To find Orange County’s best chances at big success in the CIF State Track and Field Championships, it might be best to go the distance.
Several county distance runners could be medal winners in the state meet at Buchanan High in Clovis. The meet starts with qualifying Friday. Finals are Saturday, starting at 4:30 p.m. with field events. Running events begin at 5:45 p.m.
Orange County’s best boys 1,600 runner will compete in the 3,200 at the state meet.
Dana Hills junior Evan Noonan, who has the O.C.-leading time in the 1,600 at 4 minutes, 4.02 seconds, will run in the 3,200. He finished third, despite a spill, at 8:56.63 in last year’s state meet
Noonan’s top competitor in the 3,200 could be Long Beach Millkan senior Jason Parra, who was second in the 3,200 at last year’s state meet with a time of 8:53.69.
Beckman senior Ibzan Felix has the county’s best time in the 3,200 this season at 8:47.06. He ran the 3,200 and the 1,600 at last week’s Masters meet and is entered in both races for the CIF State meet.
County 800 leader Alden Morales of JSerra will not compete in the state meet because of an injury.
On the girls side, JSerra senior Georgia Jeanneret finished fourth and Newport Harbor junior Keaton Robar was fifth in the 800 at last year’s state meet. Ventura’s Sadie Englehardt won it as a sophomore last year in 2 minutes and 7.2 seconds. Robar’s best in the 800 this season is the county-leading 2:07.01 she logged at last week’s Masters Meet.
Englehardt also won the 1,600 last year in a state-meet record 4:33.44. She is the national record-holder in the 1,600 at 4:33.29. She is entered in the 1,600 in this year’s state meet. Dana Hills’ Annie Ivarsson could be in the mix for a medal in the 1,600.
Holly Barker was fifth in the state meet’s 3,200 at 10 minutes,11.56 seconds last year. This year, the Trabuco Hills junior has a season-best of 10:02.52, the seventh-fastest time in the nation this year. Huntington Beach senior Makenzie McRae was seventh in last year’s state meet at 10:22.90.
There is big competition for Barker and McRae in the 3,200. Santiago of Corona’s Kylee Blade is back to defend her championship in the 3,200 that she won in 10:02.19 as a sophomore last year.
Pacifica junior Zach Lewis was fifth in the shot put last year with a best throw of 58 feet, 11½ inches. His best mark in that event this year is 62-5. The winning throw last year was 62-9½ by Brendon See of JSerra.
Lewis also is entered in the discus. He has a county-leading mark of 181-7.
San Clemente’s boys 4×800 relay team will contend for the championship in that race.
JSerra’s girls were second in the 4×800 relay last season and have many returnees from 2023.
Los Alamitos junior Devin Bragg qualified for the state meet in the boys 100 last year but did not advance to the finals.
Mater Dei junior Brandon Gorski was fifth in the state high jump last year at 6 feet, 4 inches. He has a top mark of 6-6 this season.
Gorksi also is entered in the long jump for the state meet.
Carson Fox of Los Alamitos will try to repeat as state champion of the ambulatory shot put. Last year he won with a mark of 35 feet, 11 inches. Fox finished fifth in the 100 last year and again is entered in the 100.