Nation’s Best Set For Grandest Stage – 92nd Annual CIF State
Track and Field Championships presented by Farmers
By Rich Gonzalez
Editor, ESPN RISE/DyeStatCal
        (CLOVIS, Ca.) --  The crown jewel of state meets, the annual CIF State Track and Field Championships presented by Farmers, returns to Buchanan High School in Clovis this weekend for the 92nd edition of the highly anticipated and action-packed affair. The two-day extravaganza is the undisputed premier showcase for talent on the prep level, with a shocking 18 of the sport's 32 current national federation records being set by Golden State athletes!
         California preps currently hold down the nation's leading mark for the 2010 season in no less than seven events (boys 400, boys 800, boys 4x400, boys PV, girls 200, girls 4x100, girls discus), with national class record holders Alex Collatz (discus) of Bakersfield Stockdale, Ciarra Brewer (triple jump) of Union City James Logan and Trinity Wilson (high hurdles) of Berkeley St Mary's leading an all-star cast that also includes 2009 World Youth Championships medalists Kori Carter (high hurdles)  Ashton Purvis (200) and Josh Mance (400). Add in local all-around gem Jenna Prandini of Clovis (nine individual section titles in her career and she's just a junior) and one can easily see the 2010 edition of the grad meet does not lack for star power.
        Bring all this talent together to compete on a world-class Mondo track surface surrounded by other top-notch facilities at Veterans Stadium, all embraced by great community support for the event and it becomes pristinely clear that the CIF state meet continues to be a true breeding ground for future Olympians and the nexus for lasting memories between hundreds of high-end athletes and the thousands of appreciative track and field fans.
        So study your meet program, grab your favorite soft drink, pick out a great vantage point and great ready to witness the greatest meet in the land -- the CIF State Championships presented by Farmers!
        Here's our breakdown on each of the event areas and the athletes to watch:
SPRINTS/RELAYS
        While 2009 state 100-meter champ Valexsia Droughn of Rio Mesa and runner-up Jessica Davis of Highland both return, neither is considered the favorite in the event in 2010. That distinction goes to St. Elizabeth of Oakland dash star Ashton Purvis, the bronze medalist across 200 meters at last summer's World Youth Championships in Italy. Purvis, who false started in last year's state prelims, and local phenom Jenna Prandini of Clovis give this event great quality on top as all four girls currently rank among the top nine in the country in the event!
        Purvis remains unbeaten this spring but Prandini rocketed to a state-leading 11.46 in recent weeks, the #2 time nationally and .04 seconds faster than Purvis' seasonal best. Davis edged Droughn at last weekend's SS Masters Meet (11.66-11.68) while Sante Fe Christian's Jenna Puterbaugh won going away at the San Diego Section Finals.
        In the 200-meter race distance, Highland's Davis has great leg strength and impressed during her nation-leading 23.42 (wind legal) in recent weeks, but Purvis powered to a consideraby faster albeit wind-aided 23.17 at the Sacramento Meet of Champions a month ago. Millikan's Ashley Smith and Santa Fe Christian's Puterbaugh are two additional title candidates. In the one-lap dash, Deer Valley's Chizoba Okodogbe is the frontrunner after her state-leading and U.S. #2 nationally 53.06 gallop at the North Coast Section Meet of Champions but Serra of Gardena frosh phenom Chimere Ezumah ripped a lifetime-best 53.30 to capture the Southern Section Masters Meet title in her last outing.
        Long Beach Poly is the favorite in the sprint relays, riding high off their nation-leading 45.29 scamper around the oval to win the SS Masters a week ago, just ahead of U.S. 2 Serra (45.66); Rancho Verde (SS) holds down the country's #3 time (45.68) during their Arcadia Invitational win two months ago. In the longer relay, Poly's sizzling 3:43.33 state leader closed down another action-packed SS Masters Meet, with Serra of Gardena recording its 3:44.29 best earlier in the season.
