surprised even him on Saturday at the CIF-SS Track & Field Finals at Moorpark High.
Parra set a new CIF-SS Division 1 record with a winning time in the 3200, posting an 8:48.36.
“I’m super stoked, it was a surprise, I didn’t even know that I did it,” said Parra. “They were like ‘Oh you broke the record, congrats’ and I was like, ‘Oh, really?’ That was something nice to hear.”
Parra was hoping to double in the distance events but ended up coming in second in the 1600 by the slimmest of margins, putting up a 4:07.10 that was just .04 off of Beckman’s Ibzan Felix.
Parra said he’s planning on running both events at Masters next week before deciding whether to just focus on the two-mile at State the following week.
Rams senior Duke Hemsley was thrilled to put up a three-foot PR at CIF-SS Finals, and to be moving on to next week’s CIF-SS Masters Meet with a throw of 54-9.
“I came in 13th and the top 12 advance so I was crossing my fingers,” he said. “I ended up with a three-foot PR so I’m just ecstatic about it.”
Hemsley said the big performance almost came as a surprise based on how he’d been training.
“I guess it was just my day,” he said. “The week before, honestly, it wasn’t looking good. I hadn’t hit 50 in practice that whole week. But I showed up when it mattered.”
Millikan (Division 1: 3 entries)
Boys’ 1600: Jason Parra, 2nd, 4:07.10
Boys’ 3200: Jason Parra, 1st, 8:48.36
Boys’ Shot Put: Duke Hemsley, 2nd, 54-9
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