Miller sophomore wins high jump state championship

Rancho Cucamonga's Jordie Munford, who gave up a lead on the final hurdle in Friday's 300-meter hurdle prelims, was hoping Long Beach Poly's Melia Cox would do the same in Saturday's final. The sophomore closed considerable ground on Cox in the final straightaway of the 300 hurdles but came up a tenth of a second short of her first state title as Cox finished in 41.8 to Munford's 41.9.

"I thought I was going to win," said Munford, who finished fifth in the 100 hurdles. "I wish we just had a little more time. That's what I did yesterday, lost on the last hurdle. I think I can win it next year."

Etiwanda's Vanessa Jones was slowly reeling in Long Beach Poly's Akawkaw Ndipagbor once she began her final push in the 400, but Ndipagbor, who owns the second-fastest time in the country, won in 53.38, ahead of Jones' 54.49.

"I let my nerves get to me," Jones said. "I didn't run my race. I'm happy to get second but I really wanted first. I beat (Ndipagbor) a couple of times last year. I was closing in the last 100 but it was too late."

Rancho Cucamonga distance runner Luis Gutierez knew the pace was fast for the mile run, but not until the junior crossed the finish line in third place did he realize that the winner posted the best time in the country this year. Jantzen Oshier's 4:00.83 mile was the nation's best, and the only other runner to finish ahead of Gutierez, defending state champion Elias Gedyon, posted the third-best time in the country, leaving Gutierez's time of 4:06.51 as the third-best in a state with a high standard.

"I knew it was fast," said Gutierez, who qualified in 10th place Friday. "I was expecting to go under 4:10, so I'm really happy with my time. And next year I'm expecting to go even faster."

Miller's Devonte Stewart bounced back from a subpar effort - by the USC-bound senior's standards - in Friday's prelims to finish third in the state after snagging the ninth and final spot in the prelims.

Los Osos' Kelly Rhines placed third in the 200 meters with a time of 24.31 behind Jenna Prandini of Clovis, who won three state championships Saturday. Rhines also helped the Los Osos 400- meter relay team to a fifth-place finish.

Carter's Shanice Stewart ended her fourth trip to the state meet with a fourth-place finish in the long jump with a leap of 18 feet, 2 inches. Colony's Miles Poullard finished fifth in the high jump, clearing 6-5 in damp conditions. Poullard's personal best of 6-11 set at CIF-SS Masters was the mark that won the state title, as Anaheim Canyon's Cody Crampton was the only jumper to clear the height.

Claremont triple-jumper Klyvens Delaunay placed fifth with a leap of 46-6. Ayala's Brea Buchanan finished sixth in the 100 meters and ninth in the 100- meter hurdles. Diamond Ranch senior Marquise Cherry finished ninth in the state in the long jump with a leap of 21-5.