Rivalries bring out the best at the CCS Track & Field finals

Since the two played in different leagues, they never met on the football field. Their stars collided in the track and field throwing circles, however, and the two sure did stoke quite the friendly rivalry.

“We’re always talking,” Usher said. “Half these guys (we compete against are from) private schools. We’re all public.”

While the private school throwers topped the podium in both disciplines — Mitty senior Isaac Duran won the CCS boys’ discus title at 164 feet flat, and Serra senior Luke Lewis won the boys’ shot put title with a PR of 61-10 — Usher and Fitzgerald were in the mix, particularly in the discus.

Usher and Fitzgerald finished in second and third place, respectively, in the discus. Usher was just off Duran’s top mark with a second-place throw of 162-8. Fitzgerald was right behind Usher in third place at 162-4.

It’s been a recurring theme this season, as the rivals — who will turn teammates next year, as both are expected to be on the College of San Mateo track and field roster in 2026 — finished 1-2 in the PAL championships in both disciplines. Usher claimed the PAL discus title with a 167-5, and doubled up in the shot put at 53-9. Fitzgerald took second in both, with a PR of 166-1 in discus, and a 51-3 in shot put.

“As throwers, we’re always trying to build off each other,” Usher said, “and I think during competitions when we actually see each other throw, versus just looking at each others marks online, you feel the competition more, you get fueled. It’s awesome.”

In CCS shot put, Fitzgerald, along with younger brother Yianni, finished just off the podium. Emmanuel Fitzgerald took eighth, but PR’ed at 55-6. Yianni Fitzgerald — a junior who in the fall earned PAL Ocean Division Defensive Player of the Year honors in football — also PR’ed with a ninth-place throw of 52-11.

Hillsdale embraces

crosstown rivalry with Serra

When Hillsdale junior Jonas Bell took the baton for the anchor leg of the CCS boys’ 4x100 relay, it renewed a rivalry with Serra that began March 15 at the St. Francis Invitational.

At St. Francis, Hillsdale ran to the meet championship in 42.95, with Serra finishing second in 43.25. But Serra has been improving in the event all season. So, when the Padres took second place at the West Catholic Athletic League finals May 9 with a sub-42 time of 41.94, Hillsdale took notice.

“That really put them on the radar for us,” Bell said. “And we wanted to make a statement in our PAL meet.”

Hillsdale did just that, as the 4x100 team of Noah Nues, Sineth Andrabadu, Kingston Hua and Bell claimed the PAL championship May 10 with a 42.12. The time re-broke the Hillsdale record in the event for a third time this season. Andrabadu, Hua, Bell and Trajan King initially broke the program record last season at the CCS finals with a 42.33.

Still, the Fighting Knights foursome knew they probably had to run a sub-42 at this year’s CCS finals to compete with Serra. While Serra’s Henley, Aidan Labrador, Nate Coughlin and Aidan Buret did not disappoint, winning the CCS championship with a Serra program record of 41.44, Hillsdale took second place, running a sub-42 for the first time in program history at 41.81.

“It’s been crazy, because I think it’s pushed us all to run faster knowing that we wanted to be the best and to win,” Bell said.

Both Serra and Hillsdale will have the chance to run together in the 4x100 at the CIF State Track & Field Championships, with the preliminaries held Friday at Buchanan High School in Clovis. And, like Serra, Hillsdale has been trending with better times week after week throughout the postseason.

“I think it’s really good,” Bell said of Hillsdale’s relay team. “I think we mesh really well in the relay, and there’s no real hiccups once we got everything ironed out. It’s been really good.”