Track: First year at Clovis Buchanan is a success

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There were a lot of worries about moving the state track championships to Clovis Buchanan High for the first time this year, but the venue seemed to be a success.

The stadium is expansive--think Cal State Fullerton, with the addition of grass slopes on the far sides behind the goalposts--and the amenities were first-class. Nice automated scoreboard, beautiful grass field, plenty of room for warmups.

CIF executive director Marie Ishida said the event will be staged here for at least the next two years. One prep writer asked why it was being held here since the preponderance of athletes are from Southern California, and Ishida explained that Buchanan fielded the best bid among competing sites.

It’s hard to argue given the way things turned out the last two days. Attendance was 8,143 on Friday and 9,517 on Saturday, though longtime track writers said those numbers were down from past years.

--Ben Bolch