Track and Field: Carroll hits his mark in boys’ 200

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Randall Carroll of L.A. Cathedral, pictured at an earlier meet, won the boys’ 200 meters in 21.00 seconds at the CIF state preliminaries Friday night at Cerritos College, moving him into the state lead in the event and building momentum toward his goal of winning state titles in the short sprint events Saturday.

Ashton Purvis, a sophomore at Oakland St. Elizabeth, opened some eyes in the girls’ 200 as well, producing a nation-leading time in the 23.40-range. The official times in the event haven’t made it up to the press box yet, but the previous top mark in the nation was 23.52.

The Long Beach Poly girls’ team, stung by its dropped baton in the meet-opening 400 relay, made up some ground by getting two girls into the finals of the triple jump. Melia Cox, a freshman, qualified sixth and sophomore Tara Richmond qualified ninth. Richmond also qualified in the high jump.

A notable non-qualifier was Amanda Hunter of Marlborough, who began this season as the nation’s No. 3 returner in the triple jump.

Maybe the biggest thud happened in the boys’ high jump, where Tynan Murray of Poway, the state leader at 7-1, failed to clear 6-5 and won’t come back Saturday.

-- Dan Arritt

-- Image by Lori Shepler/Los Angeles Times

Note: For up-to-the-minute results of the state meet, check here.