Storylines, notes and more from the CIF-State Championships

DEFENDING CHAMPIONS REVIEW


  • Liam Anderson (Redwood/NC -- 1600) -- He placed third in the 1600 (4:10.26) this year, and also placed second in the 3200 (8:53.28). 
  • Jocelynn Budwig (Fowler/CS -- Shot put) -- She defended her title in the shot put (49-02.75) and won the discus (171-10) for the first time despite competing with a balky hamstring that forced her to limit her attempts in the discus on Saturday and in both events at Friday's prelims. She is the fifth girl to win both throws in the same meet, which had been done six times previous by four girls since 1976.
  • Malcolm Clemons (St. Mary's College/NC -- Long jump) -- He was disqualified from the long jump for violating the honest effort rule. (Based on conversations with both Clemons and meet director Brian Weaver, the following is our understanding of why Clemons was not permitted to compete in the long jump finals.) He had qualified for both the long jump and triple jump for prelims but after competing in the long jump prelims on Friday, he felt a tweak in a previously injured hamstring that had sidelined him for the bulk of the season. He scratched out of triple jump qualifying but had hoped to still compete in the long jump finals. He was asked to produced a doctor's clearance. That note, however, was dated for Sunday instead of Saturday, and his appeal to compete in the long jump finals was denied. 
  • Rachel Glenn (Wilson/SS -- High jump) -- She shared the high jump title in 2018, and was second to Hickey, jumping 5-07. Glenn also won the 300 hurdles (41.71). 
  • Alysah Hickey (Coronado/SD -- Long jump) -- She placed third in that event here (19-10.50), and later won the high jump (5-08), where she was fourth as a junior.
  • Caleb Lutalo Roberson (Upland/SS -- 300 hurdles) -- It took a dive over the finish line at the end as his legs were going out, he said, but he defended his title in the 300 hurdles (36.32). 
  • De'Anna Nowling (Calabasas/SS -- 100m) -- She defended her title in the 100 meters (11.55/1.6), medaling in the straight sprint for the fourth time, and also placed fifth in the 200 (23.98/1.6) despite having to back off at the turn to protect a tender hamstring. Nowling is the eighth girl in state history to win consecutive 100 meter titles and the first since Long Beach Poly's Ariana Washington won three years in a row 2012-14.
  • Matt Strangio (Jesuit/SJ -- 3200) -- He was third in the 3200 (8:57.69), which he won last year, but earlier in the meet, took the 1600 title from Anderson (4:08.07). 
  • Daniel Viveros (Liberty/CS -- Shot put) -- A season in which he changed his technique produced huge dividends as he threw over 70 feet twice toward the end of the season, defended his title in the shot put (68-10.50), and medaled for the first time in the discus throw (176-09). Viveros is the 13th boy to repeat as shot put champion dating to 1915 and the first since Matt Darr (Bakersfield Frontier) in 2009-10.
  • Laurel Wong (Santa Catalina/CC -- Pole vault) -- She did not clear a height this year. 


CELEBRATION DOWN SOUTH

While two team champions from Clovis celebrated late into the night, the folks in the state's southern-most section, San Diego, had plenty to be jubilant about as well. 

The SDS produced six event champions across seven events led by Madison senior Kenan Christon, who won the 100m (10.30/1.2) and 200m (20.69/2.5).

San Diego's haul of first place medals began with the first meet on the track as the girls from Scripps Ranch won the 4x100 relay (46.51).

University City sophomore Katriina Wright won the 400 (53.93), Rancho Bernardo sophomore Ashley Callahan won the pole vault (13-04), the aforementioned Hickey won the high jump and La Costa Canyon senior Kristin Fahy ran away with the 3200 title (10:11.38).

In addition, Rancho Bernardo senior Jacob Rice was second in the pole vault (16-05) and Hickey was third in the long jump (19-10.50). 


                                  READ MORE ABOUT STATE 400m CHAMP KATRIINA WRIGHT