The article below originally appeared in the San Mateo Daily Journal and is being reprinted with permission.

Danielle Donohue set a College of San Mateo record in the 10,000 meters at the Northern California finals at Diablo Valley College to become the first Bulldog to advance to the state championships at CSM on May 15-16.

Following a four-year break from the sport (since her freshman year at Burlingame High), Donohue returned to running this year and clocked 41 minutes, 41.17 seconds to place fourth in the 25-lap race, which was won by Kirsti Whitmyre of De Anza in 39:59.79. The top six finishers qualified for the state finals, which will be run on May 15 at CSM.

All other NorCal championship track and field finals will take place next Friday at Diablo Valley.

CSM’s Kelly Young, the quadruple Coast Conference women’s throws champion, will be in all four events again. In the prelims, she qualified first in the shot put at 40 feet, 10 1/2 inches, had a personal best in the hammer throw (149-9) to qualify third and was second in the discus throw (119-9).

A preliminary round was not needed in the javelin throw, where Young ranks second in the state and fifth nationally at 140-2. CSM men’s thrower James Aubrey qualified third in the shot put (47-10 1/2) and fourth in the discus throw (138-7). Eric Roberson was the 11th qualifier in the long jump (20-8).

On the track, CSM freshman high hurdler Mykel Block won his heat of the 110 meter high hurdles in 13.19. In the 1,500 meters, Brandon Becerra qualified eighth (4:01.56) and Jose Montoya tenth (4:03.34) for the 12-man finals.

CSM will also have three finalists in the 5,000 meters, which did not have prelims: Becerra, Montoya and Hamza Farhki. Farhki finished 13th in the 10,000 meter finals in 34:17.05.

The Laney College women, a favorite for the state title, suffered a setback when their state-leading 4 x 100 meter relay team was disqualified for passing out of the zone. Laney still advanced its individual stars, including sprint sensation Lauryn Newson leading the 100 meters (12.02, the 200 meters (24.66) and the long jump (19-5 1/2). She produced state leading times in all three events at the Coast Conference championships at CSM and is the national leader in the long jump.&n bsp; Laney has four finalists in each of those three events.