Boys Event-by-Event Preview
100 Meters (Saturday, 2:16 pm) -- Seven of California's top 10 are here in the invitational section. Yucaipa's Asani Hampton (Scott Padgett photo above) has continued to hold off all comers challenging him from within California. Taking 4th at last year's State championships, Michigan-bound Hampton is coming off a solid 10.49 victory at the Inland Empire Championships. Oaks Christian junior Cristian Moore was 5th at the '17 State Meet and has been patiently preparing for the upcoming postseason. His seasonal best is a 10.56 wind-aided effort at the Trabuco Hills Invite and is #2 under all conditions in CA while is coming off a 10.74 victory last weekend. Second in California, Christian Shakir-Ricks has been on a roll this season, coming in with a 10.53 wind legal time. The Gahr-transfer has elevated his squad into one of the best relay groups in California as well. Julius Irvin of Servite is ready to take his football skills to the Univ. of Washington and joins the group after taking the Orange County Championships last weekend. He has a best of 10.60w. One of the most improved in the state, Trabuco Hills junior Jake Burns has a 10.62w best for the season and is #7 under all conditions. Meanwhile, Tulare Union's Kazmier Allen will look to break up the Southern Section dominance here as he owns the #7 wind-legal time (10.70) in the state and brought home the victory (10.74 wind legal) at last weekend's West Coast Relays. In the seeded section, watch for 2017 Southern Section Masters Meet qualifier, Christian Grubb of Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks) who owns the #11 wind legal effort in California. Finally, Blake Hennesay of Santa Margarita (10.54w personal best) wisely opened up his season last weekend after qualifying for the 2017 State Meet Final in the 100 meters.
200 Meters (Saturday, 4:25 pm) -- Top ranked Californian, Yucaipa's Asani Hampton is coming off an impressive 21.21 solo effort last weekend to capture the Inland Empire Championships. He was a state meet finalist a year ago and driven to dip below that 21 second threshold. Hampton will be sandwiched between two men from Murrieta Mesa. Christian Shakir-Ricks (21.43) and Matthew Okonkwo (21.52) has become of one of the best 1-2 combos in the nation and are state ranked #3 and #6, respectively for wind legal marks. The junior from Trabuco Hills, Jake Burns (21.55) in currently 8th in California for wind legal readings while Kennedy (Fremont) junior Alonzo Floriolli rolled to a 21.78 mark at the Arcadia Invitational two weeks ago. Oaks Christian junior Cristian Moore was the California state runner-up in 2017 (21.12w) and is coming back after a 21.90 from two weeks ago. Moving down to Southern California from Consumnes Oaks, Long Beach Poly junior Kenyon Reed has run a best of 21.86w. Although ranked #2 in California for the 400 meters at 47.31, watch for Marin Catholic senior Max Glasser in the seeded section. Glasser opened his season in the 200 last weekend and roared to a 21.65 clocking. Four of California's top eight are in the middle of the track in the invitational section.
400 Meters (Saturday, 1:44 pm) -- The entire invitational section for this event includes those with sub-49 second credentials. Headlining is #4 state ranked Matthew Okonkwo of Murrieta Mesa. Recorded at the Arcadia Invite two weeks ago, Okonkwo had not focused on the 400 until this season. He will be pushed on both sides of him as Trinity Classical sophomore Solomon Strader owns a best of 48.09 (#6 CA) and placed 6th at last year's California State Meet (47.76) as a freshman! Emerging onto the statewide scene, Branham (San Jose) senior Adam Saleh burst forth with a 48.21 to win the West Coast Relays last weekend and is now #7. Currently 9th in the state with a 48.31, Oxnard senior Chase Wells has been a CIF-Southern Section Masters Meet qualifier the past two seasons. Serra's Makarios Page (48.50) and Harvard Westlake's Brayden Borquez (48.70) add to an already talented group. One of Arizona's best in Isaiah Colbert of Copper Canyon (Glendale, AZ) also join in with a 48.90 seasonal best. In the seeded section, watch for Gregory Lapit. The Centennial (Corona) junior continues to improve after a 48.42 effort last weekend and is #13 in California.
