Servite Boys, Wilson (Long Beach) Girls Win Team Titles On Hot Night In Fresno; Herbst Twins Both Win State Titles; Khaliq Muhammad Vaults Meet Record

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Ken Martinez Photos

Servite High and its all-freshman 4x100 relay squad came of age on Saturday on a sweltering stage at the California state meet, enduring the pressure and fulfilling its goals at Buchanan High in Fresno. 

Servite ran 40.27 ton win the relay, just .03 seconds off the 1989 meet record, and was on its way after that. The school scored 33 points and won the boys championship. 

The Long Beach Wilson girls repeated as champions with a dominant 46 points, with contributions in relays, hurdles and jumps.

The array of standout performances, typical at the California state finals, was led by twin sisters Makenna and Morgan Herbst of Carlsbad, who won their respective specialties.

Morgan Herbst won the 300-meter hurdles and did break Ebony Collins' 20-year-old meet record with her time of 39.64 seconds, defeating the defending champion, Kaylin Edwards of LB Wilson by nearly a second. That time is No. 2 all-time behind Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. 

Makenna Herbst nearly broke Amy Weisenbach's legendary state meet record when she won the 800 meters final in US#2 2:02.28. 

Sister and brother duo Anisa Bowen-Fontenot and Jasir Fontenot of San Diego went back to back to win their respective hurdles races. Anisa won the 100 hurldes in 13.07 seconds, coming within .04 seconds of Vashti Thomas' 2007 record. 

Jasir, a freshman, won the 110 hurdles with 13.21w. 

In the boys pole vault, Khaliq Muhammad of Pittsburg cleared 17-10.50 to break Simen Guttormsen's meet record from 2019 by a half inch. That height also matched US#1.

Another highlight was the girls 1,600 meters final, where Braelyn Combe of Santiago (Corona) eked out a narrow win over Hanne Thomsen of Montgomery, US#2 4:35.64 to US#3 4:35.69. 

Thomsen returned and later beat Combe's teammate, Rylee Blade, in the 3,200 meters with a meet record and US#2 9:48.98 to US#3 9:50.51. Both were under Jordan Hasay's 9:52.13 record from 2008.

Conor Lott from Clovis North won the boys 1,600 in 4:03.32, closing in 56.65 to get away from Benjamin Bouie of Crystal Springs (4:04.84).

Small-school standout Eyan Turk of Woodcrest Christian, the Division 5 cross country champion, won the boys 3,200 in 8:51.62. Landon Pretre of Menlo was second in 8:54.25.

Naija Sizemore from Vanden won the girls 100 meters final in 11.33 seconds and she returned later to win the 200 in 23.18.

Jaden Jefferson of De La Salle won the boys race in 10.27 seconds. Jefferson was credited with 10.01 in the semifinal, a meet record, but there are questions over whether it was a timing mistake. (Every runner in the heat ran several tenths faster than their PRs).

Prince Buchango-Babalola of St. Ignatius won the boys 200 in 20.79 seconds. 

In the 400 meters, Jack Stadlman of Temecula Valley came through with victory in 46.02 seconds. He also placed second in the 200 in 20.82. 

In the closest race of the night, Jayden Rendon from Carson won the 300-meter hurdles in 36.491 and Kingston Waring of Culver City was second in 36.496.

Wyland Obando of Long Beach Wilson won the 800 meters title in 1:51.24. 

Oaks Christian won the girls 4x100 relay in 46.08, edging out Long Beach Poly (46.18).

Madison Mosby from St. Mary's Academy was elevated to first place in the girls final in 53.52 seconds, but only after officials disqualified Clara Adams from North Salinas for unsportsmanlike conduct after her father handed her a fire extinguisher and she doused her shoes. Adams was also not allowed to race in the 200. (The clock on the track initially showed 53.25 for Adams, a sophomore).

McKay Madsen of Clovis North unleashed a big throw of US#3 69-11 to win the boys shot put by nine feet. He also got within three feet of the meet record in the discus with a mark of 210-8. His best this season is US#4 211-6.

Keith Cotlage from Cajon jumped US#2 51-4.50 to win the boys triple jump. 

Jaslene Massey of Aliso Niguel won the girls discus with 163-9. 

Jurupa Valley's AB Hernandez, a transgender athlete who qualified for state in three jumping events, competed in front of a vocal group of protesters after making national headlines during the week.  

The CIF made rule changes in the week leading up to the meet to accomodate her participation. She did not displace any of the other girls from competing and she shared her podium positions with the next highest finisher. 

Hernandez jumped 42-2.75 in the triple jump and shared that title with Kira Gant Hatcher of St. Mary's College, who jumped 40-5. Hernandez was one of three clear 5-7 in the high jump, along with Lelani Laruelle of Monta Vista and Jillene Wetteland of Long Beach Poly. In the long jump, Long Beach Wilson's Loren Webster won with 21-0.25 and Hernandz was second with 20-8.75w.

The CIF made its rule change in order to find middle ground over the contentious political issue.

"The CIF values all of our student-athletes and we will continue to uphold our mission of providing students with the opportunity to belong, connect, and compete while complying with California law," the CIF said in a statement after announcing its rule change.

Team Champions

Servite boys 33 points, Wilson (Long Beach) girls 46 points - RESULTS