By Steve Ramirez
WALNUT — What difference does a week make?
A lot for Covina High School’s Remontay McClain and Bishop Amat’s Kylie Price, who both rebounded from second-place finishes at last weekend’s Arcadia Invitational to score 100-meter run victories during Saturday’s Nogales/Mt. San Antonio College Relays Invitational.
McClain, the reigning 100 and 200 CIF State champion, covered the field in the 100, sprinting to a 10.66-second run, which beat his 100 rival George Famer of Serra. Farmer, who beat McClain last weekend after finishing second to the Covina senior at last year’s state meet, slowed to a 10.78. He ran a 10.62 at Arcadia last week. Diamond Ranch’s Marquise Cherry (11.22) was a respectable sixth.
McClain also won the the 200 with a season-best 21.14, and helped Covina (42.91) to a second-place finish in the 4×100 seeded relay (42.91).
“I felt a little better,” said McClain, whose run as fast as 10.62 this season after winning the state meet with a 10.35. “We’re (he and Farmer) are going to compete the whole year.
“I’m good (with the 10.66)). I’d like to be faster, but it’s fun racing against Farmer. I just came out of the blocks better. That was my major concern (coming into the race).”
Price, a returning state qualifier, also rebounded from a second-place finish last week at Arcadia with a stellar effort on Saturday. She easily won the girls 100 invitational, coasting to a 11.82. Ayala’s Brea Buchanon was second at 11.90.
Price also won the long jump invitational (19-10.50) and finished sixth in the 200 invitational (24.74).
“It was way hotter than last last week, and I like running in the heat,” Price said. “It keeps my legs more loose. I got out good and held it all the way, although i could see (Buchanon) in my peripheral vision. I just had to keep running to the end.
“I was very relaxed,. I’m happy with my time and everything. I like where I am, because I’m doing much better than I was last year at this time. I prepared for CIF and beyond. It should be good.”
Other winners included San Marino’s Omhunique Browne, who was first in the seeded 100 (12:04) and Bonita’s Nikki Wheatley, who was second in the seeded high jump (five feet, two inches).
“It was OK,” Browne said. “It was my best time this year, so I’m happy with that.
“Invitationals are a big thing. You get to compete with the best in the state. That’s a challenge. I use Kylie Price as a challenge. She’s one of the fastest girls in the nation, so at practice, I pretend she’s right there next to me, and that gets me to run hard.”
Other solid efforts were turned in by West Covina’s BeeJay Lee (21.41), who was second to McClain in the 200; Rowland’s Nick Rivera, who was second in the 800 invitational (1:53.11); Baldwin Park’s Justin Castellanos, who was second in the seeded long jump (21-6 1/4); Arroyo’s Ivy Nunez, who was second in the seeded shot put (35-10 1/2) and seeded discus (116-6) and South Pasadena’s Sean Nang, who was second in the boys seeded triple jump (44-11).
Damien’s Jarrett Gonzalez enjoyed a nice double, taking third in the 300 hurdles (37.86) and fourth in the 110 hurdles (14.89). Diamond Ranch’s Andrew Fischer was second in the 300 hurdles (37.79).
California’s Jon Bazinet, who was 10th in the 3,200 on Friday, followed it up with a eighth-place finish in the 800 (1:56.28).