        The big sprint showdown on the boys side occurs at 400 meters, where Don Lugo's Josh Mance (who has changed schools each of the last four years) just barely edged USC-bound football star Robert Woods of Gardena Serra (SS), with a close study of the finish image revealing a mere six-thousandths of a second difference separating the two! Both rank atop the national leader list at 46.17, with powerful Woodbridge junior Jalen Craver also in the mix.
        With Mance and Woods likely expected to go full throttle in the one-lap sprint, their recovery and sharpness in time for the half-lap challenge will come into question. In any case, neither would be considered the one to beat as Crenshaw dash maven D'Anthony "Black Mamba" Thomas has quickly begun to drop his times of late, including a stunning 20.61 (just barely wind-aided at +2.1 meters per second) clocking at the Los Angeles City Section Championships.
        The 100-meter dash could be a white-knuckle experience for all coaches involved as just three-thousandths of a second separate the five fastest seasonal performers on the form charts, with Rio Mesa (SS) senior speedster Jamison "The Blond Blur" Jordan holding down the state's best wind-legal clocking at 10.52. In an event marred by an unfortunate spate of injuries in recent weeks, Southern Section stars Remontay McClain of Covina, Jovonte Slater of Vista Murrieta and George Farmer of Gardena Serra have avoided disaster. UCLA-pledged dasher R.J. Frasier of Jesuit (SJS) will seek valuable team points here as well.
        The always exciting sprint relays appear as attractive as ever, with Southern Section Masters champion Long Beach Poly (keyed by Kaelin Clay) and familiar rival Rio Mesa (with state 100m leader Jamison Jordan on board) expected to renew their baton-toting wars. Gardena Serra, the state leader, dropped the baton in the early rounds of postseason to be prematurely eliminated. Serra is the clear favorite in the longer relay, with the Robert Woods-anchored Cavaliers throwing down a big nation-leading 3:10.41 effort at the SS Masters Meet last weekend. That race featured 5 of the top 6 times in the state this year, with Long Beach Poly, Eleanor Roosevelt of Corona, La Serna and Rio Mesa also in the hunt! 
DISTANCES
        California literally "leads the way" on the national scene this year in the boys 800-meter run, where Placentia Valencia's Sean Krinik threw down a nation-leading 1:49.18 performance in winning the Southern Section Masters Meet last Friday in thrilling fashion. The defending state champion, Krinik has been unbeaten this spring in his specialty event, although Burbank's Greg Dotson has been among the nation's most proved distance runners this year, including a 1:50.38 at the SS Masters Meet. Rancho Verde's Ruben Danielsen, making his third appearance in the state meet, is a dangerous threat as is North Coast Section champion Kevin Griffith, who has flashed nice postseason improvement thus far.
        Loyola's Elias Gedyon, an age-group sensation for years, will attempt to become the first California prep to sweep the boys 1600-3200 titles since eventual Olympian Meb Keflezighi turned the trick way back in 1994. If the junior star can turn the trick, it should fortify the Cubs' quest for the team championship. Gedyon split 4:05.8 for 1600 meters in relay action earlier this season and recently closed impressively to cap his SS Masters Meet 3200m win in 8:56.37, a huge lifetime best. Stanford-bound Novato senior Erik Olson, the 1600m state leader (4:08.54), and Visalia Redwood junior Justin Vilhauer (4:11.2 for 1600/sub-8:57 for 3200, nullified for a lane violation) are seeking the rare title double (achieved by just three athletes over the last 35 years). The most dangerous threat should be posed by Trabuco Hills' Jantzen Oshier (4:11.33 converted from the full mile), unbeaten in the four-lap distance up until his first setback last week, but holding five major meet wins to his credit this year. Stanford-signed senior Travis Edwards, a talented veteran from the tradition-rich Royal program, is another key talent to watch. A stunning 10 Californians have already gone 9:01 or faster this spring (including 8 at sub-9:00), with state leader Sam Pons of South Pasadena, Sac-Joaquin Section champion Kurt Ruegg of Napa and Central Coast Section winner Weston Strum (his brother Nathan is a very dangerous darkhorse threat at 1600m) also featured. Also keep your eye on the nation's premier sophomore, La Costa Canyon's Darren Fahy, who has chalked up valuable experience this spring and ripped a lifetime-best 9:00.49 last weekend! 
