Column: De’Anna Nowling of Calabasas is repeat winner in girls’ 100

Columnist

May 25, 2019 9:59 PM PT

Defending state 100 meters girls’ champion De’Anna Nowling of Calabasas loves competition. On Saturday night at the state track and field championships at Buchanan High in Clovis, she again rose to the challenge.

She won the 100 in 11.55 seconds, getting a great start and never letting second-place Chinyere Okoro from Pleasanton Amador Valley come close. Nowling is headed to Miami.

USC-bound Kenan Christon of San Diego Madison tied the state meet record by winning the boys’ 100 in 10.30 seconds. Christian Grubb of Sherman Oaks Notre Dame was second at 10.53.

In the 200, Christon won in a wind-aided 20.69. Grubb finished third in 21.11.

Notre Dame coach Joe McNab praised the improvement of Grubb over the course of the season.

“He’s come a long ways,” McNab said. “Second in the 100 and third in the 200 in the state isn’t bad.”

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McNab also was impressed with Christon’s development. He finished sixth last year in the 100.

“He’s awesome,” McNab said. “He finishes well.”

Among the individual highlights, Jamar Marshall of Stockton St. Mary’s won the 110 hurdles in a wind-aided 13.31 (3.3 wind), the fastest in state history.

Kai Wingo of Valencia put together a powerful closing kick to win the 800 in 1:51.71. Mason Ratkovich of Los Angles Loyola took third place.

In the 400, Brayden Borquez of Studio City Harvard-Westlake finished second in 46.83. Zachary Larrier of Elk Grove Monterey Trail was pushed to the limit to hold off Borquez in 46.73. Solomon Strader of Valencia West Ranch was third.

Junior Nico Young of Newbury Park ran away from the competition in the 3,200, winning in 8:47.27.

One of the highlight races was the girls’ 1,600. Sophomore Audrey Suarez of Pasadena Mayfield tried to steal the race, taking the lead with one lap to go. Then sophomore Jaqueline Duarte of Chino Hills charged from behind and pulled out the victory in a career-best time of 4:42.85. Suarez finished third in 4:45.00.

In the 300 hurdles, rivals Caleb Roberson of Upland and Reyte Rash of Riverside King each dived at the finish line, falling to the ground in a dramatic ending. Roberson won in 36.32 and Rash ran 36.41, the top two times in the nation this year.

Gino Cruz of Newbury Park won the boys’ discus at 191 feet 11 inches.

Beau Allen of Santa Barbara San Marcos cleared 6-11 to win the high jump. Tyler Cash of Canyon Country Canyon was second at 6-10. Aidan Ebettar of Newport Harbor finished second in the shotput at 62-43/4. Sean Rhyan of San Juan Hills was third at 61-61/2.

Freshman Caelyn Harris of Upland soared to victory in the long jump with a mark of 20 feet, 81/2 inches, the 13th best in state history.

Rachel Glen of Long Beach Wilson won the 300 hurdles in 41.71 and took second in the high jump at 5-7.

Jazmyne Frost of Gardena Serra finished second in the 200 in 23.83.

Sondheimer reported from Los Angeles.