Three Templeton athletes compete at state track meet

– This weekend, Templeton High School will send three athletes to compete in the California State CIF Track and Field Championships. The athletes, Keani Neuhs, Josh Bell, and Frannie Perry, earned their spots through their performances at the CIF Masters last weekend.

Frannie Perry, a junior, qualified by taking third place in the 3200 meters at the Masters competition. Perry was the Ocean League champion in the 800 meters as a freshman and the Ocean League champion in the 1600 meters and CIF Division II champion in the 800 meters as a sophomore. This year, she was the SLO County Champion in the 3200 meters and the CIF Division III champion in the 1600 meters.

Josh Bell qualified by winning the 3200 meters at the CIF Masters. Bell is a two-time CIF Division III champion in the 1600 meters and a three-time Division III champion in the 3200 meters. He holds several school records, including the 800 meters, 1500 meters, 1600 meters, 1 mile, 3000 meters, 3200 meters, and 5000 meters. He also holds Cross Country school records in the 2 mile, 4K, 3 mile, and 5K distances. According to the CIF Central Section Track historian, Bell ran the fastest 3200 meters/2 mile run in the 107-year history of the Central Section at the Arcadia Invitational earlier this year.

Keani Neuhs qualified by winning the 800 meters at the CIF Masters. Neuhs is a three-time league champion in the 400 meters and a two-time league champion in the 800 meters. She is a member of the THS 4×400 relay team, which has won three league championships and two CIF championships. Neuhs was the CIF runner-up for the last two years in the 400 meters, losing both times to her teammate Kennedy McAdoo.

Both Perry and Neuhs will compete in preliminary heats on Friday to qualify for Saturday’s finals. Bell will run in the finals on Saturday.