Mater Dei’s Domani Jackson ties 100-meter record at state championships
Upon hearing his time in the 100-meter dash, Domani Jackson could hardly believe his ears. Neither could anyone else in the stadium after the Santa Ana Mater Dei High junior won in 10.25 seconds to equal the state record Saturday night in the California Track & Field Championships at Arcadia High.
Jackson’s 1.7 wind-legal time bested a loaded field that included Gardena Serra sophomore Rodrick Pleasant, the Southern Section Division 4 winner, who finished second in 10.32, and Anaheim Servite junior Max Thomas, the Southern Section Division 3 champion, who was third in 10.52.
Jackson also posted the second-fastest prep time in the nation this year.
“When I heard that [10.25], it was unbelievable,†said Jackson, a junior who also plays cornerback on the Monarchs’ football team and is committed to USC. “I can’t wrap my head around it. After we got second in the 4x100 relay [which Jackson anchored], I was angry and I was like, I can’t go out like that. I’ve got to finish big, and I did.â€
Jackson’s clocking tied the state record set by Henry Thomas of Hawthorne in 1985. Earlier that year at the Texas Relays, Thomas ran a 44.5 anchor leg to propel Hawthorne’s 1,600 relay to a national high school record time of 3:07.40 — a mark that still stands today. Now, at least in the 100, he has some company.
In late April, the California Interscholastic Federation announced the cancellation of the state meet, annually held at Buchanan High in Clovis, for the second year in a row, but over the last five weeks an unofficial competition was arranged for the same venue as the Arcadia Invitational in May.
Pleasant rebounded to win the 200 meters in a state-leading 20.59, and Thomas took second in 21.35.
Carson won the 400 girls’ relay in 46.56, three-tenths of a second off Long Beach Wilson’s state-leading time.
“We got a [personal record] at prelims and again today, so we have to be happy,†said Colts senior Kyla Blockett, who ran the second leg.
“Today was all about getting the baton around the track, and it went even smoother,†Blockett added.
Stanford-bound Audrey Suarez of Pasadena Mayfield won the girls’ 1,600 in 4:47.07, while La Cañada freshman Arielle McKenzie, who doubled in the 800 and 1,600 at the Southern Section Division 3 finals, came in second in 4:48.96.
Mia Chavez of Chino won the girls’ 800 in 2:08.12.
“I conserved energy the first two laps and made a final push at the end,†Suarez said.
“I wanted to finish as strong as I could, and fortunately it came with a win at the end,†she added.
Having just returned from the U.S. Olympic trials, Westlake Village Westlake senior Paige Sommer cleared 13 feet 8 inches on her first try to win the pole vault. The Duke-bound senior set the national outdoor record with a height of 14-8.50 at the Vaulter Magazine Invitational in April.
“It was amazing competing at the Olympic trials and being around that caliber of athletes, even though I didn’t perform the way I wanted,†she said.
Vista Murrieta senior Darius Hill won the high jump in 6-8, one inch under his winning mark at the Arcadia Invitational in May.
UCLA commit Mateo Bianchi of Laguna Beach followed up his 3,200 win at the Arcadia Invitational with a victory in the eight-lapper in 9:02.03, edging runner-up Zachary Ayers (9:02.46) of Davis and Sean Lacey (9:03.11) of Fair Oaks Bella Vista.
Westlake Village Oaks Christian senior Gabriel Martin won the long jump with a leap of 23-7, and Hill was third at 22-11.
Oaks Christian’s girls’ 1,600 relay team took second to Clovis North in 3:52.68. Cathedral clocked 3:17.34 to win the boys’ 1,600, followed by Santa Monica (3:18.21) and Saugus (3:20.50), all season bests.
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