        In this, The Year One A.H. (after Jordan Hasay - the distance prodigy and four-time state 3200m champion), Golden State endurance stars have some huge shoes to fill. A pair of Ventura County stars from the Southern Section, Simi Valley's Liberty Miller and Oak Park's Melissa Skiba, are leading the quest. Respectively ranked 10th (10:21.72) and 12th (10:22.77) nationally this spring, the  Southern Section duo along with SS Division I champion Catrina McAlister and Corona del Mar senior Marisa Cummings are among the chief contenders.
        An epic showdown could unfold in the girls 1600 meters, where Redondo Union's Chloe Curtis and Torrey Pines' Alli Billmeyer are expected to clash. Curtis, the 2009 state runner-up, has been virtually unbeatable this season and rolled to a lifetime-best and state-leading 4:48.97 in winning the Southern Section Masters Meet last Friday. But she remained the favorite for less than 24 hours as Billmeyer blazed to a U.S. #2 4:45.06 in winning a loaded San Diego Section Finals race the next day. Curtis' teammate, super sophomore Lyndsey Mull (4:49.65), Mt. Carmel's Erin Menefee (4:49.50) and La Costa Canyon frosh star Kelly Lawson (4:50.05) also harbor big championship meet plans.
        The girls' two-lap affair should pit last year's bronze medalist, Millikan's Paisley Pettway (2:08.57), against an additional set of Southern Section standouts in Harvard/Westlake's Amy Weissenbach and Templeton's Savannah Camacho, with each shaving several seconds off their lifetime bests in recent weeks. Weissenbach's 2:08.34 currently ranks third nationally while Camacho (2:09.70) ranks tenth. Rapid improver Tiffany Lamar of Paramount and Central Coast Section leader Kieran Gallagher of Gunn are additional title threats.  
HURDLES
        The most talent-stocked event in the meet is the girls 100-meter high hurdles, where no less than six of the nation's nine fastest hurdlers will face off! Leading the all-out assault over the 33-inch high barriers are a pair of global-class talents in Claremont's Kori Carter and St. Mary's of Berkeley's Trinity Wilson. Carter, a three-time California state champion (once in the highs and twice in the lows) and the 2009 World Youth Championships silver medalist in the high hurdles, is the defending state champion, courts the #3 time in the nation (13.55) and already holds one victory over Wilson this season. Wilson is eager for redemption after false-starting early into the 2009 postseason, ranks #2 nationally this spring (13.49) and lost by just six ten-thousandths of a second (!) in her Arcadia showdown with Carter.
        San Jose Valley Christian's Hannah Goranson, the Central Coast Section champion recently motored to a big lifetime-best 13.72 effort (#4 U.S.) to edge San Jose Leland's Katie Nelms (13.84, #6 U.S.). Southern Section foes Brea Buchanan (13.86) of Ayala and Melia Cox (13.89) of Long Beach Poly rank 8th and 9th nationally this spring.
        Carter (at 41.30 the state leader and #3 nationally) suffered a rare defeat in the low hurdles at the Southern Section Masters Meet last weekend, with Colony's Ashley Cooke roaring around the track in big-time fashion to clock 41.38 (#5 in U.S.). James Logan's Thandi Steward won her first NCS individual crown with a big win (42.21) last weekend and local favorite Alyssa Monteverde of Clovis West snared Central Section honors.
