Hot Times In The Icy City!
California/Colorado dashers dominate the trials
Recaps of qualifying courtesy of Mike Kennedy, Track & Field News

Friday's Women's Prelims:

60 METERS

Californian's and Tony Well's Colorado Flyers dominated the qualifying round, taking 17of 18 places in the three-heat semifinals. But all you had to do was watch the first to realize who would be the overwhelming favorite. Senior Ashley Owens ( Liberty , Colorado Springs/Colorado Flyers) smoothly exploded out of the blocks and moved down the straightaway with nary a break in form to run 7.47�In flats (all prelims are run in flats with spikes used only in the finals). Owens, the current national leader at 7.34, held a huge .13 hundreds advantage over Shalonda Solomon (Speed City/Long Beach Poly) and Carol Rodriguez (TeeKay/Long Beach Wilson), separate heat winners in 7.60. Of the two, Rodriguez appeared to have a smoother run. Just behind the top three was Jennifer Nash (Tracy Flyers/Tracy Merrill West), a heat winner in 7.66. Rounding out the top eight qualifiers were Sarah Matthews (Colorado Flyers/Niwot, Longmont , Colo. ) at 7.74, Kristina Davis (James Logan, Union City) at 7.75, Jasmine Baldwin (Bishop Amat, La Puente) at 7.77 and Ashley Cruder (Colorado Flyers/Eaglecrest, Aurora, Colo.) at 7.81.

200 METERS

The 200 final will be an all- California affair with Rodriguez (24.67) and Solomon (24.72), turning in the top two preliminary times. The two also rank 1-2 in the nation with Solomon at 23.84 and Rodriguez 22.11. Joining the duo in the final are Angelique Smith James Logan, Union City at 25.08, Jennifer Nash at 25.16, freshman Ebony Collins TeeKay/Long Beach Wilson) at 25.28 and Shana Solomon's sister, Shana, at 25.60. Owens chose to compete only in the 60.

400 METERS

Becca Noble (Flying Burritos/Rogers, Spokane , Wa.), who earlier this year ran 54.98 on an oversize track, was very impressive in running 56.12 for the fastest prelim time. Jasmine Lee (Speed City/Long Beach Poly), who ran 52.52 last year, was the second fastest qualifier in 56.92. Deonna Lawrence (Alex Van Dyke/Shelton, Sacramento ), a 52.77 performer last year and third-ranked indoors this season at 54.78, should offer the strongest challenge to the top two. Freshman Sade Williams (Socal Cheetahs/Rancho Cucamonga), who won her heat easily in 58.74, but missed the final by .28, stands a good chance of running close to 56.0 in the first consolation race. Sophomore Jourdan Johnson (Mustang.Muir, Pasadena ), who ran 1:00.79, should contend for first in the second consolation race.

800 METERS

There are no Californian's in the championship final but the race will have a familiar look to Californian's. Heidi McGill ( Mountain View , Orem , Utah ), two-time Arcadia Invitational winner and teammate Heidi Houle were the top too qualifiers at 2:15.71 and 2:28, and Selena Sappleton (Zodiacs/A.P. Randolph, N.Y.C.), another Arcadia Alumni, was the third fastest qualifier in 2:20.14. Another runner to watch is Kasey Harwood (Polson, Mt.), who ran 2:20.97, but has an outdoor best of 2:13.0. Tanisha Cooper (Socal Cheetahs/Rancho Cucamonga), who ran 2:26.45, is the only Californian in the first consolation race. Samantha Allen and Leah Richmond (Speed City/Long Beach Poly) and Ejiro Okoro (Alex Van Dyne) qualified for the second consolation race.

60 HIGH HURDLES

The first heat saw Kira Robinson (Mullen Prep, Denver ), the third fastest hurdler in the nation at 8.71, clipped the first hurdle, hit the second hurdle and smashed the third hurdle causing her not to qualify. Junior Dashanta Harris (Speed City/Poly, Long Beach ), who spent much of last year trying to get well, was the leading qualifier in 8.97. Joining Harris in the final are fellow Californian's, Talia Stewart (James Logan, Union City ) at 9.07, and Long Beach Wilson teammates DeAna Carson and Ebony Collins, at 9.25 and 9.26, respectively. Three Californian's made both of the Consolation finals.

4 x 200 RELAY

California filled all six lanes in the final led by James Logan (Union City) , 1:41.54, Southern California Cheetahs, 1:42.54, TeeKay (Wilson, Long Beach), 1:42.97 and Speed City (Poly, Long Beach), 1:43.60. Wilson has the third fastest time in the nation at 1:39.9. California teams make up one-half of the consolation final led by Mustangs (Muir, Pasadena ), 1:45.79.

4 x 400 RELAY

TeeKay ( Wilson , Long Beach ) which has the fastest time in the nation at 3:47.15 and James Logan ( Union City ) which ranks fourth at 3:49.00, ran 3:56.79 and 3:59.21, respectively. Both made the final where they finished behind two all-star teams and Speed City (Poly, Long Beach ), which ran 3;59.21. Poly, if they chose to in the final, could run the same team that clocked 3:35.78 outdoors for the third fastest of all time.

Field event qualifying was mostly uneventful with approximately 20 in each event qualifying for the finals.