Norman, Graham, Francis shine bright
State Meet Highlights
This spectacular meet witnessed the spectacular doubles of Michael Norman, Zaria Francis and Jasmine Graham and a hyper-dramatic girls 800 meters final. In a state of 38 million people, all the various rounds and layers of postseason meets funnel into one meet at Veterans Memorial Stadium at Buchanan High School in Clovis. It's the best of the best in the entire state and the competition drives performances that move the needle on the national rankings.
Top Performances:
- Michael Norman of Vista Murrieta built an entire Gatorade Track Athlete of the Year resume on this meet. He ran US#1 45.19 in the 400 meters and US#1 (at the time) 20.30 to win the 200, and also anchored his team’s 4x400, going from seventh to third, and made it all look effortless. By the next day, the junior had become one of the most talked-about track athletes in the U.S.
- Rio Mesa junior Zaria Francis had a night to remember with her double victories in the 100 (11.31) and 200 meters (23.09). In both races, Lauren Rain Williams was right on her tail.
- Jasmyne Graham of Roosevelt produced one of the greatest hurdles doubles of all-time with 13.17 in the 100-meter event and 40.73 in the 300s. The times held up for US#1s in both events.
- Amanda Gehrich, a junior from Tesoro, played her cards just right in the girls 1,600 meters, sitting on Destiny Collins until she was ready to blow by inside the final 200 meters and take the win in US#1 4:39.33. Marissa Williams of Palisades Charter was US#2 in second with 4:39.88.
- Lauren Rain Williams of Oaks Christian didn’t run high school track as a freshman so her sophomore year of 2015 confirmed what years of age-group supremacy had foretold. Williams lost a couple of close battles with Francis in the 100 (11.39) and 200 (23.16) but she anchored Oaks Christian to a 4x100 relay title with 45.66.
- Junior T.J. Brock of Chaminade ran US#4 10.34 to win the 100 meters and also led his team to the 4x100 relay title with 40.75.
- Austin Tamagno, a junior at Brea Olinda, delivered the highlight of his season at the state finals with a victory in the 1,600 in 4:09.13.
- Alexander Billing of Simi Valley ran a lifetime best and US#6 13.68 to win the boys 110 hurdles.
- Junior Hannah Waller of Buchanan was in control of the girls 400 meters throughout and won it with 53.13.
- In a race that will long be remembered for the drama of a false start and an impeding disqualification on pre-race favorite Mikaela Smith on the re-start, it was a cool-headed sophomore named Erica Schroeder of San Marcos who kept her pose and focus and won the girls 800 meters with 2:07.08. There was only one upperclassmen in the top five.
- Senior Isaac Trevino of Centennial won the boys 800 meters in 1:51.55.
- Senior Justin Collins from Carson won the boys 300 hurdles in 36.67.
- Destiny Collins from Great Oak, a junior, put the disappointment of a third-place finish in the 1,600 meters (and 2014’s crash on the track) behind her and summoned a big effort for the 3,200 meters. She stuck to Fiona O’Keeffe of Davis and made a decisive move to win the race in US#1 9:53.79.
- Caleb Webb, senior from Big Bear, put on a sensational performance in the boys 3,200 meters final and won it with 8:47.30.
- Senior Matt Katnik of St. John Bosco won the shot put with a huge throw of 72 feet even, good for US#1.
- Harvard-Westlake junior Courtney Corrin jumped 20-10 to win a hotly competitive long jump against Margaux Jones and Tara Davis.
- Kennedy Jones from Castro Valley won the girls triple jump with 42-5.25.
- Junior Elena Bruckner from Valley Christian won the shot put with 50-2.50 and also placed third in the discus with 154-9. Bruckner was one of the top throwers in the country all season long.
- Greg Vann of Rio Mesa, a senior, jumped 24-6 to win the boys long jump. Ron Smith of St. Mary’s was the triple jump champion with 49-0.25.
- Charles Lenford, a junior from Oceanside, won the boys discus with 195-4.
Top Teams:
Oaks Christian, riding big points in relays and Lauren Rain Williams, won the girls team championship with 34 points. Michael Norman led Vista Murrieta to victory with 37 points.
Top Competition: The girls 100-meter hurdles final was one of the best races of the entire year anywhere in the country. Jasmyne Graham edged Mecca McGlaston of Dublin US#1 13.17 to US#2 13.18 that made them both top-10 all-time in the event.