        The boys barrier races could feature a double champion, but the identity of the athlete remains open-ended as several contenders loom. Agoura's Jonathan Cabral remains unbeaten in the highs (13.70) and intermediates (36.83), but James Logan's Monte Corley assumed the state lead in the latter after his big Sacramento Meet of Champions win (36.58), only to come up injuted in recent days and not advance. Buchanan's Sean Johnson, competing on his home track, is among the stars aiming to pull of the upset. Skyline's Noah Blue, the Oakland Section champ, and San Diego Granite Hills' Kevin Finley are additional leading threats, especially in the highs.
THROWS
        Weight event aficionados should be in throws heaven this weekend as  the nation's premier discus thrower sets her sights on breaking the national record for eleventh graders while team title fortunes on the boys side could hinge on the outcome of the shot put competition!
        Stockdale's  Alex Collatz, who hurled the disc to a girls national sophomore class record 177-00 at last year's state meet prelims, returns to the scene of the historic feat in hopes of toppling Anna Jelmini's 183-11 class record for juniors. Collatz, who also stars in volleyball and is one of the Central Section's best high jumpers (5'5") and triple jumpers (37-4.50), has upped her personal best in her specialty event to a nation-leading 180-09 in 2010. So long as she can avoid 'fouling out', Collatz is almost assured of the discus win as she holds a 14-foot edge over Ventura's Alex Morgan, the Southern Section Master Meet champion, on the form charts.
        Lincoln of San Francisco's Chioma Amaechi has remained the girls' state shot put leader with her 47-09.25 winning heave at the Arcadia Invitational two months ago, but fresh new improvements from North Torrance's Jasmine Burrell (47-7 at the SS Masters) and Meagan McKee (46-9 at the CCS Finals) and a serious darkhose challenger in Shafter's Lacie Rasley give this event staggering quality as California is the only state in the nation with four athletes rated among the top 20 nationally!
        Clovis East's Willy Irwin is hoping that home cooking and a supportive local turnout gives him the needed edge to nail the 200-foot barrier in the boys discus and dethrone state double champion Matt Darr of Bakersfield Frontier. Irwin's 199-09 torpedo launch on this same facility two weeks ago catapulted him into the state lead (and 7th nationally) in the event, but Darr (the top-rated punter in the nation in football and headed to Fresno State) and San Diego St. Augustine's Thomas Hart have thrown 194-11 and 194-01, respectively, this spring.
        Jesuit of Carmichael supporters and coaches may be buzzing around the shot put ring with added interest as state leader Jeremy Hines (63-09.75 at the Stanford Invitational, currently 9th in the nation) hopes to secure 10 critical team points as the Marauders vie for the overall title.  Frontier's Darr, seeking to successfully defend both throws titles, achieved a lifetime-best 63-06.50 here two weeks ago.
VERTICAL JUMPS
        Aerialists have provided more than their fair share of highlights at the state championships in recent years, including meet records in both the girls (Tori Anthony in 2007) and boys pole vault (Nico Weiler in 2008) and exciting competitions in the high jump. Although more electricity again is forecast, this year's boys vault competition was robbed of its headliner when 2010 national leader (17-06.00) and defending state champion Michael Woepse of Mater Dei was shelved for the season due to a late-April injury. But his Monarchs teammate, Scott Cook, has more than answered the call. Making his first appearance at the CIF-SS Finals two weeks back, Cook's maturity under pressure won him the title, then re-affirmed his superiority with victory at the SS Masters Meet last Friday; his 16-01 clearance remains the state leader among this weekend's qualifiers. Loyola vault mates Evan Barr and Clint Rosser have traded off clutch performances throughout the spring, but the tandem (both with lifetime bests of 16-00) need to simultaneously click this weekend if the Cubs are to combine with distance ace Elias Gedyon to successfully snag the team title.
        JSerra's Harrison Steed, the 2008 state high jump champion and the runner-up last year, cleared a lifetime-best 7-02.50 during an open competition in late January, but a nagging injury derailed him - until late last month. Steed's 6-10.00 clearance at the SS Finals signaled his return to title contention and has fueled further intrigue into an event where the top five jumpers in the state have now achieved their best marks within the last two weeks. Ramona of San Diego senior Tyler Jordan ranks as the lone 7-foot performer during a CIF competition this spring.
