CIF-SS D-4 PRELIMS PREVIEW
(at Carpinteria HS)
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D-4 has been dominated in recent years by an Oaks Christian program that has won five consecutive section division titles on the boys side and six of the past seven on the girls side.
OC appears well-stocked to continue those streaks, at least on the girls side, with leading qualifiers across the event categories. The girls are led by sophomore Niya Clayton, among the top qualifiers in the 100m, 100m hurdles, and 300m hurdles, senior Tenley Kuhn, the defending champion in the pole vault, sophomore distance standouts Payton Godsey, and Grace Geyer, and junior Sarah Colebrooke. Freshman Eleanor Borchard is the top qualifier in the 300m hurdles.
The boys are led by seniors Elijah Gipson in the 100m and both hurdles, and Jake Reed the top qualifier and defending champion in the pole vault.
Elsewhere among girls, Serra has the top qualifying mark in the 4x100 relay and the top two qualifiers in both the 100m and 200m in juniors Jordan Washington and Brazil Neal. Sophomore Mia Flowers is among the top qualifiers in the 200m.
Archer School for Girls is led by junior Treasure Brown, the defending champion and top qualifier in both throws. St. Mary's Academy sophomore Jay Cigar-Dingle is the top qualifier in the 400m and No. 3 in the 200m. Sierra Canyon senior Isis Diaz has the top qualifyng time in both the 800m and 1600m. Muir senior Kelaiyah Johnson is the top qualifier in the triple jump where she placed second a year ago. Viewpoint junior JiaLian Mackey is the top qualifier in the 3200m and No. 2 in the 1600m. Marlborough sophomore Fallyn Gowans is the top qualifier in the 100m hurdles (she was third last June) and is also among those in the triple jump.
Serra's boys may be tough to overcome by the end of the day on May 14. They have one of the fastest 4x100m relay teams in the state, and their deep sprint crew is led by junior Rodrick Pleasant, the top qualifier and defending division champion in both the 100m and 200m.
In the longer sprint, Serra has five of the top nine qualifiers, a group that includes junior Deven Lewis, senior Jaylin Franklin, sophomore Dakoda Fields, and junior Cordell Montgomery. Serra also has the top long jump qualifier in junior Jamar Gonzales, along with Fields and Franklin among the top four qualifying marks. And, in the 400m, Lewis has the top qualifying time in front of defending champion Marahatha senior Reid Pullens.
Crean Luthern senior Jack Fairchild is one to keep an eye on here. He has the top qualifying mark in the 110m hurdles, the 300m hurdles, and the triple jump. Last June, he placed fourth in the 110s, third in the 300s, and second in the triple jump.
Thacher senior Ellis Delvecchio has been among the state's elites in the 800m all season and currently ranks No. 4 with a best of 1:50.76. Villanova Prep senior Liam Gair is among the state's best in the 400m but ran a qualifying time 5-plus seconds slower than his CA No. 6-ranked PR.
Another with a qualifying mark belying his normal standards is defending 3200m champion Max Sannes of Big Bear, whose 10:29.44 qualifying jog is well below his CA No. 17-ranked 8:59.35 PR. Sannes, an Eastbay Cross Country National finalist in December, qualified in 9:36.69 at prelims last June, and then dropped to 9:18.51 at the final. Expect a similar strategy here.
Ontario Christian senior Christian Burroughs is the defending champion and top qualifier in both throws.
Mark Gardner is a regular contributor to MileSplit with a focus on the Southern Section.
MileSplitCA editor Jeffrey Parenti contributed to this article.
Photos by DeAnna Turner, Daniel Hernandez, Jeffrey Parenti, and Raymond Tran.