State meet offers final chance at CIF glory

A handful of local track and field stars competed last Friday at Cerritos College in the CIF Masters meet. Thanks to several strong performances, many will return to the same venue Friday and Saturday in pursuit of a state championship.

Although no individuals from the Marmonte, Pacific View or Tri-Valley leagues won titles at Masters, things could easily change the second time around.

For the second straight season, Rio Mesa High will send both of its 4x100 relay teams to the CIF State Championships.

The Spartan boys' team, consisting of seniors Sean Alfino, Jerell Thomas, Quentin Greenlaw and sophomore Steven Richards, qualified with a fourth-place finish of 41.64 seconds.

The Rio Mesa girls' squad, led by freshman Valexsia Droughn and juniors Mariyah Lee, Saraina Hedgepeth and Takiyah Cotton, qualified with a time of 47.57.

"This is a great accomplishment to have our relay teams go back to the state championships for the second straight year," Rio Mesa head coach Brian Fitzgerald said. "Some schools will go years without sending one athlete to a state championship. I have the luxury of sending eight."

Droughn will not only make the trip back to Norwalk via the Spartans' relay team, but she also made it in the 100-meter dash.

Droughn placed third at Masters in the 100 with a time of 11.93.

"I'll tell you what, she's already running faster than Rio Mesa star Angela Burnham ran as a freshman," Fitzgerald said. "Marion Jones as a freshman was still a little faster. That's about it though."

Although it was a close finish, Oak Park High will send Doug Bettisworth to the state championship in the boys' 800 after the senior qualified with a Masters' time of 1:54.33.

In an Acorn article last week, OPHS head coach Kevin Smith said Bettisworth ran the perfect race to get to Masters. At Masters, however, Bettisworth's performance was far from flawless.

"He got himself boxed in early, and he never got into a rhythm running," Smith said.

"The first 650 meters he looked to be completely out of the race. During the last turn he started a strong finish that saved his race and saved his season."

Smith said he blamed himself as much as Bettisworth for the close finish.

"All week I gave him the wrong mindset," Smith said. "I kept telling him that it was a qualifying race and he didn't necessarily need to win. Maybe that didn't help him. This time we're going for the win, and I believe he'll do it."

Oaks Christian will send senior Lauren Radke back to the state finals in pole-vaulting after she advanced via a jump-off. Radke said the rainy weather made it difficult for her to put up her usual numbers in the event.

"I had never jumped in the rain, so it was a little different for me," Radke said. "I was trying not to slip with the poll in my hands and not slip on the jump.

"The original cutoff to make it to state was over 12 feet, but only two girls made it. So there were three of us left competing for two spots. Nobody made the jump at 11 feet, 9 inches, either. So then they lowered it to 11 feet, 6 inches. I was the only one able to make that leap."

Moorpark's Max Dyce competed in three events at Masters- the long jump, 100 and 200. Dyce only qualified in the 100 with a fourth-place finish of 10.72 but was pleased with his performance.

"I wanted to make it in all three events, but I'm looking ahead to the upcoming event at state," Dyce said. "In order to improve, I really need to work on my form this week and come out of the blocks quicker."

Dyce's accomplishment is even more amazing due to the fact he only began sprint events this season, his junior year.

"At the start of the year I would have never imagined myself in this situation because I didn't compete in the 100," Dyce said. "I got better in it over time, however, and halfway through the season I started to believe I could make it to state in the 100 or 200."

La Reina will send the Blanchard sisters, Tara and Sasha, in the girls' 800-meter dash and 100 hurdles, respectively.

Tara Blanchard finished with a time of 2:11.88 in the 800, while Sasha Blanchard finished fourth in the 100 hurdles with a 14.34.

Phillip Burks will represent Royal. Burks qualified in the triple jump. Calabasas' Brittany Harper will compete in the girls' 400.