2014 CIF State Trials: Ariana Washington faces history, newcomer

CLOVIS, Calif. — Long Beach Poly (Calif.) senior Ariana Washington, the current queen of California sprints, looked quizzically back toward the track at the finish of the third 100-meter heat in Friday's California Interscholastic Federation State Championship Trials at Buchanan High.

Washington, trying to join Marion Jones and Allyson Felix as the only females in the Golden State to have won at least three straight 100 crowns, had just won her heat in a lifetime best of 11.37 seconds — the nation's No. 2 time this year — and feeling awfully good about it.

But heat three winner — Skyline (Oakland) senior Destiny Smith-Barnett — ran the nation's fourth best time at 11.40, setting off some groans throughout the crowd.

"I have no idea who that is," Washington said. "But I guess I will tomorrow (Saturday)."

While Washington, who later ran the nation's second-best 200 (23.27), has already won five state golds in her career, Smith-Barnett is a relative unknown.

She ran 12.08 as a sophomore, missing the finals by two spots, and last season she didn't compete. "I was taking care of some personal business," she said.

But the petite 5-foot-7 UNLV-bound sprinter has improved immensely as a senior. She ran a wind-aided 11.64 at the Arcadia Invitational, her only race against Washington, who won in 11.38.

The two will face off twice in Saturday's finals. Smith-Barnett followed up Washington's blazing 200 with one of her own, cruising to a heat victory in a lifetime best of 23.75 to qualify second. Was she making a statement to Washington?

"Not at all," Smith-Barnett said. "I have a lot of respect for her. She's one of the fastest runners in California history. … But I'm excited. I told myself (in the 100) to get out and pump my arms and get through it. I got to go. I have to represent the (Oakland Athletic League) because they don't get much love. I wanted to show the NorCal has some fast runners too."

But clearly Washington is in a league of her own. Though she got solid starts in both races, she really showed her top end speed at the halfway point of each race and also in the final 50 of the team's top qualifying 400 relay (45.85).

"I feel great," Washington said. "It felt really great to get a nice wind-legal time in the 100 and get that PR and I'm that much closer to a school record."

That record, held by Shalonda Solomon, is 11.35. Washington thought she broke it earlier in the year at 11.29, but the wind was at a 2.1-meters-per-second, just off the legal 2.0. The 28-year-old Solomon ran the world's fastest 200 in 2011 (22.15) and is around the Poly campus often.

"She's so good to me and encourages me all the time," Washington said. "She's someone who has always rooted for me and encouraged me. I'd be honored to break her record."

Trying to stay focused with all the talk of her legacy and her name bantered about with Felix and Jones is a challenge. But Washington has always been confident and sees the big picture.

"I just try to stay focused and patience and run my race always," she said. "If I make history, I make history. I have college and hopefully a professional career ahead of me. This is just high school. I'm at my first level. …All the (talk) just proves that all the hard work has paid off and is worth it. I've started running my eighth grade year and now I'm a senior. It's been a blessing."

Another potential history maker is Stockdale (Bakersfield) distance runner Blake Haney, who won his 1,600 heat in a very controlled 4:13.64. The national 3,200 leader is trying to become only second California runner and first in 40 years - to sweep the distance races two consecutive years.

The other was Rich Kimball of De La Salle (Concord).

"I'm not trying to think about it (the history) because it's just added pressure," Haney said. "I felt very comfortable out there. It's nothing I haven't done before. I was ready to roll."

The Oregon-bound senior will battle some sweltering heat – it reached "only" 98 degrees Friday but is expected to get to 104 Saturday — and a very deep field to double.

Villa Park senior Garrett Corcoran qualified first at 4:09.63, and he's run 4:06.0 – the second fastest time in the nation. Five Californians have run 4:10 or better in 2014. Haney's best this seasons is 4:13.3, though he won last year's state meet in 4:06.91.

Two from the 4:10 or better group won't be in the finals. Ellis Newton (4:06.71 best), of Mayfair (Lakewood), qualified 14th and didn't move on. Blair Hurlock (4:08.33 best), of De La Salle, dropped the 1,600 and is focused strictly on 3,200.

"It's a great field and it's going to be a fun race," Haney said. "I don't know if California has ever seen such a field. I'm excited to get out there and defend my title."

Other impressive performances from day one:

* Defending long jump (24-2¾) and triple jump (48-9¾) champion Nate Moore, of Castro Valley, needed just three total jumps to earn the top spot in each event. He also ran a leg on a Castro Valley's 400 relay team, which qualified second in a season best of 41.51.

* Mater Dei (Santa Ana) sprinter Curtis Godin looked extremely strong cruising to top qualifying marks in both the 100 (10.41) and 200 (20.93). The former baseball standout, who gave up the sport to focus on sprinting, looked back at the 100 field in his winning heat.

The boys 100 should be fun and close as the nine finalist are within 0.17s of a second.

* Dos Pueblos (Goleta) senior, UCLA-signee and clear favorite Stamatia Scarvelis showed no signs of faltering while qualifying first in the shot put (52-1¾) and discus (158-11).

* Harvard-Westlake (Studio City) sophomore long jumper Courtney Corrin soared what to what was thought a season national best 20-10¼ but later it was discovered there was a measuring error for at least seven girls. The top 12 were still seeded and Corrin is No. 1, while still current national leader Margaux Jones, a junior from Redlands, is No. 2.

* Long Beach Poly girls are positioned for a big scoring number as freshman Kaelin Roberts (400) and 300 hurdler Kymber Payne were top qualfiers as were the team's 400 and 1,600 relay teams. Poly has won 13 state girls team titles. 

* The host school, Buchanan had a top qualifier in junior 800 runner Hannah Benoit, who ran a 2:09.71. That could prove to be the loudest and most competitive finals race as seven girls qualified inside a second at the top. 

See ALL LIVE RESULTS

Top qualifiers

BOYS
100: Curtis Godin (Mater Dei) 10.4
200: Godin (Mater Dei) 20.93
400: Joe Herrera (Tulare Western-Tulare) 47.33
800: Eamon Smythe (Edison-Huntington Beach) 1:52.22
1,600: Garrett Corcoran (Valley Park) 4:09.63
110 hurdles: Misana Viltz (Millikan-Long Beach) 13.52
300 hurdles: Austin Carter (Folsom) 37.09
400 relay: Woodcreek-Roseville) 41.26
1,600 relay: Long Beach Poly 3:13.27
HJ: Nine tied at 6-7
PV: Nine tied at 15-9
LJ: Nate Moore (Castro Valley) 24-2.75
TJ: Moore (Castro Valley) 48-9.75.
SP: Matt Katnik (St. John Bosco-Bellflower) 63-1
Discus: Malik McMorris (Mater Dei) 190-8

GIRLS
100: Ariana Washington (Long Beach Poly) 11.37
200: Washington (Long Beach Poly) 23.26
400: Kaelin Roberts (Long Beach Poly). 53.72
800: Hannah Benoit (Buchanan-Clovis) 2:09.71
1,600: Destiny Collins (Great Oak-Temecula) 4:51.04
100 hurdles: Mecca McGlaston (Dublin) 13.62
300 hurdles: Kymber Payne (Long Beach Poly) 41.62
400 relay: Long Beach Poly 45.85
1,600 relay: Long Beach Poly 3:41.00
HJ: Nine tied at 5-7
PV: 11 tied at 11-9
LJ: Courtney Corrin (Harvard-Westlake) no mark
TJ: Ashley Anderson (Carson) 41-0
SP: Stamatia Scarvelis (Dos Pueblos) 52-1.75
Discus: Scarvelis (Dos Pueblos) 158-11