Fourteen area athletes earned All-America status at the recent United States of  America Track and Field Junior Olympics, held last week at Cerritos  College in Southern California.

Leading  the way was Hanford High School junior Jonathan Allen, competing  unattached, cleared 14 feet, 9 inches, to win the Boys 15-16 pole vault title.

Meanwhile  Chiawana senior Sawyer Chubb — competing for the Spokane Speed Academy —  was part of the winning Women’s 17-18 4x400 relay team. The Spokane  team finished in 3:43.41 to earn the gold medal.

Chubb was also named an All-American in the Women’s 17-18 400 meters, as she placed sixth in 55.15 seconds.

Two distance runners — Kamiakin’s Jaycee Jenkins and Richland’s Jett Hansen — earned All-America status in two events.

Jenkins  finished third in the Girls 15-16 1500 meters with a time of 4:39.11;  and she finished fourth in the Girls 15-16 800 meters in 2:15.31.

Hansen placed fifth in the Girls 15-16 1500 meters in 4:40.75, and was fifth in the Girls 15-16 3000 meters in 10:24.94.

Jenkins and Hansen compete for the Tri-City Thunder track team.

Tim  Balderston, a student at West Valley-Yakima competing for the Tri-City  Thunder, placed third in the Boys 15-16 decathlon, scoring 5,214 points.

Charissa  Orange, competing for the Tri-City Thunder while attending McLoughlin  Middle School in Pasco, finished third in the Girls 13-14 shot put with a  toss of 43 feet, 7.25 inches.

Three area athletes earned All-America status in the javelin.

Chiawana’s Gavin Naef, competing unattached, placed fifth in the Boys 17-18 event with a throw of 163 feet even.

Connell’s  Remington Eppich placed sixth in the Girls 15-16 event with a toss of  111-5; and Connell’s Benjamin Naef finished sixth in the Boys 17-18  event with a throw of 155-6.

Southridge’s William Pettijohn finished fifth in the Boys 15-16 high jump event with a leap of 6 feet, 0.5 inches.

Eppich, Benjamin Naef and Pettijohn all competed for the Tri-City Thunder.

Finally,  the Thunder’s Boys 17-17 4x400 relay team of Landon Maltos  (Southridge), Alex Arrieta (Kennewick), Gunner Smith (Kamiakin) and Ryan  Allen (Hermiston) placed sixth with a time of 3:19.82.