Jeneba Tarmoh started her high school career two years ago at Mt. Pleasant with dazzling speed that made her one of the most highly touted sprinters in California. But the spotlight was too much for the talented freshman, who quit the Cardinals team after league finals that year.
``It was a little overwhelming for her,'' Coach Steve Nelson said. ``She was saying, `Everyone knows me at the meets we go to,' and I don't think she was ready for that yet.''
After returning to the team and finishing third in the state 200-meter final last season, Tarmoh is feeling comfortable with her athletic fame.
The junior has been burning up the track this season.
Last weekend, Tarmoh traveled to New York to compete in the National Scholastic Indoor Championships, where she was second in the 200 and third in the 60. Tarmoh's preliminary 200 time of 23.56 seconds is the fastest by a California girl this season, and ranks fifth all-time for indoor marks in California, Nelson said.
With plenty of big-meet experience, Tarmoh is brimming with confidence and looking forward to battling it out with her friend and rival Khrystal Carter of Valley Christian, who won the state 200 title and was third in the 100.
``Racing against Khrystal has helped me improve because her strengths are my weaknesses,'' Tarmoh said. ``She can finish beautifully and I'm a good starter, but when it comes to finishing I'm horrible.''
That might be a bit of an overstatement.
``Jeneba has huge potential; she a chance to be one of the all-time greats,'' said Nelson, who has led the Cardinals girls to five Central Coast Section titles, including four of the past six, in 18 years as coach.
Nelson has helped develop several NCAA Division I athletes, such as the Becker sisters. Undine Becker recently graduated from Stanford, and Galina Becker is a freshman at Georgia Tech.
This year's team has a good shot to repeat as CCS champion, boasting four athletes in addition to Tarmoh with Division I potential.
Vashti Thomas, a sophomore, is the defending section champion in the 100 hurdles and has the best long jump in CCS at 18 feet, 9 3/4 inches. She is also near the top in the 200. Sophomore Marshay Brown has the No. 1 CCS time in the 400 (58.44). Junior Stella Dugall has the best triple jump in CCS (37-5 3/4), and junior Deirdra Pettigrue is one of the best in the area in the 200 and 400.
``Our goal is always to win CCS, but it's too early to look that far ahead,'' Nelson said. ``Anything from false starts to stepping on the line in a relay can happen. But this team has a lot of young talent.''