Girls Virtual Round 1: Pittsburg vs. Norco


Seniors Trinity Bolden of Pittsburg (center at left) and hurdler Taylor Shorter of Norco were instrumental in making this one of the most competitive duals of the competition. (Credits: Pat Rhames/Patrick Corsinita)

--

This article highlights the results of first-round dual as part of the MileSplitCA March Madness Virtual Meet Tournament. Virtual meets are scored based solely on 2020 results using the standard dual meet scoring points format of 5-3-1 for individuals and 5-0 for relays. Athletes are scored in no more than four events. Teams are limited to three athletes per event. Stay with us for the entire tournament to see which boys and girls teams reign supreme in this virtual meet format.

Read more about this series.

--

No. 15 PITTSBURG (NC) vs. No. 18 NORCO (SS)

When ranking Taylor Shorter's worth to the Norco High girls track team, her contributions in the throws likely wouldn't make the top five.

However, in a March 5 dual against La Sierra (SS), Shorter, a nationally ranked hurdler headed to UNLV, dipped her toes into the throws pool and, through a series of unfathomable changes to all things normality, those throws marks went a long way to determining the outcome of this virtual dual track meet matchup. 

In the closest score yet of this 32-team girls bracket, No. 18 Norco edged No. 15 Pittsburg and Shorter's five-point event win in the discus throw accounted for most of the difference. 

Shorter also had a 32-09 shot put at that dual that would have scored three second-place points in this virtual but the program that scores this event limits athletes to four individual events. Shorter, who placed second in the 300m hurdles at the 2019 State Meet and fourth in the 100m hurdles last May at Buchanan HS, only scored in the 300s in this matchup.

Her 44.11 from Saddle Up on Feb. 29, an early season time that ranks CA No. 2 and is U.S. top 30, added five points to Norco's total. Shorter also added another eight points with fastest time in the 400m (57.40) and the No. 2 time in the 200m (25.20). In all, she attributed 18 individual points to Norco's total and that's without even having a 100m hurdles time on the books in 2020. 

Pittsburg was led by star senior sprinter Trinity Bolden who had the fastest times in the 100m (12.11) and 200m (24.94) and undoubtedly anchored the Pirates' winning 4x100m relay team (48.34). Her 100m time ranks CA No. 4, she's tied for No. 3 in the 200m and the relay ranks CA No. 10 for marks achieved before the 2020 outdoor season was stopped. 

Bolden's help included freshman Gabriella Hernandez with five-point wins in both the 1600m and 3200m, and junior Ariane Nelson with eight points for a first and second in the hurdles. Pittsburg won three events, including the hurdles, split the relays, but took a 17-1 hit in the throws it couldn't overcome. 

100 Meter Dash

PLACEATHLETEGRADETEAMTIMEPOINTS
1Trinity Bolden2020Pittsburg Senior High (NC)12.11 5
2Ariane Nelson2021Pittsburg Senior High (NC)12.29 3
3Samiyah Brooks2023Pittsburg Senior High (NC)12.67 1
 Show More


200 Meter Dash

PLACEATHLETEGRADETEAMTIMEPOINTS
1Trinity Bolden2020Pittsburg Senior High (NC)24.94 5
2Taylor Shorter2020Norco High School (SS)25.20 3
3Kirstin Light2020Norco High School (SS)25.93 1
 Show More


400 Meter Dash

PLACEATHLETEGRADETEAMTIMEPOINTS
1Taylor Shorter2020Norco High School (SS)57.40 5
2Kirstin Light2020Norco High School (SS)58.10 3
3Aijalon Sims2022Pittsburg Senior High (NC)1:03.46 1
 Show More


800 Meter Run

PLACEATHLETEGRADETEAMTIMEPOINTS
1Trista Michael2021Norco High School (SS)2:28.25 5
2Cassie Santillano2023Norco High School (SS)2:37.49 3
3Cindy Guzman2021Pittsburg Senior High (NC)2:40.89 1
 Show More


1600 Meter Run

PLACEATHLETEGRADETEAMTIMEPOINTS
1Gabriella Hernandez2023Pittsburg Senior High (NC)5:27.64 5
2Trista Michael2021Norco High School (SS)5:41.99 3
3Cassie Santillano2023Norco High School (SS)6:10.58 1
 Show More


3200 Meter Run

PLACEATHLETEGRADETEAMTIMEPOINTS
1Gabriella Hernandez2023Pittsburg Senior High (NC)12:08.49 5


100 Meter Hurdles

PLACEATHLETEGRADETEAMTIMEPOINTS
1Ariane Nelson2021Pittsburg Senior High (NC)18.30 5


300 Meter Hurdles

PLACEATHLETEGRADETEAMTIMEPOINTS
1Taylor Shorter2020Norco High School (SS)44.11 5
2Ariane Nelson2021Pittsburg Senior High (NC)50.26 3
3Lauren Hayatian2022Norco High School (SS)57.75 1


4x100 Meter Relay

PLACETEAMTIMEPOINTS
1Pittsburg Senior High (NC)48.34 5


4x400 Meter Relay

PLACETEAMTIMEPOINTS
1Norco High School (SS)4:19.77 5


Long Jump

PLACEATHLETEGRADETEAMMARKPOINTS
1Sharon Amoah2020Pittsburg Senior High (NC)16-11 5
2Akeelah Hasim2020Pittsburg Senior High (NC)15-9.5 3
3Anaya Block2020Pittsburg Senior High (NC)14-7 1
 Show More


Triple Jump

PLACEATHLETEGRADETEAMMARKPOINTS
1Sophia Ray2021Norco High School (SS)26-10 5


High Jump

PLACEATHLETEGRADETEAMMARKPOINTS
1Anaya Block2020Pittsburg Senior High (NC)4-4 5
2Cindy Guzman2021Pittsburg Senior High (NC)4-2 3


Pole Vault

PLACEATHLETEGRADETEAMMARKPOINTS
1Danielle Stanfield2022Norco High School (SS)8-6 5
2Ashlee Wagner2022Norco High School (SS)7-0 3


Shot Put

PLACEATHLETEGRADETEAMMARKPOINTS
1Jessie Conrad2021Norco High School (SS)33-7.5 5
2Amber Nielsen2021Norco High School (SS)30-1.5 3
3Emani Scott-jones2022Pittsburg Senior High (NC)27-9 1
 Show More


Discus

PLACEATHLETEGRADETEAMMARKPOINTS
1Taylor Shorter2020Norco High School (SS)80-2 5
2Madison Owens2020Norco High School (SS)77-8 3
3Kasey Manley2023Norco High School (SS)77-0 1
 Show More


Team Scores

PLACETEAMPOINTS
1Norco High School (SS)65
2Pittsburg Senior High (NC)57


Next: Norco will be scored against No. 2 seeded Upland (SS) in a second-round dual for a spot in the girls elite eight.