        Westview's Kortney Ross, the defending champion in the pole vault when she cleared a personal best 13-04, has improved her personal best an additional inch this spring to hold a five-inch advantage over top challenger Katie Zingheim , the Granite Bay junior and SJS Meet of Champions winner.
        The battle on the high jump apron features defending champ Adrienne Johnson of Carondelet (NCS) as the top Northern California entrant yet again (5-07 to lead the region in 2010), but the Southern Section has dominated this event thus far as its athletes holding down the top eight marks in the state. Millikan's Ashley Smith, who cleared a state best 5-11.50 in a multi-events competition in early April, vasty improved jumper Alexis Walker (5-11) of Pasadena and 2008 state champ Tara Richmond of Long Beach Poly are all key players here.
HORIZONTAL JUMPS
        The amazing Johnny Carter, who won the state triple jump title two years ago as a freshman, is the favorite to recapture the crown as a junior. The Ridgeview star bounded to an amazing 50-10.00 wind-legal best at the Central Section Area Championships, two feet farther than the next best legal jump in the state, 48-10.25 achieved by both Murrieta Valley's (SS) Solomon Ijah and Enterprise's (NS) Jovon Cunningham (the latter also boasting a 49-08 wind-aided effort).
        The outcome of the boys long jump competition figures to pit Carter against Oaks Christian junior Niko DiMartino, who has international experience after competing for Italy at the 2009 World Youth Championships in that country (three fouls there, all measured beyond 24 feet). Carter soared to a state-leading 24-05 in the same meet as his legal 50-footer in the triple jump, with DiMartino (whose personal coach is Mike Powell, the world record holder in the event) spanning a wind-aided 24-01.50 at the Ventura County Championships in late April.  Dana Hills' Devin Harrison, who cleared a wind-aided 24-01.00 early in the season, and North Coast Section champ Sean Combs of Deer Valley are other key challengers.
        Jenna Prandini, the all-around wunderkind from nearby Clovis High, will vie for a pair of state titles in the sand pits (to go along with a bid on the track in the 100) but faces plenty of national-class competition. Her state-leading 20-02.00 effort in winning at the Arcadia Invitational remains the #3 wind-legal mark in the nation this spring, but Oceanside's Jasmine Gibbs moved up to #5 nationally with her surprising 19-08.00 victory at the San Diego Section Finals.
         The triple jump, an event where Californians have continually out-shined national rivals in recent years, has picked up major steam of late. Defending state champ Ciarra Brewer of James Logan, saddled with a hamstring injury for much of this season, regained previous form last weekend with five efforts measured at over 40 feet, including a state-leading and #2 nationally 41-04.50 amid a headwind. Previous state leader Melia Cox (41-02.50) of Long Beach Poly surprisingly scratched from the event this week, but the event still features two others ranked among the top 10 nationally: Poly's Tara Richmond (40-05.50) and Clovis' Prandini (40-02.50).
TEAM TITLE HOPES
        Long Beach Poly is the hands-down favorite to roll to the team title on the girls side (the meet will utilize an eight-deep scoring system for the first time, awarding on a 10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1 scale), with the Jackrabbits seeking a record 10th girls team title that should become reality thanks to big points forecast in both relays, the sprints, long jump, triple jump and high jump. Sprint-powered Serra of Gardena and Clovis, with one-person scoring machine Jenna Prandini, are also prime candidates for the podium.
        The boys team competition projects to be far more balanced, with a pair of private schools projecting as co-champions with 34 points apiece. Loyola of Los Angeles, with big points forecast in the pole vault and the distances, is the leading title bid from the south while Jesuit of Carmichael -- expected to score in the dashes, the short relay, the hurdles and two field events -- looms as the big threat from the north. Sprint fueled programs Long Beach Poly and Serra project to score 30 points apiece.