Saturday, June 07, 2014

California State Track and Field Meet Finals Predictions

Here are my predictions for today's state meet final.  Feel free to share your picks in comment section below.
BOYS
400m Relay-Woodcreek HS (SJS) YES
1600-Blake Haney Stockdale HS (CS) YES
110m Hurdles-Misana Viltz Millikan HS (SS) YES
400-Michael Norman Vista Murrieta HS (SS) NO
100-Curtis Godin Mater Dei HS (SS) YES
800-Ellis Newton Mayfair HS (SS) NO
300m. Hurdles-Marquis Morris De La Salle HS (NCS) YES
200-Curtis Godin Mater Dei HS (SS) YES
3200-Blake Haney Stockdale HS (CS) NO
1600m. Relay-Long Beach Poly (SS) YES
Long Jump-Nate Moore Castro Valley HS (NCS) YES
Triple Jump-Nate Moore Castro Valley HS (NCS) YES
High Jump-David Chukwu American HS (NCS) NO
Pole Vault-Luigi Colella Thousand Oaks HS (SS) NO
Shot Put-Matt Katnik St. John Bosco (SS) NO
Discus-Malik McMorris Mater Dei HS (SS) NO

GIRLS
400m Relay-Long Beach Poly (SS) YES
1600-Anna Maxwell San Lorenzo Valley HS (CCS) NO
100m Hurdles-Patrianna Perry Vacaville HS (SJS) NO
400-Madeline Price Menlo School (CCS) NO
100-Ariana Washington Long Beach Poly HS (SS) YES
800-Mikaela Smith Clovis North HS (CS) YES
300m. Hurdles-Kymber Payne Long Beach Poly HS (SS) NO
200-Ariana Washington Long Beach Poly (SS) YES
3200-Bethan Knights Northwood HS (SS) YES
1600m. Relay-Long Beach Poly HS (SS) YES
Long Jump-Courtney Corrin Harvard Westlake HS (SS) NO
Triple Jump-Ashley Anderson Carson HS (LA) YES
High Jump-Asia Chesley Stockdale HS (CS) YES
Pole Vault-Greta Wagner Los Gatos HS (CCS) YES
Shot Put-Stamatia Scarvelis Dos Pueblos HS (SS) YES
Discus-Stamatia Scarvelis Dos Pueblos HS (SS) YES

Comments welcome.  Step up and choose your winners.  Who are the locks?  Who are the shakiest picks?  Most competitive event?

47 comments:

Anonymous said...

Is Fiona O'keefe injured?

Anonymous said...

Is Fiona O'keefe injured?

Anonymous said...

Fiona's dad here - she had a minor bicycle accident a few weeks ago, and ended up with an ankle injury that gradually got worse and currently is too painful to train/race effectively.

Timing is really unfortunate, but after some time off she'll be fine.

Malcolm O'Keeffe

Albert Caruana said...

Sorry to hear that Malcolm but thanks for the update. She definitely has a long running career ahead of her and I am sure, taking time off now is in her best interest.

Anonymous said...

I think Garrett Corcoran will win the 1600 and that Fred Huxham will take the 3200

Norleen Bounds said...

Malcolm, sorry to hear about Fiona. Definitely have been rooting for her all year. Glad to hear that it's nothing too serious. Sorry that she missed state and looking forward to seeing her in cross country

Andrew said...

not bad on your picks, Albert

Anonymous said...

What did you guys think of the way the 4 by 400 was handled? Looked like the dorsey guy impeded the number 2 westlake guy...

Anonymous said...

They kept talking about Blake Haney even though Fred Huxham took the win. So annoying!

Anonymous said...

Huxham's win was truly remarkable, but really that whole field was the most talented that the meet has seen in a while. Coming in with what, 6-7 guys under 9? It's slightly annoying that they wanted to keep talking about Haney, Hurlock, Fahy and especially Huxham raced that really smart, hats off to them!

Anonymous said...

Got lucky with the boys 4x100 DQ

Anonymous said...

Do you all not remember state meet a few years ago and the incredible performances in the distance races?

Anonymous said...

Great meet, but coverage of both boys and girls 3200 was terrible - showing the winner only after the finish is totally amateur hour.

Bethan Knights did a great solo performance, but it would have been nice to see ANY of the other runners cross the line.

Same thing happened in the boys race.

Anonymous said...

Knights ran STUPID she went out in 66 for the first 400

GHPADD said...

