Fifteen Long Beach athletes will compete in nine events at the 100thannual CIF State Track & Field Finals in Clovis. Long Beach Poly’s girls’ team is one of the three teams expected to compete for the state championship and they’ll race the other favorites, Serra and Calabasas, head to head in the 4×100 and the 100/200 sprints.
“Our goal is just to run as well as we can and let it work out however it works out,” said Poly coach Crystal Irving. “We want the kids to run well but we aren’t talking to them a lot about (points).”
Wilson’s Rachel Glenn cleared Friday’s qualifying mark of 5-5 with ease, and has the state’s top mark of 5-11 this year. Saturday’s high jump competition will be the first event going for the local kids, with an opening height of 5-4.
The meet could end with some fireworks with the Wilson boys’ 4×400, which will be in the running for a state title. Surprising some on Friday was the Poly boys’ 4×100, which made Saturday’s final and could be in position for a podium finish.
The biggest storyline for Saturday is defending 100 and 200 state champion Ariyonna Augustine trying to defend her titles; if she does, it will boost Poly’s chance in the team standings as well. Junior Kenya Payne, the younger sister of Poly All-American Kymber Payne, qualified in the 300 and would give Poly a huge boost with a podium finish.
LONG BEACH STATE FINALISTS w lane assignments
Girls’ 4×100
Long Beach Poly (Lane 8) 47.22
Boys’ 4×100
Long Beach Poly (Lane 7) 41.47
Girls’ 100 Hurdles
Asjah Atkinson, St. Anthony (Lane 2) 14.10
Girls’ 100
Ariyonna Augustine, Long Beach Poly (Lane 4) 11.65
Girls’ 300 Hurdles
Kenya Payne, Long Beach Poly (Lane 9) 43.26
Boys’ 300 Hurdles
Riley Williams, Millikan (Lane 8) 38.34
Girls’ 200
Ariyonna Augustine, Long Beach Poly (Lane 6) 23.82
Boys’ 4×400
Long Beach Wilson (Lane 7) 3:16.29
Girls’ High Jump
Rachel Glenn, Long Beach Wilson (5-5)
