State Meet Preview: Field Events

Long Beach Wilson junior Rachel Glenn (pictured) seeks to defend her 2018 State title in this event.  As the national leader in the 300 hurdles and qualifying in the 100 hurdles, she has a full slate this weekend.  Especially when you consider that the high jump finals will be taking place during the 300 hurdles' finals.  Meanwhile, the favorite coming into the 2019 State Meet is also the California leader at 5-10, in Coronado's Alysah Hickey.  The University of Oregon-bound senior was fourth at last year's State Meet and will not have to balance the long jump competition at the same time as she did last year.  She is currently eighth in the nation and the favorite coming into the weekend.  The other State Meet finalist from 2018, Tierni Kaufman of Harvard Westlake is one of six girls that have also cleared the bar at 5-08.  As she was 11^th last year, Moorpark's Victoria Plummer returns after a one-year layoff to improve upon her eighth-place finish in 2017.  One of the most improved in the state, Central's Amethyst Harper along with Lincoln's Aylana Crosby, Bonita's Jocelyn Hipwell and Bella Vista's Isabella Chilcutt make their first trip to Clovis.  Chilcutt is the second-best freshman in the nation. 

Five State Meet finalists that earned medals in 2018 advanced back to the show, making this one of the most competitive events on the schedule!   Clovis West's Elizabeth Funk has improved into one of the best in the United States as her 13-09 seasonal best is tied for the third best all-time mark in California State history while she is currently fourth in the nation.  But, with the event continuing to see intense improvement, two sophomores will challenge her for top honors.  Rancho Bernardo's Ashley Callahan and Westlake's Paige Sommers have both cleared the 13-6 bar and are tied for seventh in the nation.  As they are tied for tenth best in state history, Sommers (pictured) earned the third-place medal here a year ago while like Funk, Callahan did not advance onward from Friday's prelims in 2018.  As the focus may be on those three, four-time State Meet qualifier and reigning State Champion, Laurel Wong (13-03 lifetime best) of Santa Catalina School will not relinquish it quite that easily, despite being derailed by injuries this season.  She will matriculate to Stanford University next year.  Currently 13th in the nation with a best of 13-04, Carondelet's Kelley Kern was 11^th place in 2018.  Four other State Meet finalists from 2018 have cleared the 13-00 bar once again.  Fifth at this competition a year ago, Poway's Mia Cervantes (13-00 seasonal best) joins up with teammate, Camryn Thomson (13-30 seasonal best and 17^th in the nation), who was ninth a year ago.  This is the first time in prep history to have three girls clear 13-0 in the same season, as Katerina Adamiec (13-00 best) looks to join those two in all advancing to Saturday's final round.  Tying for sixth place in 2018, Presentation's Isabella Grant has elevated up over 13-01 while Aliso Niguel's Morgan Flynn comes in with a 13-00 best.  It is rare that pole vaulters compete at a high level for two days straight as it also becomes a test on who has the stamina to capture the title Saturday evening.    

GIRLS LONG JUMP

• Meet Record:  22-01 | Tara Davis | Agoura (SS) 22-01 | 2017
• 2018 Champion:  Alysah Hickey | Coronado (SD)  | 19-09.75

The top three medalists from the 2018 State Meet advanced back with reigning champion, Alysah Hickey of Coronado coming in, perhaps as a slight underdog despite being undefeated this season.  She and Upland freshman, Caelyn Harris have been battling back and forth this season for the state lead.  But, last weekend, Harris soared out to a wind-legal 20-5.25 effort to move her up to second in the United States.  Hickey is fifth in the nation for wind-legal efforts and third under all conditions as she was measured with a 20-9 wind-aided back in March.  Jazlynn Shearer of Silver Creek (pictured) was eighth last year as only two State Meet finalists return.  Also looking to advance back to Saturday's finals, Carson's Indiah Turner was State Meet runner-up a year ago while Wildwood's Asha Fletcher earned the bronze medal.  Redondo Union's Mahkaia Lee has a seasonal best of 19-09.50 which is ninth in the nation for wind-legal marks.  Calabasas' Jade McDonald adds this event to her 2019 State Meet schedule as does St. Anthony's Asjah Atkinson who both qualified a year ago in another event.  Both sophomores, McDonald owns a wind-aided best of 19-08.25 while Atkinson has a 19-04.5 nwi mark on her resume. The Central Section champion is very familiar with these runways, as Buchanan's Helen Chu is coming in with a wind-legal 18-11 best.  The sophomore could provide valuable points as her squad comes in as slight favorites for the team title. 

