Track and field: Poly settles in after its shaky start to state prelims

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It’s a wrap from the CIF state preliminaries Friday at Cerritos College, where the meet got off to a rocky start with the state-leading Long Beach Poly and Rancho Verde girls’ 400-meter relays teams failing to run clean races and not qualifying for Saturday’s final.

The Jackrabbits made sure that didn’t happen in the meet-ending 1,600 relay, winning their heat in 3:41.99, the top-qualifying time by nearly six seconds. They also managed to stay out of trouble in their other events, mainly the 400 meters and the high and triple jumps, but it will interesting to see how the points race shakes out.

The Long Beach Poly boys’ team will also be in the hunt for a team title, but I have to admit, Joey Hughes doesn’t look like a lock in the 200 and 400 like he did earlier in the year. The Jackrabbits will need smooth passing in both the relays if they want to win a state-best 10th team title.

Poly better not be in a position where it needs to win the 1,600 relay to clinch the title Saturday night because Dominguez looks untouchable in the event. The Dons cruised to the top qualifying spot in 3:12.77, while the Jackrabbits won their heat in 3:17.31.

Individually, it will be tough to match last season’s state final in Sacramento, where three national records were shattered, as well as four state records and six state meet records. If anybody can break a state record, I’d say it’s Christine Babcock of Irvine Woodbridge in the girls’ 1,600.

Check back Saturday and find out.

-- Dan Arritt

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