800 Meters (Saturday, 1:35 pm) -- Traveling in from Albuquerque, New Mexico is Volcano Vista's Jericho Cleveland. He won the Chandler Invite last month in personal best of 1:52.78. Looking to go along for the ride, California's best are led by Roosevelt senior Jackson Taylor (1:53.21). He is currently #2 in the state and finished right behind Cleveland at Chandler. Meanwhile Tesoro senior Ryan Bush is currently #5 in the state after his 1:53.55 effort at the Arcadia Invite two weeks ago. Fresh of his victory at last weekend's Orange County Championships, Mater Dei's Sam Van Dorpe dropped his personal best to a 1:53.58. Redlands' East Valley senior, Elias Opsahl has a personal best of 1:54.25 this season. He is a two-time California State Meet qualifier in the 1600 meters. Vanden junior Quinton Alexander, Bakersfield's Peter Handy and Coronado's Ian Hurlbert have also dipped below 1:55 in 2018. While this is Handy's third trip down to Southern California in the past month, he was a state meet qualifier in 2017 and gearing up to break his 1:53.35 personal best. With such a solid field, also watch for the sophomore, Jonah Hoey, who already owns a 1:56.01 indoor best. In the seeded section, the favorite is Miguel Ayala of La Puente. His 1:54.42 effort last weekend moved Ayala up to 12th in all of California. Oregon-bound Josh Hoey of Bishop Shanahan in Pennsylvania was initially expected to compete. But Hoey, who shattered the National Indoor High School Record for the 800 meters at the Boston Last Chance Invite with a mind-boggling 1:47.67, has decided to give up his high school eligibility and is not competing in the high school 800.
One Mile Run (Friday - 6:02 pm) -- In the middle of the Friday Night Relay session, sprinkled in among some of the elite distance races, the Boys' Brooks' PR Mile will feature of 24 that have all gone under 4:20 this season for the 1600 meters. Albuquerque, New Mexico's Jericho Cleveland is the strong favorite coming in. Representing Volcano Vista High, Cleveland has elevated onto the national scene with his 4:09 effort. ... Currently #3 in California, Ayala junior Andrew Martinez raced a huge personal best of 4:13.92 at the APU Meet of Champions last month. Mira Costa senior Xavier Court has placed him amongst one of the best in California with a 4:14.53 converted down to the 1600 at the same meet as Martinez. But, fresh off a new personal best of 4:13.37, Highland (Bakersfield) senior Moises Medrano possesses 1:51 800 meter speed. Menlo's Robert Miranda is #12 in California with a best of 4:15.97. Jesuit's Matt Strangio has quickly developed into one of the best sophomores in the nation and comes in with a personal best of 4:16.49. With a deep field, most of the boys entered come in with 4:17-4:19 seasonal bests.
3200 Meter Run (Friday - 6:22 pm) -- Also among the Friday night elite distance races and high school relays, the Brooks 3200 meters is held right after the sections of the Mile. El Camino Real senior and Univ. of Portland bound Justin Hazell (Ben Crawford photo above) comes in the best resume of the group. Hazell was the California Div. I State Cross Country champion this past Fall and competed at NXN In 2017, Hazell came home with a 5th place (8:54.78) state meet finish for the 3200 meters last June. Hazell was very much in control of his negative split 9:09.64 effort three weeks ago. Cathedral Catholic senior Joaquin Martinez de Pinillo put the struggles of 2017 behind him with a 9:10.07 breakthrough at the Arcadia Invite. Centennial (Corona) senior Trevor Woodward just missed qualifying for the California state meet in 2017 while the UC Berkeley bound boy brings in a 9:10.30 personal best. Meanwhile, Footlocker National Finalist, Darius Riley of Rancho Cucamonga, is looking to improve upon his 9:12.08 seasonal best. Also joining the postseason elites this past December was Rubidoux junior Kevin Ramos. Ramos was among those Californians invited to NXN and has a best of 9:12.90. Coming in from New Mexico, Kirtland Central senior Kashon Harrison produced a 9:13.77 in his runner-up finish at the Chandler Invite last month. Ayala Zach Arias is looking to walk away with another great performance on this track as his personal best of 9:12.23 was from this same race a year ago. Santa Margarita's Sean Bryne (9:15.85) Ventura's Cody Beeson along with the Loyola pair in Shane Bissell and Liam Jamieson also possess sub-9:20 seasonal bests.
