Girls Track Events: Following in the footsteps of a long line of distinguished sprinters from Logan (Union City), junior Kristina Davis leads the entries in the 100 and 200 Meters (M) with 2005 bests of 11.80 (CA #3) and 24.15 (CA #5). Recording her seasonal best for the 100M in her win at the Stanford Invitational, Davis will again be facing some of northern California’s best female speedsters. Seniors Lollie Onipede (Holy Names, Oakland) at 12.19 (CA #14) and Miranda Garrido (West, Tracy) with a seasonal best of 12.22 (CA #18) should challenge in the 100M . In the 200M, freshman sensation Amber Purvis (Benecia) enters with a best of 24.60 (CA #12) and sophomore Champelle Brown (Fairfield, CA) at 25.22 (CA #20) should challenge Davis. Amber Purvis leads a strong 400M field with the 56.12 (CA #7) she recorded in winning the Woody Wilson Invitational. Once again, Fairfield’s Champelle Brown should be in the mix with her seasonal best of 57.14. The 100M Hurdles field should be very competitive with six of the state’s sixteen top hurdlers entered. Sophomore Ke’Nyia Richardson (Holy Names, Oakland) leads an impressive group with her 14.41 (CA #6) followed closely by seniors Shevelle Quinley (West, Tracy) at 14.42 (CA #7) and Meia Tezeno (Hercules) at 14.54 (CA #9). Quinley leads a strong group in the 300M Hurdles with a seasonal best of 43.21 (CA #3). Senior Falesha Ankton (Benicia) at 44.12 (CA #7) and junior Tierra Ward (Logan, Union City) with a seasonal best mark of 44.47 (CA #11) should challenge for spots on the awards podium. The always exciting "passing of the baton" will provide a fitting beginning and ending to the girls’ track events. Logan (Union City) has the leading marks in both the 400M Relay at 46.55 (CA #2) and the 1600M Relay with a 3:49.05 (CA #4). In the 400M Relay, West (Tracy) has raced to a quick 46.65 (CA #4) and Holy Names (Oakland, CA) has turned in a 47.63 (CA #8) to provide Logan with some formidable competition. Fairfield ranks second in the 1600M Relay with a swift 3:51.01 (CA #5 - recorded in a close finish to Logan at the Arcadia Invitational) and West (Tracy) is not far behind with a seasonal best of 3:53.15 (CA #6).

Girls Field Events: The field events will be highlighted by a number of national caliber horizontal and vertical jumpers. Senior Brittany Daniels (West, Tracy and heading for the University of Southern California) leads the horizontal jump fields with bests this year of 20' 0.25" (US #3, CA #2) in the long jump and of 43' 4.00" (US #1) in the triple jump. Seniors Decontee Kaye (Logan Union City) at 19' 3.00" (US #13, CA #6) and Shevell Quinley at 19' 1.25"i (US #16, CA #7) should challenge in the long jump competition. Setting a national record in the triple jump last year at 44'11.75", defending champion Daniels will be taking on a stellar field in the triple jump with two of her competitors having surpassed the 40 foot barrier this year – sophomore Ne’Kyia Richardson (Holy Names, Oakland) at 41' 1.50" iA (US #4, CA #2) and Decontee Kaye (Logan, Union City) at 40' 8.25" (US #5, CA #3). Junior Mindy Wiley (Sonoma Valley, Sonoma) at 5' 9.00" (US #9, CA #3) will defend her SMOC title against a strong field led by up and coming sophomore Nicole Williams (Laguna Creek, Elk Grove), who just topped 5' 9.00" (US #9, CA #3) in winning the Woody Wilson Invitational. In the pole vault Cordova (Rancho Cordova) senior Brysun Stately, who recently cleared a Sac-Joaquin Section all-time best of 13' 0.25" (US #3, CA #2) will vault against the St. Francis (Mt. View) duo of sophomore Natasha Barthel (12' 9.00" - US #4, CA #3) and defending champion junior Taylor Franklin (12' 0.00" - CA #11). Rocklin sophomore Rachel Simmons could also be a factor as she PRed last week at the Chico - West Valley Invitational with a 12' 6.00" vault (US # 12, CA #7). With the current SMOC record standing at 12' 9.00" set by national record holder Kira Costa (San Joaquin Memorial; Fresno) - watch out for a possible meet record by one of these talented young ladies. In the throws, Alexaraee Toeaina (Pittsburg, CA) leads the fields with a shot put best of 42' 2.50" (CA #9) and a best discus mark of 154' 8" (US #4, CA #1). Her competition in the shot put should come from juniors Colleen Lenehan (Oak Ridge, El Dorado Hills, CA) at 41' 2.00" (CA #13) and Jaleesa Jeffery (Logan, Union City, CA) with a seasonal best of 41' 10.00" (CA #15). In the discus, Selai Pena (St. Francis, Mt. View) at 135'0" (CA #16) and Lenehan at 127'5" (CA #28) should provide Toeaina’s major competition.

