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4/10/99 at Arcadia CA High School
32nd Arcadia Invitational
California preps vs. the nation's best
Event Summaries - Boys
by Doug Speck
1999 Arcadia Invitational Event Summaries
Boys 100 Meter Dash
The 100 Meter dash field is as strong as any that will be gathered in the
nation this spring. Defending State Champs from California, Oregon, Utah, and
Kentucky will battle. Casey Combest wowed the prep world this winter with a
6.19 55 meter dash during the regular season and highlighted the Nike Indoor
Classic in mid-March in Columbus with a dismantling of a good prep 60 meter
record of 6.62 with a blazing 6.57 clocking. Combest has huge big-meet
credentials, including a silver medal from the 1998 World Junior Championships
on the U.S. National team. The confident southerner was 10.44 (10.41w) last
spring for 100 meters. Darrell Rideaux, the California Champion, was 10.36
last year, and was the National Scholastic Indoor 60 Meter champ this winter.
The battle between the two should be a great one!!! Cody Fonnesbeck was the
Utah State Champ last year (10.65), with Nic Acosta wowing fans in Oregon with
a State title as a ninth grader (10.71)! Ric Cotengim was 10.46w-10.67 last
year, with Albert Hollis the Stanford Invite champ two weeks ago, and 10.71w-
10.82 last season as a soph. Sammie Parker is another Long Beach Poly flash at
10.67, with the duo of Lamont Long (10.73) and Stephen Hayes (10.72) quick
sophs in 1998. Rideaux opened up outdoors with a 10.4 three weeks back to lead
the state.
Boys 200 Meter Dash
Kareem Kelly is the second half of the great Long Beach Poly sprint team
(Darrell Rideaux will defend the program's honor over 100 meters in this meet).
Kelly, the nation's #2 returnee over 200 meters at 20.76, raced a fine 21.51 in
placing second in the National Scholastic Indoor Meet last month to Jamacian
World Junior silver 200 Meter medalist, Dwight Thomas, now attending a high
school in Maryland. Keeping the California star honest will be a fine group,
with Reshaun Ross of Arizona, the #5 back in the event nationally at 21.12, and
Warren Rogers the nation's top soph last year at 21.15. Ric Cottengim was
21.32 and fourth in the State Meet (Rogers was fifth behind Kelly's win).
Michael Mitchell was a quick 21.48 last spring, with 22'6 long jump abilities
and some fine efforts indoors this winter. Haddon Weatherborne was the winner
of a big Pasadena Games showdown a week ago in 21.51 (State outdoor leader),
with Acosta (Oregon 21.69) and Fonnesbeck (Utah) the best from their areas of
the country. Acosta was a State sprint champ in 1998 as a ninth grader!
Boys 400 Meter Dash
Daniel Mentu impressed with a 47.29 summer best during Junior Olympics
action last year. Travon Walton is hot off a 47.6 on Chino High's super 3:25.1
sprint medley team from two weekends back. Walton will reprsent the U.S. in
the first World Youth Track & Field Championships (under 18) in Poland this
summer off his Junior Olympic successes last year. Maurice Douglas is the San
Diego area best with a 47.93 lifetime best, with Raheem Barnes 47.97 last year
in this event. Adam Land had a fine Pasadena Games run two weekends back at
48.23. Giovanni Miles was a fine 48.12 last spring, with Stagg of Stockton
transfer Maurice Washington (48.99) and 21.71 for 200 two weekends back in the
Pasadena Games, part of the strong McClymonds squad.
Boys 800 Meters
Indianan Brett Tipton was the find of the Winter prep indoor season,
exploding to 1:51.89 and 1:51.77 clockings during that campaign that had him
emerge the winner at the Nike Indoor Classic in Columbus, Ohio. A 4:14.90 1600
runner last spring, Tipton has amazing acceleration and hopes for a good early
pace that will help him to record a time under 1:50 here. A good group should
rise to the challenge. Nebraskan David Stott was 1:53.51 last year, with Sean
Ricketts the nation's top soph clocking in 1998 with a 1:53.51. Zach Salberg
was 1:53.84 last year out of Washington, with Andre Young 1:54.31 (9th State),
Chris Burns 1:54.48 (6th State), D.J. Ozan 1:54.67 (8th State), and Brandon
Shaw 1:54.73 good credentials. It should be a good group!
Boys 1600 Meters
Nebraskan Brian Turner brought back memories of Jim Ryun in his running as
a soph, with an impressive 4:09.29 best for a full mile in placing second to
California star Jon Stevens at the National Scholastic Outdoor meet last June.
