7. Deer Valley (Antioch) senior Jesse White looked primed to make his goal last season to get to the state 400 finals. Instead he got ill, made a gallant comeback and finished one spot of a state berth.
On Saturday, White looked like a contender for a state-final berth by winning in 48.17, easily handling a talent field that featured six marks below 50 seconds. White carried out his game-plan to perfection, staying loose around the final turn and then pulling away from an even field.
Clayton Valley (Concord) senior Michael Stupka finished second at 48.52 and Edison senior Roman Bridges was third at 48.87.
"I'm going to try to take state this year," White said.
Notes: Castro Valley senior Anthony Martore won one of the more entertaining races of the night, edging San Rafael senior Trevor Ehlenbach in a back-and-forth 800, 1:54.38 to 1:54.51. Fairfield junior Darrell Jackson was also right in the fight at 1:54.87. ... Another photo finish came in the boys 300 hurdles where Elk Grove junior Nick Martinez and De La Salle junior Michael Barton finished with the same 38.02 time, but Martinez somehow outleaned and won at the line. He fell in a heap. ... Jesuit-Carmichael senior and Duke-bound Stephen Boals won the shot put for the second straight year at 59-0¼, well off his personal best. Boals helped Jesuit bring home the state team title last year with a fourth-place finish. "We have some really good sophomores and they are a couple years away," Boals said. "But you never know. We could do it again." ... Vacaville senior Vivian French recorded a rare double, taking the shot put 41-7½ and the discus (143-3).
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