Boys Track Events: The boy’s sprints will feature most of Northern California’s top sprinters. Senior and future UCLA Bruin Alex Pearlstone (Sir Francis Drake, San Anselmo, CA) comes into the SMOC with the fastest 100M at 10.78 (CA #7). Juniors Devin Mays (Lincoln, Stockton; CA) and Bobby Guillory (Bethel, Vallejo; CA) are not far behind with seasonal bests of 10.80 (CA #10) and 10.83 (CA #13), respectively. In the 200M the "names stay the same" with Pearlstone leading with a seasonal best of 21.41 (CA #4) and Mays and Guillory following with qualifying marks of 21.70 (CA #8) and 21.84 (CA #12), respectively. In the 400M, appropriately named, senior Michael Johnson (Lincoln, Stockton) is the leading entrant with a 48.19 (CA #7). A bevy of 49 second 400M runners will give chase for the other spots on the podium. Senior Jeff Campbell (Oak Ridge, El Dorado Hills, CA) clocked the fastest 800M with a 1:54.66 (CA #8) in winning the Woody Wilson Invitational two weeks ago. Runners-up in that competition, juniors Richard Jones (Benicia, CA) (1:55.21 – CA #15) and Alex Freitas (Modesto, CA) (1:55.26 – CA #16) should make for a close race. Seniors and future teammates at the UC Berkeley Yosef Ghebray (Logan, Union City; CA) and Jake Schmidt (Redwood, Larkspur) should duel in the 1600M with seasonal bests of 4:12.90 (CA #6) and 4:16.13 (CA #12), respectively. The 3200M looks to be even race, as all of the competitors come into the competition with relatively close qualifying marks. Look for Davis senior Thad Sieracki, Folsom junior Jake Matthews, Yuba City sophomore Brad Doering, and Rocklin junior Tim Cannon to be in the mix. The 110M High Hurdles (HH) should provide one of the highlights of the meet, as UCLA bound Kevin Craddock (Logan, Union City) returns to action for the first time this season. The state record holder and defending state champion in the 110M HH at 13.39, the 2004 World Jr. Championship bronze medallist will be competing against arguably the state’s best all-around track and field athlete, junior David Klech (California, San Ramon). Klech leads the state in the 110M HH (14.13), 300M Intermediate Hurdles (IH) (36.28), long jump (24' 7.00"), and high jump (7' 0.75"). Watch for UC Davis-bound Polly Gnepa (Pittman, Turlock) in the 110M HH (14.41 – CA #6) and junior Alex Wilright (Franklin, Elk Grove) in the 300M IH (38.86 – CA #6). In relay action, Lincoln (Stockton) leads in the 400M Relay with a best of 42.33 (CA #8) followed closely by Cordova (Rancho Cordova) at 42.75 (CA #18) and McClymonds (Oakland) with a seasonal best of 42.92 (CA #22). Logan (Union City) heads the 1600M Relay field with a qualifying mark of 3:21.13 (CA #9) with Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills) at 3:22.85 and Fairfield (3:23.68 - CA #23) vying for Sac-Joaquin Section bragging rights.

Boys Field Events: As on the girls side, the field events will be highlighted by a number of national caliber horizontal and vertical jumpers. California’s David Klech leads the long jump with the US #5 mark at 24' 7.00". Alex Pearlstone brings his speed to this event with a best 23' 8.00" (US #16, CA #5). In the triple jump, national leader and Arkansas-bound senior Nkosinza Balumba (Logan, Union City) leads with a 52' 4.00" w with rapidly improving Franklin (Elk Grove) junior Zuheir Sharif coming in with a season best of 49' 6.50" (US #7, CA #2). Senior and defending SMOC champion Aiona Key (Mesa Verde, Citrus Heights) comes in with a seasonal best of 6'10.00" (US #8t, CA #3t) and will be challenged by Vintage (Napa) senior Fletcher Carlyle (6'10.00" - US #8t, CA #3t). In their last competition at the Woody Wilson Invitational, Carlyle defeated Key 6' 8.00" to 6' 7.00". The pole vault should be an outstanding competition with the "aero-dynamic" duo of juniors Scott Roth (Granite Bay) at 16' 9.00" (US #1) and Ryan Shuler (Granite Bay) at 16' 0.00" (US #10, CA #3t) leading a strong field. Countering the Granite Bay "vault factory" (Roth, Schuler, and senior Eric Musker) will be their San Francisco Bay counterpart St. Francis (Mt. View). The Lancers with four SMOC qualifying vaulters – senior Kyle Chronis (14' 9.00" - CA #23), juniors Ben Sheehan and Kyle Bunje (both at 15' 0.00" - CA #15t), and sophomore Casey Roche (15' 6.00" - CA #9t) should provide a formidable challenge to the Grizzlies. Woodland senior Joey Baer leads the shot put with a mark of 59' 0.50" (CA #3) with seniors Eric Howard (El Cerrito) and Chris Fuller (Casa Roble, Orangevale) checking in with seasonal bests of 56' 4.00" (CA #9). In the discus, southern California’s Saugus High School provides the top throwers with seniors Matt Swarbrick (190' 6" – US #9, CA #4) and Alex Dekok (182' 4" – US #16, CA #7). Current Sac-Joaquin Section "bragging rights" should be contested between junior Joseph Fraijo (St. Mary's, Stockton) (168' 7" – CA #20), junior Brennan Phipps (Rocklin) (167' 7" – CA #23), and senior Rudy Anzo (St. Mary's, Stockton) (167' 7" – CA #24).

Notes: National rankings were obtained from the most recent lists on DyeStat.com compiled by John Dye. California rankings were obtained from the most recent lists on DyeStatCal.com compiled by Mike Kennedy (girls) and Rich Gonzales (boys). Photo credits to Margaret Gallagher (Alex Kosinski, Mel Lawrence, Brittany Daniels), John Dye (Kevin Craddock), and Kirby Lee (David Klech).