LOS GATOS >> Whether Santa Cruz High senior Eli Fitchen-Young has a good showing or not at an out-of-town track and field competition, it has become a thing for his mom, Kim, to blare ABBA’s Dancing Queen on the car stereo and the family to sing along.

Well, the family was likely crooning on the car ride home Saturday, after Fitchen-Young produced Santa Cruz County’s lone win at the CCS Top 8 Invitational at Los Gatos High.

Not only did Fitchen-Young take first place in a thrilling 800-meter race in 1:52.13, he set a new personal best in the distance. And, when Fitchen-Young sets a PR, that, more often than not, means he also broke his previous school record. That’s exactly what he did.

Blow out those car speakers, mom. “You are the dancing queen.”

“We always play it, no matter the race, no matter how it turns out,” Fitchen-Young said. “We don’t go all out for it, but that’s a good tradition.”

Carmel senior Mack Aldi led early. But Fitchen-Young overtook him with about 300 meters to go. Aldi briefly surged ahead with about 200 remaining, but Fitchen-Young quickly returned to the lead and both turned in sensational kicks down the home stretch. Aldi took second in 1:52.74.

Fitchen-Young has the top times in the CCS this season in the 800 and 1,600 (4:05.14). He also has his name next to school records in nine different events, including seven individual events.

Fitchen-Young said the records are important to him.

“Yes. If someone has them, I want to go for them. If someone doesn’t have them, I want to get better than I was yesterday,” he said.

Scotts Valley junior Aaron Weiss took fifth in 1:55.71, Aptos sophomore Sam Hansen took sixth in 1:56.09, Mariners junior Brady Bliesner took seventh in 1:56.15, and MVC junior Conor Gilliam took 12th in 1:58.81.

Fitchen-Young was poised to show well for himself after posting a disappointing finish in the 3,000 at the prestigious Arcadia Invitational on April 12. Boxed in for most of the race, he took 33rd place.

“It’s been great,” Fitchen-Young said. “Definitely, I’ve hit some good goals and that gives me a lot of confidence going into the rest of the season that I can run even faster. That’s the biggest thing is this confidence boost. After last week I really needed that. I’m super stoked. “

• Aptos senior Logan Brantley also had a big day by posting a pair of top-five finishes. He took second in the discus (157 feet, 9 inches) despite being more then 12 feet shy of his career best. He also took fourth in the shot put (56-3) to better his previous school record of 55-8.5.

“Two medals, I’ve very excited about that,” Brantley said. “I just got to keep building from here. I’m super inspired for upcoming meets. League finals and CCS. I want to make it to state. From there, you go to nationals. I’m ready for it all.”

• Soquel senior Logan Walters took third in the pole vault after clearing 14-0, a new career high and the fourth-best mark in school history. He also took 12th in the 100 in 10.98, the second-fastest time in school history behind Jordan McCord’s 10.81 finish in 2023.

Soquel junior Ben Comilang took third in the triple jump with a mark of 45-4, which bettered his school record by 1.5 inches.

Pajaro Valley senior Izaak Ocampo took third in the long jump with a leap of 22-4, which bettered his school record by one inch.

Harbor senior Luke Wyland took sixth in the 400 in 49.86 to break his own school record. His previous best of 50.30 was set last week at the 34th Bill Kearney Invitational. MVC senior Joshua Tepoorten took ninth in 50.43, a Mustangs’ school record.

• Aptos senior Casey MacConnell took sixth in the long jump (21-4.50) and tied for ninth in the high jump (5-10).

MacConnell wasn’t pleased with his showing, but is poised to turn a negative into a positive.

“It’s good to have a bad meet so I can get that energy for the next meets and fire it up,” MacConnell said.

Scotts Valley (Jackson Stull, William von Haunalter, Nate McKeon, and Aaron Weiss) took ninth in the 4×800 in 8:24.24, the fifth-best time in Falcons’ history.

Soquel (Django Diallak, Tyler Harway, Logan Walters, and Ben Comilang) took 11th in the 4×100 relay in 43.60, and Aptos (Damian Suchil, Casey MacConnell, Deric Moren, and Scott Catesi) took 15th in 43.91.

