MT. SAC RELAYS : In 400, Granville Sets State Freshman Mark

Michael Granville of Bell Gardens High is quickly establishing himself as the state’s top new track and field talent.

The freshman won the 400-meter race in 48.4 seconds at the Mt. San Antonio Relays at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut on Friday.

Granville, 15, pulled away from Derek Favorite of Corona Centennial and Nathan Woods of Duarte in the final 100 meters in setting a state freshman record.

The previous record of 48.56 was set by Henry Thomas of Hawthorne in 1982.

Last Saturday at the Arcadia Invitational, Granville set a national freshman record in the 800 with a time of 1:51.61.

Granville said he is unfazed by his success.

“I don’t run to break records,” he said. “And I don’t worry about the guys in the other lanes. I just go out and try to run as fast as I can. I’m not that familiar with my competition, and I’m sure most of them don’t know who I am.”

His anonymity should not last long. The 6-foot Granville has helped Bell Gardens to its finest league season in years. Granville has successfully competed in a variety of races from the 100 to the mile.

Friday’s race was only his second 400 of the outdoor season. He ran a 49.5 on a cinder track two weeks ago in a league dual meet.

Granville said he is unsure what events he will concentrate on as the season winds down, but he is favoring the 400.

More than 3,000 high school athletes competed at the state’s largest meet of the year.

One of the most notable performances was turned in by Edward Turner of Inglewood Morningside, who went 24 feet 1 3/4 inches in the long jump.

The state-leading mark was nearly disallowed, however, when officials noticed that Turner was not wearing a team uniform when he made the jump. He quickly changed into a team uniform, and officials decided to let his jump stand.

In the high jump, junior Jeremy Fischer of Camarillo won with a jump of 7-2, the leading mark in the state and nation. Fischer has cleared seven feet four times this season.

Marion Jones of Thousand Oaks, who was uncertain on Thursday whether she would compete, ran only one race. She anchored the team’s 400-meter relay, which finished second in 49.83.

Jones, who leads the nation in the 100, 200 and long jump, was planning to run the final 400 meters of the sprint medley relay, but the team dropped out when its first runner suffered a pulled muscle.

With Jones scratching from the 200, Andrea Anderson of Long Beach Poly easily won the event in 24.36. Anderson, a sophomore, finished second to Jones in the 100 at the Arcadia Invitational.

Christie Engesser of Huntington Beach Ocean View won the 800 in 2:13.2 and finished second in the 1,500 at 4:40.33.

Only two high school events are scheduled for today, the invitational 400 relay and the 100, beginning at 2:15 p.m.