HIGH SCHOOL TRACK AND FIELD : Florida’s McCall Gets Going, Wins in 10.31

For most sprinters, a hamstring twinge can be a cause for major concern.

For Tony McCall of Ocala Forest (Fla.) High, it has been par for the course all season.

McCall, a 5-foot-8, 165-pound senior, was regarded as questionable for the finals of the boys’ 100 meters in Saturday’s National Scholastic outdoor track and field championships at UCLA, then he won in 10.31 seconds, the best high school time of the year.

The North Carolina-bound McCall won his qualifying heat Friday night in 10.56, but he limped off the track and later withdrew from the 200 heats.

“I was just being cautious,” McCall said. “I’ve had a slight hamstring pull all season, and I didn’t want to take any chances. I felt it a little today, but I didn’t really think about it once I got going.”

McCall’s effort, which moved him into a tie for 14th on the all-time national high school performer list, gave him a comfortable margin of victory over Derrick Steagall (10.46) of Newnan (Ga.) and sophomore Bryan Howard (10.47) of Moreno Valley Canyon Springs.

Howard, who is favored to win the 100 in Saturday’s State championships at Cerritos College, finished second in the 200 (wind-aided 21.30) behind Steagall (21.07).

Michael Granville of Bell Gardens lowered his national freshman record to 1 minute 51.03 seconds to finish third in the 800.

Granville was in sixth place with 200 meters left, but his powerful kick brought the crowd to its feet. Jeremy Stallings (1:50.09) of Stanton (Tex.) and junior Vondre Armour (1:50.99) of Bakersfield finished first and second.