I agree with the 12:43 AM comment. I think that the reporters/announcers have a script as they generally do not know much about the runners in the race so they continually fall back to the script written by whomever the org. used to develop their commentary predictions. Guest speakers can add a lot when the announcers are unknowing of the field of runners. Too bad as there were some great races outside the top three, and besides the "favorites".

Albert Caruana said...

I think the announcers did a commendable job considering they were covering kids that were fairly new to them. For some reason, they mistook Destiny Collins for Haley Dorris in girls 1600. The pre-meet hype was all about Haney trying to repeat his double from last year so I can see why they chose to focus on him. I don't think Fred Huxham minded one bit as no matter who they followed, he will always be in the record books as the state champ.

I for one am not going to complain. I was able to watch all the great races and event from the comfort of my own home.

Anonymous said...

I really felt bad for Anna Maxwell, taking that fall after the runner from Great Oak accidentally clipped her from behind. I was impressed with her grit and grace in coming back to run a PR and take 2nd in the 800.

Albert Caruana said...

Those of us in CCS have seen plenty of Anna Maxwell the past four years. It would be very tough to come up with another athlete that toed the line so many times and battle the way she did. For her to have any shot to repeat as 1600 champion taken away the way it did must have been devastating. She seemed to be completely spent after the 1600 and for her to rebound like she did in the 800 only earned her more fans.

Anonymous said...

I agree with the comments about Anna Maxwell. After the fall in the 1600 and then to see her settle into the middle of the pack in the 800 I didn't think she was going to be competitive. I'm used to seeing her immediately go to the front.
But she battled back, took second and PRed. In that heat and those circumstances it was pretty amazing.

Anonymous said...

The coverage of the finish of the girl's 3200 was terrible.
Two girls are battling for second and they have the camera focused on Knights. She ran a great time, but 2nd & 3rd also had great times. I think Sarah Robinson's time may have put her into the top five all-time CCS list.
Sarah Robinson...a first and a second. Anna Maxwell...what a guttsy runner. CCS is losing two of their best ever distance runners.

Anonymous said...

You all should stop complaining about the stream and are dam lucky it was on! Has fans you should have been at the meet, the announcer at the meet was spot on. Albert really , your couch.

Albert Caruana said...

What about my couch?

Anonymous said...

It is unfortunate that Maxwell was taken down from behind. Sitting across from the event it was clear Sarah Robinson clipped Collins as she made a move to pass. Collins tripped up caught her own foot and fell into the back of Maxwell. Check out the Meet photo album that caught collins fall. Coaches all over the stands could not believe a white flag. But - that is the happenstance of sports. Maxwell showed character when it counted and for that she has my respect. What a competitor. As for the Champ? "I know nothing!"

hank said...

I guess PSP (Gunn coach) and Robinson knew what the were doing with all of the races Sarah ran leading up to States. A big PR in the 3200 and a 2nd best time (missing her 1600 PR by .18) in the Clovis heat.

hank

Anonymous said...

@1:57pm so from across the stadium you could catch all that detail in a blink of an eye? In real time on my TV it looked like Robinson caused the falls. However after the broadcast replay it seemed Collins clipped Maxwells foot.

Aren't officials supposed to raise a yellow flag in the event of a fall? Seems strange nothing was done..

Anonymous said...

Hey 1:57 Robinson DID NOT touch anyone., Collins stumbled as she tried to respond to Robinson going wide to pass, Collins fell clipping Maxwells heel causing her to fall it happened right in front of me. That is why no Flag, the official was right in position and white flag when up.

Anonymous said...

Collins was tripped by Robinson. Watch the video it is clear. She should be DQ'd and she knows it.

Anonymous said...

Is feet getting tangled up or clipped when running in a tight pack a DQ? If that's the case then half the field is out every 3200. Collins should have been DQ'd. At least raise the yellow and talk about it. I've seen less get a DQ lately.

Anonymous said...

Hank. Just because she ran well doesn't mean it was the right thing to do. Robinson probably was 4:40 or below before the tangle up. Her performance is a testament of her talent, ability to recover and compete rather than a recommended prescription of races.

hank said...

and coaching. :)

Anonymous said...

Anonymous @8:13pm - Why was it the wrong thing to do?

Anonymous said...

"Collins was tripped by Robinson. Watch the video it is clear. She should be DQ'd and she knows it."

See this picture:
http://ca.milesplit.com/photos/files/7092535#.U5XSB3JdVuM

Robinson is well into lane 2. The video is from the side, so you can't tell how far away she is from Collins, but this head-on view is pretty clear.

