A sampling from the first all-comers of the new year:
Ariyonna Augustine (Long Beach Poly) is the CIF-State defending champion in the 100m and 200m. The LSU-bound sprinter posted a day's best 7.71 seconds in a 60-meter race heat that included top boys Christian Moore (Oaks Christian) and Kenyon Reed (Long Beach Poly). Moore posted 7.08, the slowest of his three tries at the distance and Reed, at 7.23, also posted the slowest of his three 60m attempts.
Augustine, who is getting herself into winter form for the 2018 Simplot Games on Feb. 15-17 at Idaho State University, ran two heats of the 60m (7.79 in her warmup), once at 300m (40.6) and ran the second leg on the 4x200 that included Carson transfer Saundria Martin on lead-off.
Moore, one of the elite returning sprints in CA, posted 60m times of 7.03, 7.05 and 7.08. Anthony Johnson (Long Beach Poly) also dropped a 7.08.
Chase Wells (Oxnard), who won the 300m at the Winter State Championships last February, quickly challenged his state-winning time (34.24) with a strong 34.79 after trekking to the LBC from Ventura County. Wells, a two-time CIF-SS Masters Meet qualifier in the 400, showed off his speed range with a 7.09 60m at Poly's Dec. 16 all-comers.
Bailey Jones (Palisades Charter) won both heats of the boys 60m hurdles, 8.54 and 8.56. Collin Hurd had the top all-comers time in that event among returners at 8.53.
Jazmyne Frost (Gardena Serra) prepped for another winter of travel to top meets (Washington, Idaho and New York) with 60m times of 7.77 and 7.79. She ran the first half of a 300 so fast that the folks in the stands and the athletes on the infield groaned when she pulled up at 150 as planned.
Milana Malec, a junior at Irvine Woodbridge, showed off her versatility winning heats in the 60m (8.41), 300m (NT) and 600m (1:40.06). It's a shame they didn't get a time on her 300, which looked like a keeper. She is a two-tme CIF-SS Division 2 finalist at 400m.