TRACK AND FIELD MT. SAC RELAYS PREP DIVISION : Rio Mesa’s Jones Runs Wind-Aided 11.29 in 100

Sprinter Marion Jones of Oxnard Rio Mesa High, who continues to improve, won the 100-meter and 400-meter dashes in impressive times Saturday at the 33rd annual Mt. San Antonio Relays at Mt. SAC in Walnut.

Jones started the day by winning the 100 in a wind-aided time of 11.29 seconds, a mark that would have tied the national record set in 1982 by Barbara Bell of Fort Worth, Tex., if not for the wind. Jones ran a national-season best time of 11.38 last weekend at the Arcadia Invitational.

An hour after winning the 100, the 15-year-old sophomore cruised to a personal-best 53.89 in the 400. Jones’ time fell short of the meet record of 53.28, set by Janeene Vickers of Pomona in 1986, but is the best in the nation this season.

Jones was expected to be pushed by Allison Dring of San Diego Mt. Carmel, but Dring lagged behind in the final 100 meters to finish second in 55.45.

Jones skipped the 200, opting to run the anchor leg on Rio Mesa’s 400-meter relay team. Although the relay finished in fourth place, Jones was timed, by meet officials, in an unofficial winded-aided split time of 10.2.

With Jones stealing most of the cheers, Ricky Carrigan of Compton continued to establish himself as the Southland’s top boys’ sprinter.

Carrigan, a senior, won the 200 in 21.19. Moments later, Carrigan anchored Compton’s winning 400-meter relay team, passing Hawthorne on the final leg. He also anchored the Tarbabes’ winning 800-meter relay team.

Carrigan skipped the 100, opening the door for Matthew Harding of San Dimas. Harding won with a 10.75, but finished second in the 200 with a 21.76.

Jones and Carrigan were selected the girl and boy track athletes of the meet, honors they also received at Arcadia.

Hurdler Erin Blunt of Escondido San Pasqual joined Jones as a double winner in the individual events. Blunt, a junior, won the 100-meter and 300-meter low hurdles in times of 14.26 and 43.3, respectively.

Agoura recorded the 10th best time in the nation in the girls’ distance medley relay. The team of Tiffany York, Carrie Malnecoft, Kristie Camp and Deena Drossin covered 2 1/2 miles in 11:59.46.

The Morningside girls recorded the best time in nation this season in the 400 relay with a 46.71. The relay was made up of Lashawn Stringer, Sanoma Nickson, Tah-he Gibson and Santeshia Arnold.