STATE HIGH SCHOOL TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS : Carter Advances on Pair of Goals

A little more than two months ago, Kaleaph Carter of Edison High School spoke of his high goals for the season ahead.

Carter said his dream was to win both the shotput and discus at the state meet in June.

Friday night at the California Interscholastic Federation state track and field preliminaries at Cerritos College in Norwalk, Carter closed in on his dream.

He threw the discus 186-feet 2-inches to take a lead into today’s final. The mark, recorded on his second attempt, bettered his personal best of 178-3, turned in last Friday during his Masters meet victory.

Two hours later, Carter threw the shotput 64-0 1/2, a personal best by nearly 10 inches and the fourth-best throw in the nation this season.

Last year, Carter, who had been throwing with two torn tendons and damaged nerves in his throwing hand, finished second in the state meet at 63-0.

“I knew I had it in me tonight,” he said. “I went 66 feet in my warmups. I’ve been thinking it’s about time.”

But, Carter added, “I’m certainly not raising my hand in victory yet.” The shotput final, tonight at 7, will allow each competitor just three more throws. Friday night’s marks will be carried over into the final.

In the girls’ 1,600-meter relay, Corona del Mar came close to breaking the county record of 3 minutes 48.89 seconds set in 1986 by Edison. The Sea Kings, anchored by d’Layne Kerr, ran 3:49.46. Locke High finished in the same time, but Corona del Mar was declared the winner.

Sophomore Jill Young (59.1) gave Corona del Mar the lead from the start. Young handed off the baton to Chickie Moiso (58.9), who passed it to Laurie Sawin (56.2), who handed it to Kerr (55.5).

Kerr, the Southern Section 3-A 200- and 400-meter champion, held the lead for 100 meters, but Locke’s Debra Hamilton sped by on the turn. Kerr hung close, charged to the lead and ran the final 100 meters in a shoulder-to-shoulder sprint.

Both runners lunged at the finish, but Kerr, lunging a bit quicker, sprawled to the track and her team was declared the winner.

Woodbridge also qualified for today’s final, placing second in its heat in 3:52.67.

In the first of two heats of the boys’ 1,600 meters, both Jim Geerlings of Newport Harbor and Jim Robbins of Corona del Mar qualified for today’s final at 6:20 p.m.

At the start, Geerlings jumped out to second while Robbins positioned himself in the back of the pack at ninth. Geerlings passed the first 800 meters in 2:06, went through 1,200 meters in 3:12, and placed second in 4:12.97.

Carpinteria’s Coley Candaele, who overtook Geerlings in the final 200 meters, won in 4:11.91.

Robbins, who ran seventh most of the race, cruised around the pack with 200 meters remaining to place third in 4:14.18.

In the second heat, Reggie Williams of West Sacramento River City cruised to an easy victory in 4:15.48. Saugus’ Joe Devine, expected to be a top contender for the state title, was disqualified with a false start.

In the fourth and final heat of the boys’ 300-meter hurdles, Anthony Hale of Garden Grove performed his customary blast-off from the fifth hurdle to go from sixth to third in the final 150 meters. Hale’s time of 38.07 was fast enough to qualify for today’s final at 7:20 p.m.

Mission Viejo’s Sheri Bertell took first in her heat of the girls’ 200 meters to qualify in 24.89.

In the girls’ 400-meter relay, Esperanza placed second in its heat in 48.22. The Aztecs advance to today’s final (6 p.m.) as the eighth-fastest of nine qualifiers.

Edison’s David Noel, the county’s pole vault leader this season at 16-6, qualified for today’s final by clearing 14-4 on his first attempt. Newport Harbor’s R.W. Henson also qualified, clearing 14-4 on his second attempt.

State Meet Notes

Allison Franke of Canyon, the Masters discus champion, threw only 145-6 to qualify fifth.