GIRLS TRIPLE JUMP

• Meet Record:  44-00.50 | Juliana Yendork | Walnut (SS) | 1991
• 2018 Champion:  Arianna Fisher | Silver Creek (CC) | 41-07

The favorite coming into the weekend is Silver Creek's Jazlynn Shearer as she has bounded to a 41-03.75 best which is seventh in the United States.  As she looks to match her teammate's title from a year ago, the University of Las Vegas-bound was fifth at the 2018 State Meet.  She won't have to look too far behind her to see the competition as Woodbridge's Madison Lyon (40-04 best) returns after taking tenth place in 2018 and is currently 14th in the nation.  Central's Simone Johnson is twelve in the nation with a wind-legal 40-06.50 effort while Great Oak sophomore Summer Stevenson has been consistent and with a seasonal best of 40-05.   Currently 13th in the United States, this is the sixth straight season that Great Oak has been represented in this event by the Stevenson siblings (and yes, there's a freshman brother who is already a success in the event).  One of the most improved from the Southern Section is Upland's Kerrington Smith who has measured out to a 40-00 best.  Do not overlook Calabasas' Jade McDonald (pictured).  She was sixth in this event as a freshman in 2018 and comes in with a 40-02.25 lifetime best.  Carson's Arrieya Harper (39-11.25) advanced back to the State Meet this weekend while San Pasqual sophomore Elise Miller added this event to her hurdling repertoire and is coming off a wind-aided 40-06 performance to capture the San Diego Section Championships.  

GIRLS SHOT PUT

• Meet Record:  53-08 | Anna Jelmini | Shafter (CS)  | 2009
• 2018 Champion:  Jocelynn Budwig | Fowler (CS) | 46-11

The top three from the 2018 State Meet and five of the top seven return to highlight the veteran-laden cast of athletes.  Reigning champion and University of Auburn-bound, Jocelynn Budwig of Fowler (pictured) is back to defend her title.  But she has lots of company in 2019.  While she is currently tenth in the nation with a 47-08 best, Shyann Franklin of Golden Valley comes into the meet with the top mark of the season of 47-11.50.  She earned the silver medal in 2018 and is fifth in the nation.  Also, from the Foothill League, West Ranch's Natalie Ramirez is eighth in the country with a 47-09.75 best 2019 while she was third a year ago.  Terra Nova's Carly Watts was sixth a year ago and has the fifth best mark in the state this season at 46-05.  Just ahead of her is Liberty sophomore Faith Bender with a 47-04.75 seasonal best.  Bender was eighth a year ago and is currently 15^th in the nation.  Looking to improve on her seventh-place finish in 2018, Heading off to Tulane for college, Buchanan's Maren Butler has a 45-50.50 performance in 2019, which is the seventh best mark in the state.  Also, State Meet qualifiers in 2018, Krissy Smoot (45-70) of Notre Dame of Belmont and West Hills sophomore, Brandy Atuatasi (45-01.50) round out those projected to score at this year's State Meet.  

GIRLS DISCUS

• Meet Record: 189-09 | Anna Jelmini | Shafter (CS) | 2009
• 2018 Champion:  Erica Grotegeer | Wheatland (NS) | 174-9

Of the 32 events on this weekend's docket, this one is most loaded in relation to the rest of the nation.  Three of the top five in the United States get into the ring while three others are currently in the nation's top 20.   Third in 2018, Fowler's Jocelynn Budwig has a season best of 171-7 which is currently second in the nation.  Her lifetime best of 174-2 is the 15^th best in California history.  Fourth overall and top sophomore in the nation, Faith Bender of Liberty (pictured) was fifth a year ago and advances once again with a best of 164-2.  Right behind her with a 163-2 effort, West Ranch's Natalie Ramirez is fifth in the country while taking seventh in this competition in 2018.   As a State Meet qualifier in 2018, Carly Watts of Terra Nova has improved out to a 157-4, which is currently 15^th in the nation.  In regards to improvement, Roosevelt's Lydia Liu has become of the state's best with a 31-foot upgrade, as her 157-1 is now 17^th in the United States.  Meanwhile, Thousand Oaks' Amanda Spear has improved by over 40 feet as her 151-3 in 18^th in the country.  Mt. Whitney's Jade Whitfield advanced back to the State Meet with her 150-11 seasonal best while Liberty sophomore Bella Rigby comes in with a 148-0 best this season.