CIF State Meet Preview: Running Events

4x100 Meter Relays

Girls Favorite: Carson (LA) 45.90
Leading Contenders: Calabasas (SS) 46.02 & Santa Margarita (SS) 46.28
State Meet Record: St. Bernard (SS) 44.70 1997

The Carson (LA) girls won the team championship last year paced by their sprinters. They started the team scoring by winning this event and will hope to do so again on Saturday. They recorded the fastest time at all section finals (46.13) and also own the fastest time during the season at the Arcadia Invitational (45.90). Their main competition will come Southern Section Masters champion, Calabasas. They ran 46.45 and have a season best of 46.02 at the SS Division 3 finals. Santa Margarita (SS) gave Calabasas all they can handle at the SS Masters meet and will contend as well. The best team from the north will once again come from the North Coast Section championship team of Bishop O'Dowd (47.06).

Boys Favorite: Rancho Verde (SS) 40.29
Leading Contenders: Oaks Christian (SS) 41.37, Paraclete (SS) 41.46 & Kimball (SJS) 41.51
State Meet Record: Hawthorne (SS) 40.24 1989

The strong favorites to win this race are the Rancho Verde (SS) boys. They ran an eye popping 40.29 at the Inland Valley League finals which puts them as CA #4 on the all-time list trailing only three legendary SS teams, Long Beach Poly 40.14 1999, Hawthorne 40.24 1999 and Muir 40.28 1997. Their season best time has them US #5 but only one team has broken 40 seconds this year. As you can see above, no California team has ever accomplished that feat so will we be witnessing history here? Keeping Rancho Verde honest will be the SS Masters second place team, Oaks Christian (41.27). The Paraclete (SS)-41.46 boys are hoping to navigate their graduation and the state prelims in a helicopter but may also need the helicopter to keep up with Rancho Verde. The best team from the north will be Kimball (SJS), the Sac-Joaquin Section Masters champion with a season best of 41.51.