CIF State Meet Day 1 Highlights

Events That Will Be EXTRA On Day 2

The girls 100 is going to be hot like fire, as an acquaintance of mine likes to say. The top 4 girls all ran within 0.06 of each other, with Jasmin Reed leading the way at 11.51. When they actually race side-by-side, we can all hope for some 11.4's (which would be US top 10 if wind-legal). Even more exciting: any of the four could win, and the race could come down to something as small as a slightly slow start or a tightening of the arms late in the race. Deanna Nowling, Ariyonna Augustine, and Kierra King all have just as good a chance to win gold as Reed.

The boys 100 is also going to be fun, but it's the boys 200 that REALLY looks like it's going to be intense. The 9 qualifiers to the final all ran between 21.19 and 21.66 in the prelims! They were working hard, too, and that gives us an even better indication that the final is going to be extremely competitive.

One team's loss is another team's gain, and with Rancho Verde out of the 4x100, the race is more open than expected. Oaks Christian looks like the favorite after a season best of 41.09, but the rest of the qualifiers also ran well, posting marks between 41.31 and 41.77.

While you're watching the races, keep an eye on the girls high jump. The top 8 athletes all cleared both 5' 2" and 5' 4" on single attempts, showing that they're ready to go much higher. The field was already crowded with two 5' 10" jumpers and a 5' 9" girl, and that didn't even include the defending state champion.

The boys triple jump may be the most crowded field in a meet full of them. Every qualifier - all twelve of them - jumped at least 46 feet in prelims, including 4 young men that set season bests. The entire group is bunched within 18 inches of each other!

The girls 4x400 should be a fitting end to a great meet: 4 teams ran in the 3:46's, plus two more in the 3:48's. The final might not be that fast - the state meet is a grind - but it should be incredible to watch!