Peter Brewer said...

As to the meet announcing, Tim O'Rourke was spot on all meet. He prepped the crowd for all the races, including the heats, called the races while in progress (even the 100's) and gave perspective on times and rankings and history. The meet also had auxiliary field mikes to update field events. And the team scoring was updated as the meet wound down. That's one of the best track meet announcing jobs I've heard at the high school level.

Anonymous said...

The Great Oak girl stumbled from fatigue and due to the heat. She was gassed and have nothing left. When Robinson made a move in lane 2 there was muscle failure. The GO girl should have been DQ'd.

Do you triple 4 weeks in a row all out just because you can?

Anonymous said...

Sarah ran the 800, 1600 and 3200 at CCS to help Gunn win CCS girls track championship.

Let's look at the positive. It was a very good day for bay area high school track at the state meet Saturday.

Peter is also correct the announcing was first rate at the meet.

former coach said...

"Do you triple 4 weeks in a row all out just because you can?"

You must remember that not all those races were all out. And there was a specific reason for staying in all three events through CCS finals.

League finals - all 3 races pretty easy
SCVAL qualifier - only does a hard 800
CCS trials - same
CCS finals - only does a hard 1600. Stays in the 800 for team points (which, by the way, was the difference for Gunn to win the team title). Note that she did not go with the leaders and just cruises for points. The 3200 was also not very taxing.

So, it looks like the goal was always just to do the 1600 and 3200 at the state meet (same as the year before). At some point in the rounds run a fast 800 (and the CCS trials would be the best time for that because the 3 races are so far apart). Stay in the 800 for CCS finals in case the team is in the hunt for a CCS title. All out 1600s only at CCS finals and the state meet. No all out 3200 until the state meet.

Was it a little risky? Sure, but it appeared to be well measured and monitored. And you can't quibble about the results (CCS team title, first and second at the state meet, sub-2:10 800 PR). Finally, remember that these were most likely the final track races in her career. If she wanted to "go for it all" she certainly had that right.

Anonymous said...

^
Spot on Bro.

Anonymous said...

I am not arguing with the point above... It was awesome to do what you had to do to win the team title. Great memory. She was solid at State no doubt. But lets also not dismiss that there's something in throwing in all that energy into one awesome (4:30?) effort. Different philosophies or approaches that really is up to the athlete. Both are respectable.

Anonymous said...

I think it was up to Sarah and her coach to make the decision on what events she was competing in and not a message board.

I am very impressed she put the team (Gunn) in front of her self.

Anonymous said...

Duh. But isn't a debate on the philosophy of running one event or 2, 3, or 4 worth discussion?

former coach said...

"But isn't a debate on the philosophy of running one event or 2, 3, or 4 worth discussion?"

Absolutely, but many previous commentators dismissed Robinson's race plan without regard to the effort level of her races or the overall strategy. Not to mention the negative comments about how she wouldn't have anything left at the state meet (and spoken with complete confidence bordering on condescension).

Anonymous said...

I agree with the former coach. I think its up the runner and coach to decide if they are 1, 2, 3 or 4 events. There are a lot of factors that go into the decision. You don't make the decision on what posted on a message board (a lot of Monday morning quarterbacks).

Look at the results: CCS team championship, 1st in the 1600 and 2nd in the 3200 at the state meet, and I think Gunn was 5th or 6th at the state meet.

John said...

Let's talk about Blake Haney. Triples at section and absolutely gassed at State. Could have gotten the double but raced Pre plus tripled at league, area and section. I know boys depth is greater but this Minday morning quarterback can help but think he could have pulled it off.

As for Robinson she crushed it. I like the idea of going for the team title, that's a cool memory. But it was still a lot.

Anonymous said...

"absolutely gassed at State"

Really? Haney dominates the 1600 and unleashes a monster sub-60 kick in the 3200 to get 3rd. It looked more like a strategic error in letting those 3 guys break away so much.

Anonymous said...

Were you there? The kid was hurting bad laps 5-6-7 when the break was made. He mustered up a great kick because he's a gritty runner and that's what the great ones do, but he was tired and toward the middle back of the pack the whole race.

Anonymous said...

Can someone please link the video for the CIF girls 1600?

Anonymous said...

"The kid was hurting bad laps 5-6-7 when the break was made."

OK. From the live stream it looked like Haney was just chilling in the pack. That said, "absolutely gassed" seemed like hyperbole. If that were the case I would have expected him to lose the 1600 and bomb out (say, over 9:10) in the 3200.

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