State Meet Flashback: Watch Matt Strangio's Title Races

Matt Strangio of Jesuit (SJ) won distance event titles at the CIF-State Track and Field Championships in both 2018 and 2019. As a sophomore in 2018, he won the 3200m title. As a junior last spring, he knocked off the defending champion to win the 1600m title. 

Below are videos from each of those races.

As a junior, Strangio became the third boy from Coach Walt Lange's Jesuit program to win the 1600m title, joining Mark Mastalir (1986) and Michael Stember, who won two in a row (1995-96).

As a sophomore in 2018, Strangio became the fifth Jesuit product to win the 3200m, joining Eric Mastalir (1986), Paul Thomas (1987), David Welsh (1989), and Matt Farley (1993).

Yes, in 1986, brothers Mark and Eric Mastalir each brought home distance titles. Mark in the 1600m and Eric in the 3200m

The 2-mile/3200m was added to the State Meet order of events in 1965. (The state switched to meters in 1980.) Since then, seven boys have captured the 1600m-3200m double at the same State Meet, including Roman Gomez (Belmont/LA), who is the only one to sweep the distances in consecutive years when he did so in 1984-85.

Blake Haney (Stockdale/CS) swept the distances in 2013 and came back in 2014 to repeat in the 1600m.

Two others who, like Strangio, won each of the distance events but did so in consecutive years: 

• Ryan Hall (Big Bear/SS) won the 3200m in 2000 and the 1600m in 2001.
• Elias Gedyon (Loyola/SS) won the 1600m in 2010 and the 3200m in 2011. 

Notes:

• Strangio is one of four sophomores who finished the 3200m race in 2018. The others -- guys who are seniors now -- James Corrigan, Isaiah Galindo and Nico Young.
• A year later, Young took the title. Strangio was third. 
• In winning the 1600m title last year, Strangio knocked off 2018 champion Liam Anderson (Redwood/NC). Anderson placed third in the 1600m and second between Young and Strangio in the 3200m.
• Colin Peattie (Bellarmine/CC), who placed second between Strangio and Anderson, was the only sophomore in the 1600m final in 2019. He's the only returner for 2021. Peattie also placed eighth in the 3200m race with Bellarmine classmate Nolan Topper the only other sophomore in that field. 
• The only two sophomores in the 1600m finals field in 2018 were Anthony Grover (JSerra/SS), and Christopher Middleton-Pearson (Dublin/NC). Both finished out of the medals as sophomores but made the most of that experience, placing fourth and fifth, respectively, behind Strangio as juniors.
• Watch in the 2018 final for 3200m where Strangio is challenged down the stretch by Justin Hazell (El Camino Real/LA). Those two will be teammates in the fall at the University of Portland. 

Take a look at Strangio's two championship runs:

2018 CIF-STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS - BOYS 3200m FINAL

2019 CIF-STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS - BOYS 1600m FINAL