Sac Joaquin Section Primed for State
By
Bill Carr

After wrapping up a brutal three weeks of qualifying (Mission Accomplished), Sac Joaquin Section athletes take aim at this year’s California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) State Track and Field Championships at Hughes Stadium, June 4th (trials) and 5th (finals). Long considered one of the country’s more formidable championship competitions, the California State Meet seldom is lacking for the ultimate in track and field excitement, surprises and drama…!

This year the ‘SJS’ looks to garner its share of hardware with an impressive array of talent on both the boys and girls side of the ledger. Overall, however, with the increase in qualifiers (thanks to at-large qualifying standards) fans of high school track and field will feast on the two day extravaganza of speed, agility, and strength!

Leading the ‘SJS’ charge are defending champions Brittany Daniels (Merrill West-Tracy) in the girls triple jump and Granite Bay sophomore pole vaulter, Ryan Shuler. Daniels won last year’s competition with a mark of 42-4-3/4, and Shuler – as a 9th grader -- topped the vault field with a winning effort of 16-0. Both enter the 2004 meet as favorites to make in two in a row.

Shuler is the State leader in his event with a Section Championship winning 16-6, while Daniels stamped her name in the national record books with an all-time best (under any conditions) 44-8 and wind legal 44-0, well ahead of North-Riverside’s Gayle Hunter who qualified with a 40-11-3/4 jump.

Also look for strong showings from Folsom’s Natasha LaBeaud and Sheldon’s Deonna Lawrence in the 3200 and 400 meter races respectively. LaBeaud has been dominant all season and is the gold medal favorite, qualifying in 10:33.28. The Folsom junior has a State leading 10:24.57 to her credit. She was 7th in last year’s final. Lawrence has been one of the country’s top one-lappers and qualifies number one with a 53.59 (53.55 season best) and looks to improve on her 4th place finish last year. She faces stiff competition from Poly-Long Beach senior and defending champion, Jasmine Lee (53.63) and sophomore Myra Hasson of Gardena (53.90).

Napa freshman Susan Jackson, cleared 5-6 in the SJS final, but her 5-8 ‘PR’ gives her a solid shot in the girl’s high jump.

On the boy’s side, senior Rashaad Nunnally (Sheldon) leads an outstanding long jump field, shaping up as one of the meets most spectacular events. The competition features no less that fifteen jumpers over 23-feet. Nunnally, who won the Mt. Sac Relays earlier this season, holds down the number one qualifying mark at 24-11-1/2, but is followed closely by ‘SJS teammates’ Devon Jones (Grant) in at 24-5 and qualifying 3rd, Steven Conrad (Nevada Union) at 24-2, good for the 5th qualifier and Sam Stroughter (Granite Bay) with a best of 24-1/4, ranking him the 6th qualifier.

Fairfield’s Desmond Morris who ran 47.68 in winning the Section title bids for a top three finish. The Falcon senior has run 47.43 and looks to contend against defending champ Los Angeles-Dorsey’s David Gettis whose 46.39 leads all qualifiers.

Mesa Verde’s, Aiona Key checks in at number six in the boy’s high jump, qualifying with a 6-8 Section-winning effort. Key boasts one of the State’s top marks, however, with a 7-0 ‘PR’ and is a strong contender for gold along with number one seed, North Coast Section’s Ed Wright (St. Mary’s-Berkeley), who like Key has scaled 7-0. Both could be relegated to silver and bronze by Fremont-Los Angeles’ Danny Williams who qualified at 6-8, but has cleared 7-1/4 this season.

A number of athletes return from last year’s meet with a shot at a top six finish. Look for West’s Jennifer Nash to improve on her 8th place showings in both the 100 and 200 meter dash events. Daniels (West) was 6th in the long jump last year and comes in this year with the number two qualifying mark (20-2-1/4) behind Hunter (North-Riverside) who has sailed 20-3-1/2. Nash has the State’s 3rd best 100 meter qualifying mark at 11.54 and is number three at 23.73 behind (Bishop Amat) Jasmin Baldwin’s 23.15.

Relay-wise, the best bet to medal, on paper, looks likes West. Both 400 and 1600 relays quartets return hoping to better their 5th (46.91) and 7th (3:48.48) place finishes of a year ago. Fairfield and Sheldon also threaten to make it to Saturday’s 1600 meter relay final. The Falcon’s qualified in 3:50.32, but owns a season ‘PR’ 3:49.52, while Sheldon, finishing third at the ‘SJS’ final in 3:53.04, has gone 3:50.12.

Also, look for a strong showing from East Union’s Carl Crawford. The smooth striding senior failed to advance to Saturdays final a year ago, but his 10.52 (10.34w) qualifying mark this season, sees him as the number two qualifier behind Long Beach Poly’s Derrick Jones (10.50). This is perhaps one of the deepest 100 meter fields in recent years as the top seven qualifiers have recorded times under 10.70. Crawford is also a solid contender in the 200 meters where his 21.04 gives him the number two ranking behind Jones (Poly) who leads all qualifiers at 20.97.

Also returning for her final shot at gold is Laguna Creek-Elk Grove senior Rachel Bryan (3200), who was runner up in last year’s meet. Bryan qualified in 10:45.20. Stagg-Stockton’s Candise Maxwell (14.30) returns in the 100H, eyeing an improvement on her 9th place finish a year ago. Shevell Quinley (West) makes the return trip in the 300LH (43.19) and adds the 100H (14.37) and long jump (19-2) to go with 400 meter relay duty.

Other returnees include Jesuit’s John Wihtol, 3200 meters, Lauren Mulkey (Woodcreek-Roseville), 1600 meters, Oakdale’s Danielle St. John, high jump, Ingrid Kantola (St. Francis-Sacramento) pole vault, Krystal Thomson (Bret Harte) discus, Jeff Lease (Lincoln-Stockton) 1600 meters, Megan Mathis (Florin-Sacramento) 100 meters, Dominique Carter (West) 400 meters, Antonia Bethel (Turlock) 300LH, and Chris Fuller (Granite Bay), 1600 meters,

A host of other athletes will give this year’s Sac Joaquin Section inspired and competitive representation to this year’s CIF State Championships. Good luck and best wishes to all!

Note: It was previously reported in my SJS Preview that Woodcreek-Roseville’s Calvin Glass was the defending State champion in the boys 1600. This was incorrect. My apologies to Mr. Glass, the parents, team and coaching staff at Woodcreek!