TRACK AND FIELD / MT. SAC RELAYS : Granville’s Talent Seems Unlimited

Already established as the top high school 800-meter runner in the nation, Michael Granville showed he is capable of much more at the Mt. San Antonio College Relays in Walnut on Saturday.

The Bell Gardens High sophomore altered his routine by dropping the 800 in favor of the 400 and 200 at the biggest meet of the season.

Before 7,000, Granville did not disappoint. He started the day by winning the 400 in 46.67 seconds, the nation’s fastest prep time this year. He followed that with a strong third-place finish in the 200 in 21.75.

The performance came one week after Granville won the 800 at the Arcadia Invitational in a season-best 1:51.90.

What’s next?

“I still have not decided what I want to run in the league finals, so I’m trying different events,” said Granville, who occasionally runs the 100 as well. “Track is fun for me, so I don’t want to limit myself to one event.”

Granville said he was not disappointed by his finish in the 200. Pat Johnson of Redlands, who won the race in 21.03, and Bryan Howard of Moreno Valley Canyon Springs, who finished second in 21.22, are two of the nation’s top sprinters.

“It’s a good experience to run against guys of that caliber,” Granville said. “It can only make me stronger.”

Johnson and Howard continued their season rivalry, which started three weeks ago at the Inland Empire Championships at UC Riverside. Johnson won the 100 and 200 that day, establishing the nation’s fastest prep times in both events.

Howard skipped the 100 Saturday, and Johnson finished second in 10.62 behind Marques Holiwell of Bakersfield West, who ran a 10.57.

In the 200, Johnson relied on a strong kick to come from behind with 15 meters to go.

One of the most exciting events of the meet was the boys’ high jump, won by Jeremy Fischer of Camarillo at 7 feet 3 inches.

Fischer and Art Lloyd of Rialto Eisenhower cleared 7-2, but Lloyd missed three attempts at 7-3 and Fischer cleared it on his third jump.

The Camarillo senior then moved the bar to 7-5 1/2, which would have been a national high school record. Although close on his first jump, he missed all three attempt.

“I am very proud that I am consistently jumping 7-2 and 7-3 this season,” Fischer said. “I’m getting a little closer to the national record, but that will come in time.”

National sprint leader Andrea Anderson of Long Beach Poly followed up an impressive performance at Arcadia with another strong day. The junior won the 100 in 11.86 and anchored the team’s 800-meter relay, which recorded the third-fastest time ever in 1:36.77.