Sprints & Hurdles
Caleb Foster (Clovis North, above) is the defending section champion in the 110 Hurdles and the top returner in the 100 Dash (not to mention his long jump prowess, which we'll cover on the next slide). He will be the heavy favorite in the hurdles as he looks to break 14, but in the 100 he could have stiff competition from fellow juniors Ramon Henderson (Liberty) and Jalen McMillan (San Joaquin Memorial). Don't be surprised if Femi Ogunjemiyo (Clovis) also gets right in the thick of that battle. Naythn Scruggs (Clovis North) struggled with injury last spring and still managed to post a section-leading 200 time (albeit after the California season ended) - if he is healthy, you can bet he will be the favorite to win that event and also contend in the 100. McMillan is the top 200 returner, and Zion Chatman (Buchanan) could be an athlete to watch in that event, along with Henderson and Ogunjemiyo. Chatman is the defending 400 champion and the top returner, with sophomore Austin Gillen (Buchanan) and Nazim Seifuddin (Central) looking like his chief competition. Brandon Andrade (Redwood) is the top returner in the 300 Hurdles, and his PR is more than a second better than anyone else in the section.
Reese Renz (Liberty) is the top returner in both hurdle races, although she may get serious competition from Central teammates Kaia Bonnette-Williams in the 300 and Monea Jennings in the 100. Another Central athlete, Daveion Robinson, tops the 400 rankings coming into the season. Kynnedi McCall (Bakersfield) could challenge there, as could two sophomores: Rebecca Vanderpoel (Liberty) and Taliah Wickett (Central). Robinson and Vanderpoel are also contenders in the 200, but the top returner in that event is Shelby Daniele (Buchanan). Syrena Hamilton (East Bakersfield) is the only 100 runner in the section to have broken 12 last spring, but she is not the top returner from the section finals. That honor belongs to Morgan Hawkins (Rosamond), which should set up an interesting duel between the two in 2019.