St. Abraham’s junior Bryson Trent took 12th in the high jump (5-8), and Soquel senior Tomas Church took 13th (5-8).

Watsonville senior Nathaniel Aceves-Aguilar took 13th in the triple jump (41-1), St. Francis junior Jacob Jimenez took 18th (39-7.5), and Sharks junior Coy Jordan took 19th (38-6).

MVC (Boston Ashe, Gavin Beckmen, Conor Gilliam, and Joshua Tepoorten) took 14th in the 4×400 in 3:35.01.

Watsonville junior Lisandro Pantoja took 18th in the discus (128-4), and Wildcatz senior Nathaniel Aceves-Aguilar took 19th (125-9).

Girls

San Lorenzo Valley senior Naomi Seastrom took second in the 300 hurdles in 45.04, the second-best mark in school history, and placed sixth in the 100 hurdles (16.42), the fifth-best time in school history.

Two events, two PRs.

Seastrom said she had a major breakthrough by three-stepping over the first two hurdles in the 100, instead of four-stepping. She had another breakthrough in the 300.

“Last the few weeks we’ve had 300s and I was trying to break 46 (seconds). Today was my day. Second and half PR, basically,” Seastrom said. “What I’ve been working on, especially during spring break, is really driving my arms, and just really attacking. Last week, I did that and did quite get that goal, but, today, I knew it was my day.”

Santa Cruz senior Heidi Green, who will compete for Santa Clara University next season, took third in the 800 in 2:16.18. Scotts Valley junior Dylan Turzak took 12th in 2:21.49.

“I’m still kinda working on my kick, coming back from injury,” Green said. “I lost some of the speed I used to have. I’ve been going to a new level, I’d say, in the last 100. The last 100 I feel like I’ve been pushing harder than I ever have before.”

Archbishop Mitty senior Evangeline “Evie” Marheineke, a Santa Cruz resident, took fourth in the 3,200 in 10:54.46. MVC senior Kylie Brunelli took sixth in a school-record 11:02.73, Santa Cruz freshman Isla Roake took 11th in 11:18.36, and Watsonville senior Katelynn Ruiz took 15th in 11:32.72.

SLV senior Orea Pollock took fourth in the high jump (5-0).

• Scotts Valley junior Ava Decleve took fifth in the 400 in 57.58. Aptos sophomore Bella Hartnett took 10th in 58.31, the fourth-best mark in school history and a mere 1.20 seconds behind the top mark, set by Olympian Nikki Hiltz as a senior in 2013.

“I’ve been stuck in the 59s, so I really wanted low 58s and that’s what I got,” said Hartnett, noting the 400 is her favorite distance. “

Scotts Valley (Dylan Turzak, Jennifer Brownfield, Violet McCutchen, and Ava Decleve) took fifth in the 4×800 in 10:03.80.

Santa Cruz sophomore Joy Roberts took seventh in the 100 in 12.56, and ninth in the 200 in 25.38, which bettered her previous school record of 25.46.

“I still have work to do, but I think I did fine,” said Roberts, after the 100, her first race.

Roberts figured she’d go fast in the 200.

“I think I should PR because I’m running against the fastest girl in CCS,” she said. “So, I’m hoping I will, but we’ll see.”

• Aptos (Siena Black, Bella Hartnett, Izzy Graff, and Myla Appleby) took fifth in the 4×100 relay in 49.97, the fourth-best mark in Mariners’ history, and Santa Cruz (Francesca Garces, Joy Hilldale, Amelia Palm, Joy Roberts) took 10th in 50.93.

Watsonville senior Jocelyn Guzman took eighth in the 300 hurdles (47.67).

Aptos (Myla Appleby, Natasha Newcombe, Siena Black, and Izzy Graff) took eighth in the 4×400 relay in 4:06.40, the fourth-best time in school history.

Santa Cruz senior Meilia Nee tied for eighth in the pole vault (10-0).

St. Francis junior Peyton Orradre took ninth in the 100 in a school-record 16.79 and 11th in the triple jump (34-0.5) with the second-best mark in school history.