Serra's Pleasant is focused on a big weekend at state championships
The high school track season hasn't been a smooth or easy journey for Serra sprinter Rodrick Pleasant.
It almost ended early for the junior.
“The big thing for me was just getting healthy,” Pleasant said Monday.
Pleasant suffered a quad strain at the Arcadia Invitational in April.
“It was very stressful,” he said. “It was a nagging injury and it felt like I was running handicapped.
“We've been rehabbing and doing everything I could to get healthy.”
Two weeks ago, at the CIF Southern Section Finals, Pleasant knew he was healthy.
“We ran a 40.89 (in the 4x100 relay). I said I think I'm ready, I think this is it,” Pleasant said.
In the 100 meters, he posted a time of 10.58 seconds in the CIF-SS Division 4 prelims before turning in a 10.16 at the CIF-SS Finals for the fastest time in the event in state history.
His record lasted one week, as he ran the 100 in 10.14 at last week's Masters Meet, and a 20.49 in the 200.
“Being healthy is amazing,” he said.
Pleasant said the goal for this weekend's CIF State Track and Fields Finals in Clovis is to lower his times again.
“That's definitely the plan,” he said. “I'm going to do everything I can in my power. You can't control what anybody else does. Do what you can control and let the chips fall where they may.”
At the CIF State Finals meet, field qualifying events begin Friday at 3 p.m. and track qualifying events start at 5 p.m. The finals are Saturday with the field events beginning at 4:30 p.m. and track events at 6 p.m.
The Serra boys 4x100 relay team of Pleasant, Jaylin Franklin, Cordell Montgomery and Dakoda Fields ran a 41.14 at the Masters Meet.
Serra also has two girls to watch at the state meet, Jordan Washington and Brazil Neal.
“I'm proud of all of them,” said Alexis Faulknor, the team's coach who is also a Serra alum and former state champion. “I told them we were going to run when it matters.
“So oftentimes, you see other people running at these meets and they're running fast and they're like Coach Lex we want to run fast. I told them, we're going to run fast when it counts.
Boys 300 hurdles
Joshua Patapoff, San Pedro, 41.33 Jamurian Broussad, Carson, 42.18
Girls 200
Jordan Washington, Serra, 23.62 Brazil Neal, Serra, 24.01
Eve Divinity, Redondo, 24.34 Reign Redmond, Carson, 24.58 Samira Stevenson, Carson, 25.32
Boys 200
Rodrick Pleasant, Serra, 20.49 Kejuan Bullard, San Pedro, 22.33
Girls 3,200
Anna Chittenden, Mira Costa, 10:41.09
Boys 3,200
Luis Sandoval, San Pedro, 9:40.22
Girls 4x400 relay
Carson 3:58.29
Girls high jump
So overall, I've seen exactly what I thought was going to happen. Rod (Pleasant), Brazil (Neal) and Jordan (Washington) all making it through because that's how we train them. We train them to peak in May during prelims, finals, Masters and then state.”
Washington and Neal finished first and second, respectively, in the 100 at the CIF-Southern Section Division prelims, finals and at last week's Masters Meet.
Washington posted a 11.55 last week and Neal finished at 11.71.
The Serra girls 4x100 relay team ran a 46.19 at Masters and will compete at the state meet.
“We've talked about them finishing 1-2 at state,” Faulknor said of Washington and Neal. “They're so ready to run and they love training with each other. They're excited to be here.”
Faulknor was the 2012 Daily Breeze Girls Athlete of the Year. She's no stranger to the CIF State Meet. As a senior, she won the state long jump title, anchored the 4x100 to the state title and finished second in the 100 and 200.
“When you talk about legacy, track is the legacy of this school,” Faulknor said.
Tradition and legacy also suit Pleasant. He wears the Serra No. 2 jersey on the football field; it's the number worn by former Serra star Robert Woods. Now Pleasant is blazing his path around the track.
“Growing up, having two older brothers that were doing the stuff (playing football, running track) that I wanted to do, you just have to uphold the standard,” Pleasant said. “At Serra, there is a standard and that's why I'm going to keep it going.”
Milana Herrera, Palos Verdes, 5-5 Sarai Elder, Carson 5-0
Girls pole vault Girls long jump
Eve Divinity, Redondo, 19-3 Simone Terry, Carson, 17-10 1/2 Kylan Hyatt, Carson, 16-9
Girls triple jump Girls shot put
Miah Molette, Carson, 39-2 1/2 Lauryn Williams, Carson, 37-4 1/2
Boys pole vault
Boys shot put
Kai Deines, Redondo, 56-4
Kayla Tassara, South Torrance, 12-3
Simone Terry, Carson, 36-0
Dylan Curtis, Redondo, 14-11
Boys discus throw
Kai Deines, Redondo, 188-3