Logan a double All-American for Giants at State Track and Field Championships

By Nick Giannandrea

COS ATHLETICS

Alyssa Logan brought a wrap to a banner school year for College of the Sequoias' athletics with a pair of All-America performances.

The sophomore out of Tulare's Mission Oak High provided the highlight to the Giants' collective effort at the California Community College Athletic Association's State Track and Field Championships at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut by placing second in the discus and fourth in the hammer throw.

The top four in each event at the state finals were named All-Americans.

"Alyssa competed at the level that we projected she would compete at," Sequoias track and field coach Kenny Jackson said. "I'm proud of her performance and proud of the way she went in and competed and gave her all in the ring."

Logan reached the state final eight podium for the first time on May 20th when she placed fourth in the hammer throw.

On the first of six attempts, Logan unleashed a throw of 149-feet, one-inch that ended up being her best of the event. It was good for second place behind Hartnell's Isabella Reimann (156-4) through four rounds.

DeAnza's Sage Coyle moved into second on her fourth attempt with a 151-9, then Reimann, Coyle and all Logan all moved down one spot when Fresno City's Ivy Duong threw  an event-winning 156-6 on her final attempt.

In the discus on May 21, Logan took the lead with a personal-record 140-5 on her second attempt, before Riverside's Alejandra Rosales uncorked an event-winning 144-5 on her fourth toss.

"It was an unbelievable experience," said Logan, who has committed to continuing her athletic and academic career at NCAA Division I Utah Valley. "It was definitely high competition, but everyone was super welcoming and cheered for everyone. That made it more of a positive environment. That's why I felt like I did so well. There was just so much positive energy when everyone was throwing."

Logan provided 13 of Sequoias' 14.5 points, helping the Giants' women's team place 21st in the state. Mt. San Antonio was the women's state team champion with 115.5 points.

Sequoias' women also received a seventh-place performance by sophomore Breanna Fraley (Tulare Western) in the pole vault with a top mark of 10-4, cleared on her fourth attempt. 

"She didn't PR, but she went out and jumped a mark that was right at her career best," Jackson said. "She performed well."

The only other Giants' female in the state finals field, freshman Aislin Taylor (Monache-Porterville), was unable to compete in the 10,000 meters because of illness. 

Taylor had some of the state's best times in the 10,000, 5,000 and 1,500 before coming down sick at the Northern California Regionals, keeping her from competing in the finals.

For Sequoias' men, Justyce Kahuanahana (Hawaii) led the way with eighth-place finishes in the 110 and 400 hurdles, and a ninth-place effort as part of the 4x100 relay team.

Kahuanahana clocked 15.04 seconds in the 110 hurdles, which was won by Riverside's Joshua Hornsby in 13.96.

Kahuanahana ran a 54.98 in the 400 hurdles. San Joaquin Delta's Josh Marlin was first in 52.75.

He set personal records in both events.

Kahuanahana also anchored the 4x100 relay, which finished in 42.29. Noah Jimenez (Kingburg) ran the leadoff leg, followed by Derrick Jones (Texas) and Zavion Battle (Ft. Myers, Fla.). All are freshmen. 

Mt. San Antonio won the race in 40.17.

"Justyce has been one of our most valuable track athletes on the men's side all season," Jackson said. "I'm very proud of him for stepping up and helping out on the relay team. And in terms of his individual performance, he did well. I believe he has a little more in him next season in terms of placing and running a little faster. The expectations for him are going to be very high next season."

The only other Giant male in the field was Adrian Barrios (Redwood), who placed 11th in the hammer throw with a toss of 133-11. American River's Chris Buck was first in 172-7.

Barrios, a sophomore, received a scholarship offer from Cal Poly Pomona following the meet, to go along with a previous offer from Chico State, according to Jackson.

Sequoias' men finished 31st in the team standings with two points. Mt. SAC won the men's team title with 224.50 points.

Looking back at the 2021-2022 school year, the Giants had qualifiers in all seven sports that offer individual state championships governed by the CCCAA: men's and women's cross country, men's and women's swimming and diving, men's and women's track and field, and women's tennis.

Among the standout individual performances were women's swimmer Jillian Lambert's state championship in the 50 free, male swimmer Joshy Peters' runner-up finish in the 200 free, and Elizabeth Gormley's run to the state quarterfinals in women's tennis.

In team sports governed by the CCCAA, Sequoias' football team earned a berth in the Valley Center Bowl (beating Merced 40-30 in overtime); women's volleyball, men's soccer, baseball and women's tennis all were selected for the NorCal Regionals, while men's and women's basketball each reached the state's Final Four.

Additionally, Sequoias' cheer and dance team and equestrian program achieved national and state honors.