Poway’s 400-meter relay team was as hot as the 100-degree  weather at the Escondido Invitational last night.

A Titans foursome of Will James, Jarod Turnage, Brandon Lucas, and Lance Mudd flawlessly passed the baton and covered the toasty, all-weather layout  in :41.62, fourth fastest time in California this year.

It is rarefied air for the Titans, whose previous best was :42.02, and for San Diego Section squads.

No County teams  have gotten under 42 seconds since a Reggie Bush-anchored Helix quartet blazed :41 flat in 2003.  At that time there had been 18 teams which had run at least :41.44.

The Section’s all-time best is :40.66 by sprinters from University City in 1998.

High schools dropped the 880-yard relay in 1968 and went to the 440 and mile races, followed by the move to 400 and 1,600 meters with the U.S. switch from yards to meters  in 1980.

The best 880-yard relay team still is the 1963 San Diego team of Walter (Budda) Blackledge, Gordon Baker, Raymond Dixon, and Charles Sanford. That group ran a perfect half mile in 1:26.3 and won the state championship at Berkeley by almost five yards.

San Diego-area teams seldom run the now metric 800 relay.

It would have been interesting to see what the U. City and Helix squads could have negotiated in the mid-distance sprint and what that group of Cavers could have achieved in the 400.

The Highlanders, in  2003 with Bush, ran a leisurely 1:28.7 at Mt. San Antonio in an infrequent attempt at the distance.

TITANS POTENTIAL RIVALS

Poway is expected to get a challenge from Helix in the upcoming section meets.  The Highlanders have a hand time of :41.8 and a :41.97 fully automatic.

According to Athletic.net, the state leader is Temecula Great Oak at :41.33.

Mission Bay is reported second in the state with  a  :41.44.  That mark seems very  shaky, although the Buccaneers, with no history of great speed, allegedly ran ran that hand-converted time in a dual meet with Kearny at Clairemont on April 18.

Other state leaders include Upland, :41.57; Los Angeles Loyola, :41.58; Gardena Serra, :41.64; Fresno Edison, :41.64, and  Long Beach Poly, :41.76.

LUCAS BURNS

Poway’s Lucas improved the section lead in the 200 meters to :21.56, tenth fastest in the state, and threw a shot across the bow at Scripps Ranch’s Brian Thomas and Mt. Carmel’s Tobe Ezeokoli with a :48.39 in the 400.

Scripps Ranch’s Brian Thomas is the section leader at :48.18.  Ezeokoli has run :48.26.

Madison’s Doton Ogundeji continues to lead state and national shot putters and Mt. Carmel’s Derek Morton has moved in front of California 800-meter runners.

Both are expected to take on some of the nation’s best in the annual Arcadia Invitational Friday and Saturday.

Ogundeji leads the nation with a throw of 65-4 1/2 and is 10th in the U.S. and fourth in California with a 180-foot waft in the discus.

Morton took the state lead with a  1:53.60 last week in a dual meet at Westview and is fifth in the country.

The Sundevils senior showed promise last year with bests of 1:57.80 and 4:18.16 in the 1,600 meters and cranked a 1:55.65 month ago in the Mt. Carmel Field and Distances invite.

Other San Diego Section athletes who have moved into respective state Top 10’s:

Sprints and hurdles times are fully automatic.  Some better marks in parenthesis are hand timed. w–wind aided.

BOYS

100— Lucas (Poway), 10.81, Dickens (Grossmont), 10.82, Doan (St. Augustine), 10.84, LeBlanc (University City) 10.88, Brewer (Brawley) 10.90, Dosier (Monte Vista) 10.90, Hennie (San Marcos) 10.94, Miller (Oceanside) 10.95. STATE–Godin (Santa Ana Mater Dei), 10.36.

 200— Doan (St. Augustine),  21.76, Lucas (Poway), 21.85 (21.5), Dosier (Monte Vista),  22.01, Carson (Olympian), 22.04, Miller (Oceanside), 22.16, Dickens (Grossmont),  22.22, Mudd (Ramona), 22.23 (21.7), Kendrick III (Morse), 22.27, Ellis (Valhalla), 22.29. STATE–Godin, 21.03.

400— Thomas (Scripps Ranch), 48.18, Ezeokoli (Mt. Carmel), 48.26, Lucas (Poway),  48.73, Collins (Granite Hills), 49.1, DeHaven (Granite Hills), 49.46, Capoocia (El Capitan), 49.5, Jackson (Monte Vista), 49.5, Durall (Del Norte), 49.95. STATE–Kurtz (Brentwood Heritage), 47.35.

