Serra's Pleasant shows off blazing speed
CLOVIS » When Serra junior sprinter Rodrick Pleasant got the baton in the 4x100meter relay in the second qualifying heat at the CIF State Track and Field Championships on Friday night, he knew he had work to do if he wanted to keep his school's state championship dreams alive.
Pleasant, who became the state record-holder in the 100 meters with a time of 10.14 seconds last week at the CIF-SS Masters Meet, showed the crowd of thousands that he was fast enough to make a dashing comeback in the first race of the event.
In the boys 4x100 relay, Serra, one of the topseeded teams, had a scare with a nearly botched exchange between the second and third runners, but a blazing anchor leg by Pleasant got the Cavaliers back into the fifth qualifying position with a time of 41.57.
That was just one of the most scintillating moments on Day 1 of the state meet at Buchanan High School.
Pleasant also qualified for today's final of the 100 with a 10.38, the secondfastest qualifying time behind Long Beach Jordan sophomore Jordan Washington, who posted a time of 10.31.
“Going into the finals, I'm still going to stay humble because you never know what happens in track,” Washington said. “That's why athletes are always nervous. I always strive to do better.”
Long Beach Poly senior Jaelen Knox also qualified for the boys 100 final with a 10.53 in his prelims heat Friday.
Granada Hills qualified for the boys 4x100 relay finals by winning its heat in 41.46, and Los Alamitos
earned an at-large spot with a sensational anchor leg by freshman Devin Bragg, who holds the California state freshman record in the 100 (10.45).
In the girls 4x100 relay, Golden Valley won its heat in 45.82 and blew away the competition with the fastest time in California this year.
Serra and Long Beach Poly won their qualifying heats in the 4x100 to secure preferred lanes in the finals.
Carson's relay team also qualified for the finals and could be in the mix for a podium finish, especially after Carson junior Reign Redmond won the girls 100 with an 11.45, the fastest time in the state this year.
“I'm really just overwhelmed with joy when I finished and saw the time,” Redmond said. “I was actually crying because it's been a long-awaited personal record that I've been really striving for and digging for. I finally found the confidence in myself to go out and do what I have to do and not really worry about other people.”
Golden Valley junior Ta'ahja Fann was second in the girls 100. Serra's Brazil Neal and Jordan Washington and Redondo's Eve Divinity also qualified for girls 100 final.
Golden Valley senior Elijha Ellis and St. John Bosco senior Camyrn O'Bannon qualified for the boys long jump and triple jump finals. However, it was Ellis' top marks in both events that put the field on notice that he is a contender for the state championship.
Sherman Oaks Notre Dame junior April Fontenette qualified for the girls discus final with a mark of 157 feet, 1 inch, making her the favorite to win the state championship. She also qualified in the shot put.
Fontenette's teammate, senior Hope Gordon, also qualified in the girls shot put with a heave of 4211.25, and Notre Dame freshman Aja Johnson qualified for the girls shot put final. Those three could give Notre Dame a chance to score enough points to contend for the state title.
This is the 102nd CIF State Track and Field Championships, which were canceled the past two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic.