What: CIF State Track and Field Championships.
When: Friday and Saturday, Sacramento City College.
Boys: Hudson Andrews, Royal, and Brandon Shirck, Nordhoff, 1,600; Michael Cybulski, Royal, 3,200; Josh Harrison, Rio Mesa, long jump; Derek Johnson, Agoura, discus; Chris Owusu, Oaks Christian, 200; Cory Primm, Westlake, 800; Rio Mesa 4x100 relay (Sean Alfino, Quentin Greenlaw, Stephen Richards and Harrison); Westlake 4x400 relay (Max McCat, Mauro Ormedilla, Cooper Shockley and Primm).
Girls: Brittany Harper, Calabasas, 400; Claire Morgan, Ventura, discus; Lauren Radke, Oaks Christian, pole vau Anna Sperry, Simi Valley, 1,600 and 3,200; Rio Mesa 4x100 relay (Takiyah Cotton, Saraina Hedgepeth, Mariyah Lee and Michelle Poindexter).
As a Division III finalist in four events, Oak Park High's Tayler Johnson attracted modest interest from college scouts.
Until they were notified of one glaring mistake on postseason programs for the last three weeks.
Johnson is not a senior as listed on heat sheets. She's only a freshman.
A qualifier in the girls' high jump for the CIF State Track and Field Championships Friday and Saturday at Sacramento City College, Johnson becomes only the third Oak Park athlete and first girl to advance that far.
Johnson achieved the state at-large qualifying standard by clearing 5 feet, 4 inches on her first attempt at last Friday's CIF-Southern Section Masters Meet at Cerritos College.
She almost didn't make it that far.
One week earlier, Johnson tied Dos Pueblos' Hannah Valdez for the ninth and final qualifying spot at the CIF Divisional Finals.
When the call came for a jump off to break the tie, Valdez did not appear.
In her first track season at Oak Park, Johnson has proven to be a valuable commodity.
Besides the high jump, she made the Division III finals in the 100 hurdles (setting a school record at 14.
63 seconds) 100 dash (personal best 12.47) and was a member of a school record-setting 4x100 relay team.
"When we got her after the soccer season, it was a process of learning who she was as an athlete and what events she really likes," said Oak Park coach Kevin Smith.
"As the season unfolded, she was going to so many event areas, bounding from one coach to another. Balancing became difficult. She was communicating with three coaches.
"Tayler has taken on every talent that was thrown at her."
One of her biggest challenges came the week of the Division III finals. Johnson was moved from anchor to the third leg.
Not only did it mean switching from running the straightaway to the curve, but that she would be receiving a baton pass and making one.
No problem, coach.
Double time: Back down from one of the biggest endurance tests at the state track championships?
Not Anna Sperry.
The Simi Valley senior has elected to double in the girls' 1,600 and 3,200 races. She qualified by winning the 3,200 and placing second in the 1,600 at the Masters meet.
For Sperry, it means running a 1,600 qualifier on Friday and two finals Saturday in less than 2 hours.
She is ranked No. 5 in the nation in both events with times of 4:45.
56 for the 1,600 and 10:17.22 for the 3,200.
"Anna feels a sense of commitment to the 1,600," said Simi Valley coach Roger Evans.
"For a distance runner, the 1,600 is the queen of distance races."
Sperry is a two-time state finalist in the 1,600.
Throughout the Marmonte League season, Sperry was used to running one relay and three relay races.
"She is used to coming back with fatigue and competing."
Double II: For the first time in school history, Rio Mesa has two 4x100 relay state qualifying teams.
The Rio Mesa girls' team of Takiyah Cotton, Saraina Hedgepeth, Mariyah Lee and Michelle Poindexter qualified for state by 0.
02 seconds with a time of 47.59.
Ranked as one of the state's best boys' team, Rio Mesa safely advanced 41.
51, Members of the boys' team are Sean Alfino, Quentin Greenlaw, Stephen Richards and Josh Harrison bettered the county record of 41.57 set by Oxnard in placing third at the 1985 state meet.
Harrison will be one of the favorites in the boys' long jump.
"We have had lot of kids go to state meet," said Rio Mesa coach and athletic director Brian FitzGerald, "but we've never had eight kids go."
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