Turner has 1:53 800 speed and has already qualified once for the Foot Locker
Nationals in Cross-Country, with the smart-striding midwesterner seeming to be
the whole package as a runner! A flock of others will challenge Brian here.
James DeBruhl has been very sharp lately, winning over Turner and a strong
group in a 4:18.39 L.A. Indoor Mile in February. DeBruhl has soloed 4:16.98
outdoors, with interesting 48.5 and 1:52.0 relay legs in the last few
weekends. Josh Spiker has emerged as a great miler, cruising by at 3:09 for
three laps on the way to a solo 4:16 relay split a month back, then racing
4:15.6 (State Leader) in the Arroyo Distance Carnival two weeks back. Marcus
Chandler 4:15.77 (6th State), Javon Broderick 4:17.08, Daniel Mejia 4:17.5,
Justin Neuroth Vista 4:17.65, Mike Kamm 4:18.03 mile, John Russell, and Tyler
Williams have all been under 4:20. Some good early pace- setting in this event
could have another of those great deep Arcadia distance finishes.
Boys 3200 Meters
Another great group will battle here! Josh Rohatinsky has run his fastest
time as a ninth grader and tenth grader (9:08.22) in this competition the last
two years, with a Fall season where he was the top underclass finisher in the
Foot Locker National Cross-Country championships hopefully moving him a bit
closer to the head of the class and a win. A super crew will keep him honest.
Adam Tenforde was 9:09.96 last year and just returned from representing the
U.S. in the World Cross-Country Championships at the Junior level--Adam opened
up outdoors with a nation-leading solo 9:15. Ryan Craig 9:12.22 is another
Spokane, Washington star, with Jose Herrera 9:13.19 (7th State 98 with a solo
9:18.5 this year to lead the state), Nick McCombs 9:13.31, Juan Reyes 9:15.48,
Phil Yoder 9:16.42, Jason Finch 9:16.69, and Stanford Invite 3k winner Andrew
Hill 8:40.33 making it appear that sub-9:10 will be needed for one of the five
medals! Augie Escobar was 9:19.5 in a solo effort two weeks ago to add to the
mix!
Boys 110 Meter High Hurdles
One of prep history's great hurdle gatherings will take place here.
Colorado's Ricardo Moody cranked 13.64 last year, but will be kept honest by a
great group. Marcell Allmond, defending California champ at 13.83, was a close
second to Moody Indoors at the Simplot Games over the 60 Meter barrier
distance. Charles Ryan, 14.06 last year, blazed a California-leading 14.04
two weekends back. Clement Owunna has surprised with 13.9 and 14.26 clockings
already this season (remember Oakland only has one rep to the state meet with
Ryan and Owunna battling for that spot). Greg Lee was fourth in last year's
State Meet with 14.03 (13.98w) bests. Marc James has improved mightily for
Coach Teenan Anderson at Harrison, joining teammate Moody under 14.0 this
spring already, with James Smith Arizona's best with a 14.13 98 best. Terry
Jenkins was fifth in the California State Meet last spring in this event
(14.39), with Jason Williams one of Canada's fine junior age hurdlers.
Boys 300 Meter Intermediate Hurdles
Arizona's James Smith, UC Berkeley bound for Football and Track, was 37.58
last spring and is the nation's #9 returnee in this event. Terry Jenkins raced
a California-leading 37.93 in winning the Pasadena Games in late March.
Marcell Allmond, the nation's finest all-around prep athlete, was 37.80 and is
the defending champ here! Rico Hatter was 38.06 on the way to a sixth in
State last year (Allmond finished eighth there over this distance), with Trevor
Jones racing the State's number two time (38.15) two weeks ago behind Jenkins.
Ben Gardner is currently Utah's fastest long hurdler.
Boys 400 Meter Relay
The annual ""sell-out"" knowledgeable crowd settles in early at Arcadia for
the annual showdown between the State's top relay groups. Early on ""bragging
rights"" will be sorted out here, with Long Beach Poly, having potentitally the
State's best ever short relay group off Darrell Rideaux (10.36) and Kareem
Kelly (10.39), hoping to establish superiority over the field. The Jackrabbits
were 41.3 two weekends back before a big trip to the Texas Relays last weekend.
Dorsey won the big Pasadena Games showdown at 41.60 with McClymonds a solo 41.6
from earlier in the season. University City was 41.77 two weekends ago, with
Serra the Santa Barbara Eastern Relays winner. Everybody here could finish
under 42.0!