 800— Morton (Mt. Carmel), 1:53.60, Famolaro (West Hills), 1:54.63, Rhodes (Steele Canyon) 1:55.03, Alvarado (Sweetwater), 1:55.30, Greer (Valley Center), 1:55.49, Morton (Mt. Carmel), 1:55.65, Meza (Granite Hills), 1:55.75, Grant (Del Norte), 1:55.84. STATE–Haney, Bakersfield Stockdale, 1:51.97.

1600— Armes (Coronado) 4:12.09c, Morton (Mt. Carmel) 4:17.33, Greer (Valley Center) 4:19.16, Sinisalchi (Westview), 4:19.96, Tucker (Westview), 4:20.22, Fahy (La Costa Canyon), 4:20.32, Grant (Del Norte), 4:20.81. STATE–Corcoran, Villa Park, 4:06.

3200— Fahy (La Costa Canyon), 8:53.95 (Section No. 4 all-time), Braude (Torrey Pines), 9:06.01, Hansen (San Marcos),  9:24.54, Siniscalchi (Westview), 9:25.70, Montavo (Mt. Carmel), 9:30.15, Freeman (Carlsbad), 9:34.95. STATE–Haney, 8:46.80.

 110HH— Martin (Eastlake), 14.48, Johnson (Serra), 14.97, Goodloe (Steele Canyon), 15.02, Thibadeaux (Monte Vista), 15.12, Skillin (University City), 15.26, Alexander (Brawley), 15.27, Lachica (Mt. Carmel), 15.38, Grumbling (Oceanside), 15.42. STATE–Viltz, L.B. Millikan, 13.71.

300IH— Johnson (Serra), 39.34, Ramos (Granite Hills), 39.5, Goodloe (Steele Canyon) 39.84, Grumbling (Oceanside), 39.99, Tibodoux (Monte Vista), 40.05, Martinez (Sweetwater),  40.29, Lindsey (Poway), 40.29. STATE–Morris, Concord De La Salle, 36.94.

4x100R— Helix, 41.97  (41.8), Poway 42.02, Granite Hills 42.87, Monte Vista 43.08, Steele Canyon 43.17, Sweetwater 43.24, Rancho Buena Vista, 43.1, Oceanside 43.45, Madison 43.5, El Capitan 43.64, La Costa Canyon 43.65. STATE–Temecula Great Oak, 41.33.

4x400R— Granite Hills 3:20.46, Scripps Ranch 3:20.75, Steele Canyon 3:22.73, Mt. Carmel 3:23.07, Poway 3:23.50, Del Norte 3:24.23, Monte Vista 3:24.6, Sweetwater 3:25.43. STATE–L.A. Dorsey, 3:15.00.

 High Jump— Bush (Pow) 6-7, Arroyo (WV) 6-7, Patmon (PH) 6-6, Probe (Se) 6-6, Carson (BV) 6-5, Benson (PL) 6-5, Rettig (ECap) 6-4, Beebe (MD) 6-4, Dumas (ECap) 6-4, Podraza (SR) 6-2 ¼. STATE–Moore (Rialto Carter), 7-0.

Pole Vault— Bush (Poway), 15-7, Sones (Vista), 15-0, Wagenveld (Calvin Christian), 14-7, Zawadski (Patrick Henry), 14-6, Logan (Rancho Bernardo), 14-6, Rothweil (Rancho Bernardo), 14-2, Winters (Rancho Bernardo) 14-0, Martinez (Steele Canyon), 14-0. STATE–Johnson (Orange Lutheran), 16-8.

 Long Jump— LeBlanc (University City), 22-11 ½, Wiley (Steele Canyon), 22-7, Dodds (Oceanside), 22-5, Hennie (San Marcos), 22-4, Brooks (Patrick Henry), 22-2, Carter (Imperial) 22-1, A. Holder (Oceanside), 22. STATE–Moore (Castro Valley), 25-10w.

Triple jump— Dodds (Oeanside), 47-0 M. Holder (Oceanside), 45-4, Carter (Imperial), 45-0, Wiley (Steele Canyon),  44-11 ¾, Collins (Granite Hills), 43-10, Pritchard (Helix), 43-9 ½, Thompson (Calvin Christian), 43-7 ½, Davis (Sweetwater), 43-5. STATE–Moore (Castro Valley), 50-4 1/2.

Shot Put—Ogundeji (Madison), 65-5 ½ (Section No. 4 all-time), Braddock (Eastlake), 55-8, Wyatt (Helix), 54-10, Hendrickson (San Pasqual), 52-10, Hampton (Helix),  52-1, Basinger (El Camino), 51-0, Lecakes-Jones (Rancho Bernardo),  50-9. STATE 2: Katnik (Bellflower St. John Bosco), 65-4.