110 Meter Hurdles (Saturday, 11:25 am) -- Four of California's top five own the middle of the track in the invitational heat. All nine finalists from the State Meet a year ago graduated (and 15 of the top 16 at prelims) and left the cupboard wide open in 2018 to see which boys would move to the top of the lists. Clayton Valley senior Aiden Jackman is the current California state leader with a wind legal best of 13.98. Right behind Jackson at the Stanford Invite, Jamar Marshall of St. Mary's has rolled to a 14.24 best and is tied for #2 in the state. Coming off a nice breakthrough of 14.35 last weekend, Carson senior Andre Butt is the favorite to capture the LA City Section title next month and now #4 in all of California. Meanwhile, Upland junior Caleb Roberson has a wind aided best of 14.28 this season while his 14.51 is #6 amongst all wind legal efforts this season. Tesoro's Michael Robbins is #9 (14.64) in the state for wind legal efforts while Simi Valley junior Riley Hunt is one of the best in the CIF-Southern Section and is #11 (14.64 nwi) under all conditions in the state. Scheduled to be in the seeded section, Vista del Lago's Jaden Ellis impressed with a 14.67 victory at the Inland Empire Championships last weekend.
300 Meter Hurdles (Saturday, 12:15 pm) -- Between the two sections, 12 of California's top 25 are competing while featuring five of the top nine in the invitational section. Harvard Westlake's Brayden Borquez is currently #2 in the state with a best of 37.87, achieved at the Arcadia Invite two weeks ago. He is also one of the state's best for the 400 meters, but this will receive his main focus as this event comes first in the schedule. Ranked #3 in California, Upland junior Caleb Roberson comes in with a 38.22 seasonal best. But, as one of the best sophomores in the nation, he rolled to a 37.18 in 2017. Currently fifth in the state, Mission Viejo's Josh Hill was the Orange County Champs runner up has a best of 38.30. At the Arcadia Invite, he well on his way to breaking 38 until the last hurdle. El Toro's Chris Kruki finished behind Roberson at the Trabuco Hills Invite but came through with a 38.49 personal best. While Kruki is #8 in California, right behind him is Hamilton's Ryan Fields with a best of 38.64. Ranked #10 in California, ML King junior Reyte Rash is coming off a 38.65 victory at the Inland Empire Championships. Pushing one another below 39.00 three weeks ago, Trabuco Hills Collin Hurd and Tesoro's Michael Robbins will meet up once again. In the seeded section, the only underclassman to qualify for the CA State finals in 2017 was Santa Margarita's Blake Hennesay. Cautiously keeping him fresh for the postseason, Hennessy opened up his season last weekend with a 38.67 (#11 in the state). Also watch for Cathedral's Anthony Taylor and Silverado's Derek Porter as both are ranked among the top 20 in California.
4x100 Meter Relay (Saturday, 12:40 pm) -- Three of California's best are in the middle of the track. No one saw the emergence of Murrieta Mesa as one of California's best relay squads. But once Christian Shakir-Ricks joined the group along with Matthew Okonkwo improving to be among the best sprinters in the state, they are now #3 in CA. The Rams improved to a 41.58 time last weekend at the Inland Empire Championships. On their outside, Long Beach Poly is looking to advance beyond their divisional prelims and are currently ranked #5 in CA with a 41.76 best. Without any true headliners from the Poly squad, Yucaipa is anchored by Asani Hampton. Their seasonal best of 42.09 has the group at #9 in the state. Right on the heels of that group, Great Oak comes in with a best of 42.13 while Etiwanda has a best of 42.21. In regard to seasonal bests, only .38 separates our last five entries in the invitational heat. One of the sleepers in that seeded section may be Oaks Hills. They are coming off a 42.57 performance last weekend and moved up to #20 in the state.
4x400 Meter Relay (Saturday, 6:05 pm) -- Concluding the festivities of the 2018 Mt. SAC Relays, four of California's top eight teams highlight this last track event. Led by senior Max Halvax (48.53), #2 ranked Dana Hills is coming in hot off their 3:16.80 performance at last weekend's Orange County Championships. This was the fastest race in California this season with three squads going under 3:20. The tough Harvard Westlake crew is led by Brayden Borquez (47.41). Their 3:17.87 at the Mt. Carmel Invite has this group sitting at #3 in California. Putting together their top four for the first time last weekend, Murrieta Mesa brought home an impressive 3:19.58. Not being pushed in that race, they look go much faster here. One of Nevada's best Track & Field programs enters in the form of Centennial. The crew from Las Vegas boast a seasonal best of 3:21.19. Upland has not put their top four together this season but have the talent to go break 3:20 while Valencia and Golden Valley has seasonal bests of 3:22.