Boys 1600 Meter Relay
The end of the evening will be capped by another great baton event, as two
teams that have emerged as favorites for the State team title hunt, Long Beach
Poly, and McClymonds, head a top group doing battle. ""Mack"" was 3:15.57 during
a Pasadena Games win, with Poly 3:16.2 the same weekend in winning over Chino,
who has a 3:17.29 (state's top three times). Dorsey, Gardena, and Vallejo
(Stanford Invite winners) have also been under 3:20 in what should be a deep
and competitive event!
High Jump
Canadian Jason Pilkington was the National Scholastic Indoor Champion a
month back, with a 7-01.5 lifetime best in the event. Great all-arounder
Marcell Allmond shows up here also, with a lifetime best over 6-10, with
Spokane star Casey Clark leading five others in the field who have jumped 6-08
or better. One of those, Jason Gatewood, was runner-up in last year's State
Meet.
Pole Vault
Arizonan Blake Powell has already jumped 16-0 this spring. This has
developed into a very fine event, with Brandon Braunstein (Newark state runner-
up 1998) 15-10 and Texan Chris Steddum 15-09 leading a dozen who have been over
15-0 in their careers. Covina's Sam Boswell was third at last year's State
Meet at 15-02.
Long Jump
One of the first events on the main field has had some great efforts over
the years. Vince Ibia (7th State 1998) has been very hot in the San Jose area
with the State's top jump, a 24-03 effort. Fine all-arounder Oliver Jackson
has been 24-01 with a series of good meets down south. Kevin DeSouza is a fine
Canadian jumper, with Dan Littlefield fourth at State with a 23- 09.25 mark.
Jonathon Lott, a 23-footer last year as a soph, is another Californian who will
compete in the World Youth Championships (under 18) for the U.S. National team
this coming summer off his Junior Olympic success last summer.
Triple Jump
Fine all-around jumper, Vincent Ibia, headlines this event in addition to
the Long Jump, with a 49-02 State leader from early in the season. Nebraskan
Lonell Cooper was 48-00 last season, with Canadian Kevin DeSouza also over the
48 foot mark. James Samuels was over 47 feet indoors this winter, with Kevin
Carano (47-05) continuing the fine line of jumpers out of Hoover HS in Fresno.
Shot Put
A group of great athletes will meet here! Six have bests of over 60 feet.
Danny Ames led the nation indoors this winter with a fine 63-07.75 and was 64-
08 last spring. Washington's Doug Sells (62-09.5 98 and 60-07.5 already this
year) is amazingly also competing here in the High Hurdles where he has a 14.50
electronic best clocking! Lucais MacKay was 61-01 last spring, with a 75-01.5
(equal #3 All-Time U.S. Prep) in the weight throw during this past indoor
season. An interesting clash of young stars will have super juniors, Rusty
Price (60-1.5 this spring) and Rhuben Williams (60-06.5 as the nation's top
soph in 1998), battling. Price was also named to the U.S. National Team for
the World Youth Meet (under 18 World Championships) off his Junior Olympic
successes last summer. Sam Lightbody has also edged over 60 feet this season
to help make medals tough to come by in this field!
Discus
This late afternoon event starts the Invitational Meet, with a deep
history including Kamy Keshmiri's still standing National Federation record
(the Meet Record) 224-03, and last year's winning toss by Reedus Thurmond (209-
00) that held up as the best toss in the entire nation for the year. Discus
head official Lloyd Higgins should herd his charges to another series of great
efforts! Two Hundred Feet would not surprise at all from someone in this
field. Lucais MacKay was 197-09 last year (he leads the state at 188-00 this
spring) and is the nation's #2 returnee in the event. Danny Ames was 192-00
last year, with Sam Lightbody 186-06 already this season. Arizona's Jeremy
Fulton has been out to 185-00 in a meet this year, with Travis Pendleton 180-
11. Georgia's Kipway Johnson has reported some great practice efforts prior
to entry, with soph Nick Arrenius (over 180 feet already this year) the latest
from that throwing family out of Utah. Tim Adrian 183-06 last year is the
eighth thrower in the field over 180 feet!
Distance Medley
A flock of sub-10:20 times usually come from this event, with some strong
groups along this year. West Hills (Santee) will be fresh for this race, with
4:15 star Josh Spiker anchoring what will be a good Ventura High group.
Katella (Anaheim) was one of the nation's top Cross-Country squads, with 1:56
800 star Tony Lozano and 4:17.5 1600 star Daniel Mejia making them tough to
beat! Don Lugo (Chino) has run under 10:30 solo already.
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