 Discus— Ogundeji (Madison), 180-2, Braddock (Eastlake), 168-0, Savage (Morse), 167-10, Hampton (Helix), 164-6, Gonzalez (El Camino,) 160-1. Black (High Tech High), 154-0, Wyatt (Helix) 151-10. STATE–Hudson (Lemoore Kings Christian), 188-7.

GIRLS

100 — Acolatse (Mission Hills), 11.92, Patterson (Rancho Bernardo), 12.13, Stallman (Ramona), 12.25, Johnson (Cathedral), 12.42, Ledbetter (Santa Fe Christian), 12.43. STATE–Washington (L.B. Poly), 11.38w.

200— Acolatse (Mission Hills,) 24.66, Mongiovi (West Hills), 24.79, Patterson (Rancho Bernardo), 25.22 (24.94w), Labrie-Smith (Cathedral) 25.38 (24.79w), Ledbetter (Santa Fe Christian), 25.44, Scott (Westview), 25.3. STATE–Washington (L.B. Poly), 23.50w.

400— Mongiovi (West Hills), 55.86, Labrie-Smith (Cathedral), 56.7, Leonard (Poway), 57.46, Birks (Mira Mesa), 58.08, Chadwick (La Costa Canyon), 58.11, McCarthy (Carlsbad) 58.19. STATE–Roberts (L.B. Poly), 53.37.

800— Bernd (Canyon Crest) 2:15.09, Kelly (University City), 2:16.44, Fierro (San Dieguito), 2:16.3, Buckle (San Pasqual), 2:16.3, Mongiovi (West Hills), 2:16.99, Akins (Rancho Bernardo), 2:17.9, Schall (Mt. Carmel), 2:18.27. STATE–Maxwell (San Lorenzo Valley), 2:08.84.

1600— E. Abrahamson (La Costa Canyon), 4:51.44, Bernd (Canyon Crest), 4:55.39, Ortlieb (San Pasqual), 5:03.2, Stetson (San Pasqual) 5:08.9, Kelly (University City), 5:09.19, Akins (Rancho Bernardo),  5:10.13, Garcia (Mt. Carmel), 5:10. STATE–Wells (Quartz Hill), 4:45.10.

3200— E. Abrahamson (La Costa Canyon), 10:23.50 (Section No. 3 all-time), Ortlieb San Pasqual) 10:46.46, LaSpada (La Jolla Country Day), 10:47.43, Cope (Viata), 11:01.76, M. Fromme (La Costa Canyon), 11:16.90, S. Abrahamson (La Costa Canyon), 11:17.65. STATE–Knights (Irvine Northwood), 9:59.2.

100H— Labrie-Smith (Cathedral), 14.62, Magdalena (Olympian), 14.97, Johnson (Cathwdral), 14.99, Molter (Valhalla), 15.11, N. Martin (La Costa Canyon), 15.27. STATE–Perry (Vacaville), 13.67.

300H— Labrie-Smith (Cathedral), 42.24 (Section No. 1 all-time), Johnson (Cathedral), 44.63, Curry (University City), 44.80, Magdalena (Olympian), 44.90. STATE–Crear (L.B.) Poly, 41.46.

4x100R— Cathedral Catholic, 48.88, Rancho Bernardo, 48.95, La Costa Canyon 49.29, Morse, 49.39, Serra, 49.43, Olympian, 49.94, Valhalla, 49.94. STATE–L.B. Poly, 45.66.

4x400R— Cathedral, 3:53.33, La Costa Canyon, 3:59.50, Rancho Bernardo, 4:00.60, Poway, 4:01.30, Del Norte, 4:02.60. STATE–3:42.84.

High Jump— Curry (University City), 5-6, Callahan (Coronado), 5-5, Rowlett (Carlsbad), 5-4, Snow (Carlsbad), 5-4, Yates (Rancho Buena Vista), 5-4, Mahon (Westview),  5-4. STATE–Kieffer-Wright (South Pasadena), 6-0.

Pole Vault— Thomason (Rancho Bernardo), 12-7 (Section No. 6 all-time), Chandler (Cathedral), 11-9, Bartsch (Coronado), 11-6, Farr (Patrick Henry), 11-6, Wagenfeld (Calvin Christian), 11-2, Jackson (Ramona), 11-1. STATE–Merritt (Rancho Santa Margarita), 13-9.

Long Jump— Cromer (University City), 18-5, Kennedy (Serra), 18-4, Muhammad (La Jolla Coiuntry Day), 18-1, Shuler (Julian), 18-1, Hasselhuhn (Carlsbad), 18-1. STATE–Corrin (N. Hollywood Harvard-Westlake), 20-8 1/4.