4x800 Meter Relay (Friday, 5:35 pm) -- Renewing their rivalry, the two squads that earned the two automatic NXN berths from the 2017 Cross Country state meet are Great Oak and Roosevelt. Senior Carlos Carvajal was able to get the better of Raymon Ornelas on their anchor legs at the Arcadia Invite, prevailing with a state leading 7:53.29 effort. Roosevelt came home with a 7:53.90 seasonal best. That epic race featured five squads under 7:55 and all within 1.47 seconds apart! Entered here is the 3rd place squad in Redondo Union at 7:54.08 and 5th place De La Salle at 7:54.76. The boys of Loyola have a season best of 8:01.86 but when you take their aggregate seasonal bests that feature five boys all under 1:59, you come back with a squad that can go right around 7:50. Dana Hills is an addition to that Arcadia group from two weeks ago, they are one more squad that can push this affair down into the 7:40's! 7:47.23 is the national leading time while only three squads have gone under 7:50 this season. That should change once this event is complete.
4x1600 Meter Relay (Friday, 9:15 pm) -- With the individuals being the primary focus beyond this weekend, our squads will put their best combined efforts together one last time. Our race favorites are also the two time NXN squad and State Championship group from Great Oak. After graduating most of their National Championship squad in 2016 (and held the national record for a season in this event), they have simply replaced and reloaded. Boasting six boys all under 4:22 this Spring, Great Oak's seasonal best of 17:44 was produced by their 'B' team. Their 'A' squad is ready to go and combined, has the talent to well south of 17:20. California's on Dublin High are the national leaders at 17:29.92. With all hands on deck, the group from Roosevelt is talented enough to threaten that mark. The Falcons of Crescenta Valley are bringing out their best and will also be a sub 17:40 squad. West Ranch and Trabuco Hills also have the weapons to propel their squads under 17:40 (4:25 avg.).
Distance Medley Relay (Saturday, 6:45 pm) -- The boys of Bellarmine Prep are making the trip down from the San Jose specifically for one event ... this one! Meanwhile, Great Oak loves nothing more than a challenge to their state leading mark. These two squads battled to the end at the Stanford Invite with Great Oak prevailing with Carlos Carvajal on anchor. That mark of 10:10.64 continues to lead the nation, just ahead of Bellarmine Prep's 10:11.30 and Dublin's 10:11.40. We suspect that the mark will be lowered as we add a tough Palos Verdes crew (10:19.58) along with Claremont and West Torrance. Watch for Long Beach Poly as if they reveal their best here, they are a sub-10:20 squad with tons of upside. Also a possible sleeper here are the Diablos of Mission Viejo.
Discus Throw (Saturday, 12:30 pm) -- While most of California's best match up in both throws, the pecking order of supremacy can vary between the two rings. Two of the nation's best hook up here. Ventura junior Carlos Aviles (8th place at the 2017 state meet) has been on a role this season and comes in with a best of 194'1" which is currently #4 in the United States. But, traveling in from Henderson, Nevada and representing Liberty High, Corey Moore Jr. is coming off a 193'3" effort last weekend. Ranked 10th in the USA and #2 in California, Simi Valley's Dexter Stevens is coming fresh off a 188'6" effort from his dual meet last week. Meanwhile, Great Oak's Jaime Navarro has a personal best of 185'8" while Newbury Park's Gino Cruz is right behind him with a 184'11" best. Daniel Bryant of West Ranch has launched one out to 181'1" (#7 in the state), while Dana Hills' Max Mckhann is coming off taking the title at the Orange County Championships with a 179'9" personal best. Several others have all has personal bests out beyond 170 feet. With five of the top eight in California to go along with the best from Nevada, expect a great competition.
Shot Put (Saturday, 2 pm) -- Perhaps than any other event here, this one is a true preview of the California State Meet in six weeks. Seven of the state's top 10 throwers will enter the ring here. Top ranked in California, junior Carlos Aviles launched his state leading 63'5.5" at the Trabuco Hills Invite. Esperanza's Jeff Duensing improved out to 59'3" at the Arcadia Invite and continues to be one of the best sophomores in the nation. He is currently ranked #4 in the state. Meanwhile, Great Oak senior Jaime Navarro leapfrogged his own teammate up to #5 in the state with a 58'10" victory at last weekend's Inland Empire Championships. That teammate, Harrison Gould, was a CIF Southern Section Masters qualifier in 2017 along with Millikan (Long Beach) senior Noah Holm. Holm is currently #8 in the state with a best of 57'9.5" which is just ahead of West Ranch's Daniel Bryant, who is 10th in the state. Another sophomore joins this group in Newport Harbor's Aidan Elbettar. His 58'5" currently has him as the 7th best mark in California. Six of the top seven in the CIF Southern Section match up here as well.
