Pre state boys sprint/team predictions (girls version coming soon)
100: Benjamin Harris - Arcadia runner up in the 100, with Arrington out he is the obvious pick. Dezeurn has been looking dangerous recently as well. Interested in seeing how Jaden Jefferson does against the SoCal boys.
200: Cy Lugo - Ran a nasty 21.0 into a headwind. Sermons, Harris, Stadlman, Dezeurn, Jaden Jefferson, and Will Greene should also be threats in the final - all the top contenders are pretty close right now. The CCS trio of LaCasia, Petty, and Buchango-Babalola are ones to watch as well - ran great times in cold conditions into a heavy headwind.
400: Bar disaster, Jack Stadlman should easily walk away with this one. Hunter, Smith, Greene, and LaCasia will turn this final into an absolute movie - this is the deepest i've seen the CIF 400 in a really, really long time, and it wouldn't surprise me if it takes a sub-47 to even podium, assuming everyone makes it though the gauntlet intact. Mayrant and Burroughs should make the final as well
4x100: You can never be sure in the 4x100, but Servite are the heavy favorites. Unfortunate that Poly and Rancho didn't make it through the gauntlet, but there will still be an insane 5 teams in Clovis that have run 41.0 or faster.
4x400: This one is gonna be good. Going into the state meet in 2023, 3:17.9 would have ranked you 7th in the state. This year? Try 22nd. Will likely take something around 3:12 to even make finals - I don't think that has ever happened before. Long Beach Poly will likely rule the event as they have the last 3 decades, but I expect Culver City, Wilson, Central, Cathedral (state meet 4x400 veterans, they KNOW how to run a 4x400), and of course Servite to make it very close.
110: Jasir Fontenot will take it. He's only a freshman, but my goodness can the kid hurdle. Watch out for finals returner Prince Buchango, who hasn't been seriously challenged this year yet.
300: The 300 is already quite close, with a number of runners hovering around the 36.8-37.2 mark. Rendon, Warring, and Hergenrader probably all of a decent shot at the title - each had a slow start to the year and haven't been seriously challenged in the postseason yet. I'm gonna give it to Hudson Hergenrader, who will be running on his home track, but again, it's gonna be close for sure.
Team: Servite will likely take it with their ridiculous sprint depth, but relays will play an important part.
- De La Salle could score big points with Jefferson in the 100, and a relatively quiet Trey Caldwell in the 3200
- Buchanan has point contenders across a wide variety of disciplines. Heavy distance prowess will help them significantly.
- I would be remiss to mention Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks, who has a number of top-ranked athletes across the jumps, hurdles, and relays.
- Where there's a will, there's a way, and Long Beach Poly seems to find the way a lot, having won far and away the most boys team titles at the state meet.
- Clovis North has an almost guaranteed 20 points with McKay Madsen in the throws, and several more potential points with Connor Lott in the 16/32.