Triple Jump— Noiseaux (Eastlake),  38-9, Rehberg (Sweetwater) 37-4 ½, Muhammad (La Jolla Country Day), 37-2, Cole (Del Norte), 36-11 ¾, Kennedy (Serra),  36-9 (37-6w), Hasselhuhn (Carlsbad) 36-5 ¾. STATE–Kwiatkowski (Santa Clara Wilcox), 41-2 3/4.

Shot Put— Osby (Escondido), 42-10 ½, Tausaga (Mt. Miguel), 42-1, Mohamed (Imperial), 40-2, Almquist (Santa Fe Christian),  39-9, Jackson (Castle Park),  39-0. STATE–Scarvelis (Santa Barbara Dos Pueblos), 53-5.

Discus— Osby (Escondido),  133-2, Dozier, (Steele Canyon), 124-11, Cabarle Escondido), 121-10, Montion (Castle Park), 120-4, Reilly (Valley Center), 120-4. STATE–Scarvelis, 172-7.

            ,

Madison’s Doton Ogundeji continues to lead state and national shot putters and Mt. Carmel’s Derek Morton has moved in front of California 800-meter runners.

Both are expected to take on some of the nation’s best in the annual Arcadia Invitational Friday and Saturday.

Ogundeji leads the nation with a throw of 65-4 1/2 and is 10th in the U.S. and fourth in California with a 180-foot waft in the discus.

Morton took the state lead with a  1:53.60 last week in a dual meet at Westview and is fifth in the country.

The Sundevils senior showed promise last year with bests of 1:57.80 and 4:18.16 in the 1,600 meters and cranked a 1:55.65 month ago in the Mt. Carmel Field and Distances invite.

Other San Diego Section athletes who have moved into respective state Top 10’s:

Madison’s Doton Ogundeji, who made noise in the state meet in 2013, raised the decibel level to a shout  at the Sundevil Invitational Saturday at Mt. Carmel.

The all-San Diego Section football linebacker last season took the national lead in the shot put with a 65 foot, 4 ½ inch heave, almost two feet better than the reported 63-7 by Kord Ferguson of Ottawa, Kansas.

Only three other County athletes have bettered Ogundeji’s throw.

Fallbrook’s Brent Noon went 76-2 in 1990, Morse’s Darius Savage 66-3 ½ in 2006, and El Cajon Valley’s Curt Hampton 65-11 1/4 in 1974.

Ogundeji was sixth in the state shot put at 58-11 ¾ last year and was the only double-qualifier from San Diego. He was a nonscoring discus finalist at 175-2.

Meet Director Dennis McClanahan’s annual  Sundevil event is usually a barometer of the big meets in late May and early June.

Outstanding marks, including several state Top 10 efforts, were made by section athletes in what was for most the first significant meet of the season.

Hanna Labrie-Smith’s :43.4 in the 300-meter hurdles moved the Cathedral junior into second place in California behind the :43.14, converted hand time of Bakersfield Liberty’s Morganne Hill.

Labrie-Smith in 2013 came within 1/10 of Gail Devers’ 1983 San Diego Section record of :42.26.

A rare dead heat occurred in the Girls’ 3,200-meter run, when favored Sarah Baxter of Simi Valley and Irvine Northwood’s Bethany Knights were inseparable.

Each finished with times of 10:07.52, fastest in the country this year.

I have reprinted Steve Brand’s 2012 track and field annual (2013 is being updated as this is written).

Steve and I have shared an equal love of high school track for many years.  My newspaper, the Evening Tribune published the first annual in 1965 and another was published in 1971.

I attempted to list the top 50 performers in each standard event, plus the leaders in other infrequently run events.

The research was a labor of love for me and I was thankful that my newspaper thought enough of the effort to publish my findings.

I left the newspaper business in 1972, at about the time Steve Brand arrived at The San Diego Union.

All marks from 1973 forward were compiled by Steve (probably 95 per cent came after Brand took over the lists). I would be responsible for those before 1972.

Brand has kept the all-time and yearly lists alive, verifying, authenticating, running down performances that weren’t published in the newspaper.  He has listed thousands of performances.

As track and field evolved, keeping and updating an annual list became more challenging.

Yards were replaced by meters when the United States went to the metric system. Age-old hand timing (just what it means, timed by the hand on a stopwatch) gave way to automatic timing.

You could wait up to an hour or more for results at major track meets in the past. With automatic timing,  results now are available as soon as the last runner crosses the finish line.

Dirt and crushed granite tracks were replaced by all-weather layouts. Diet and training became more important.

Steve Brand has kept pace with all of this and I hope he continues.  I’ll be around to help.

(The 1915 date in the title represents the first year of the California state meet, although marks were kept further back.  Leslie Dana of San Diego High was reported to have run a 10.1 100-yard dash and covered 440 yards in :51.6 in 1913).