Running in separate heats in the Division 1 prelims, two girls' 4x100 teams ran almost identical times: Walnut (46.61) and Upland (46.65). Of course, Long Beach Poly is lurking, having run 46.02 on the season, as is Eleanor Roosevelt with their 46.10. Throw in Upland's season best of 46.06, and it seems clear that it will take sub-46 to win the race. With Arcadia and Los Alamitos also sporting sub-47 times, this is going to be a barn-burner of a final race!
With 4 girls in the division that have run between 55 and 56 seconds, the 400 should be highly competitive. Ashley Willingham (Los Alamitos) showed that she's ready to peak for the Championship Season by posting her season best of 55.12 in the prelims last weekend. Shamaya Flanagan (Quartz Hill) has run 55.60, while Taylor Smith (Eleanor Roosevelt) and Jalyn Harris (Rancho Cucamonga) are both under 56. Lurking in the 3rd spot after prelims is Tunika Onnekikami (Palos Verdes Peninsula), who ran sub-55 last spring.
Cassi Durgy (Huntington Beach) has the top seed in the 800 at 2:10.10, but she is far from a lock to win. Jacquelyn Hill (Etiwanda) and Katherine Izzo (Los Alamitos) have both broken 2:11 this season, and Rylee Penn (Centennial) ran a season best of 2:11.50 in the prelims. One thing seems certain: if these girls really race this weekend, several will go under 2:10.
With Courtney Davis (Eleanor Roosevelt) unable to advance from the prelims, the 100 Dash is wide open. Amanda Van Buren (Vista Murrieta) has the top seed and the best wind-legal time, but Ariyonna Augustine (Long Beach Poly) and teammate Maya Perkins have big wind-aided times, and there are 2-3 more girls that could factor in as well.
There is no clear favorite in the long jump, with Lovie Burleson (Vista Murrieta) coming in with the top seed by virtue of her season best of 19' 4.25". Destiny Longmire (Rancho Verde) and Zhane Smith (Long Beach Poly) have also been further than 19 feet, and there are 4 more jumpers in the division that have been over 18' 6".
Athletes to Watch
Destiny Collins (Great Oak) looks really strong in the 1600, having posted a season best of 4:47.33 in the prelims last week. She has also run 10:19 for 3200 this season, and you get the sense she hasn't come close to maxing out in either race yet.
There won't be any other individual athlete in this meet that's as dominant in her events as Jasmyne Graham (Eleanor Roosevelt) is in the hurdles. She has 6 tenths of a second on the next-best 100 Hurdles, Jada Hicks (Upland), and they are the only two girls under 14 seconds. Graham is an even bigger favorite in the 300 Hurdles with her US #9 mark of 41.92, although Sharde Robinson (Mira Costa) ran 42.70 in the prelims.
Skyler Daniel (Upland) has the best high jump mark in the division this season at 5' 8", with Taylor Eddleman (Huntington Beach) right behind her at 5' 7".
Interestingly, several vaulters either deliberately stopped at 10' 6" or failed to clear 11 feet last week, although Claire Kao (Dana Hills) is the clear favorite with her season best of 12 feet.
Burleson had the top prelim mark in the triple jump, but Ciynamon Stephenson (Great Oak) has a season best of 40' 3" (over a foot beyond Burleson's best).
Kendall Mader (Newbury Park) is the top seed in the shot put and discus, and she will be hard to beat in both (particularly the discus).