High Jump (Saturday, 5:30 pm) -- Defending California state champ and tied for #1 in the United States, Trabuco Hills' Sean Lee has been a headliner since emerging onto the prep scene with a 6-9 clearance as a freshman. Second at the state meet that freshman year, Lee came back to finish 3rd as a sophomore before last year's ascension. But, six of the next ten boys in California are right there behind Lee. The rest of the field is led by a new face in Dorsey senior Porteji Tshabai. After clearing 7-0 in the preseason, he is still looking to return to that rarified air as Tshabai has cleared 6'7" at the Arcadia Invite. Clayton Valley junior Daylon Hicks elevated up over the 6-8 bar at the Stanford Invite while Hesperia's Miles Massey opened up his season with that same clearance. Working to return back to the California state meet, Cerritos senior Destin Flucas also has a personal best of 6'8" this season. Los Alamitos' senior Kevin Schmitt cleared 6'7" at the Redondo Invite and captured the Orange County Championship last weekend. (Lee took the weekend off). Roseville junior Donovan Jones has a best of 6'6.5" while it took a
6'5" best to get into the invitational section.
Pole Vault Invitational (Saturday, 3:30 pm) -- With Davis' senior Sondre Guttormsen's clearance of 18'2.75" two weeks ago (Clark Kranz photo above), it is easy to become distracted away from the rest of the talent in California. With the state leader taking the weekend off, a slew of California's best remain. But, first, our favorite comes in all the way from South America! No longer a stranger to Southern California, Uruguay's Pablo Zaffaroni cleared 17'1" at the Arcadia Invite two weeks ago. He is working to qualify for the Youth Olympic Games this October in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Back closer to home, Harvard Westlake's Tiber Seireeni is #2 in California. His 16'1" clearance last month has him #1 in the Southern Section. Tied with Seireeni at the same height but the top by in the San Diego Section is San Dieguito Academy's Kevin Ward. Ward was 9th at the 2017 California state meet while Seireeni took 10th place. Marina junior Skyler Magula, who just cleared 15-8, has joined the fray. Canyon's Christian Valles has a personal best of 15'7" which places him at #6 in the state while Mission Hills' senior Trevor Sheldon has gone up over 15'6" and #7 for California's best. Stepping up in that Friday session at Arcadia, Great Oak's Ernesto Collazo elevated up over 15'3" which moved him up to 10th in California. Both clearing 15'1" this season, Mission Viejo's Mason Gariepy and Santa Monica's Ariel Dyrek have their eyes set on qualifying to the state meet in five weeks. Meanwhile, Nathaniel Carranza is coming back from taking the San Gabriel Championships and has a best of 15'0" as does Calvin Oury of Mira Costa, Silas Fredeen of Turlock and Roosevelt junior Ethan Amata.
Long Jump (Saturday, 5 pm) -- Already the defending state champion in the Triple Jump, CJ Stevenson wasn't as well known for the long jump. That all changed in the span of two weeks where he eventually extended his personal best to 24'3" and right in the mix with California's best. With the Great Oak senior being the overwhelming favorite, the entire field is full of jumpers all vying to measure out beyond 23 feet. Developing into one of the nation's best decathletes, Ventura junior Derek Pekar returns as the defending CIFSS Div. II champ with a wind aided best of 22'9" that landed him a spot to the Masters Meet. The rest of the field is led by San Leandro's Jeremy Washington (22'6" best in 2017), Sean Ayale of Los Alamitos and Adonis Brown of Chaminade. Millikan's Riley Williams has a seasonal best of 22'1" from the Arcadia Invite while Point Loma's Altan Mitchell has jumped out beyond 22 feet in back to back weeks.
Triple Jump (Saturday, 7 pm) -- Defending California State Champion, CJ Stevenson of Great Oak is the main headliner here. Measuring out beyond 50 feet this spring, Stevenson will be the main catalyst if his boys are to claim the state team title in six weeks. Arguably the best all-around jumpers in California and ranked top 10 in California for all three jumps, Hesperia senior Myles Massey comes in with a 49-6 (nwi) personal best. Massey was a state meet finalist a year ago. It's rare to find an accomplished triple jumper to also be successful in the 400 meters, but that's exactly what you have in Upland's Namir Hemphill. A 10.92w/21.92w/49.51 sprinter on the track, Hemphill's 48-10 personal best at the Trabuco Hills Invite ranks him amongst the best in the state. All three are amongst the top nine in the country with marks under all conditions. Mater Dei's Titan Ruotolo comes in as Orange County's best while Chuma Azinge of San Marino has also measured all beyond 46'7" this season. Point Loma junior Altan Mitchell is one of the San Diego Section's best horizontal jumpers has a best of 46'8" (nwi).