TRACK AND FIELD

California already has two of the top girls’ distance runners in the nation in Julia Stamps of Santa Rosa and Kim Mortensen of Thousand Oaks, but Jennifer Burris of Chino Hills Ayala may soon be held in the same regard. The sophomore ran the nation’s fastest high school time of the season in the 1,600 meters Saturday in 4 minutes 54 seconds at the Arroyo/Azusa Pacific Distance Meet of Champions. Burris, who didn’t take up running until last spring, improved her best time by 15 seconds. “Jennifer’s times are improving so quickly that I don’t even think she understands what she’s accomplishing,” Ayala Coach Mike Goff said. . . . Another top distance runner to watch is Kimi Welsh of Yucaipa, whose 3,200 time of 10:48.7 at the Arroyo/Azusa Pacific meet is among the nation’s best this season. . . . Oxnard Hueneme’s Ronney Jenkins, who rushed for a national-record 617 yards in one football game last fall, ran a 10.78 in the 100 meters and went 23 feet 6 inches in the long jump at the Santa Barbara Easter Relays last Saturday. . . . The season gets into full swing this weekend with several large meets, including the 54th Pasadena Games at Occidental College on Saturday. Nearly 100 schools are expected to compete, including the Pasadena Muir boys. Muir standout Obea Moore will run the 800 and on the 400 and 1,600 relays. The Muir 1,600-relay team, anchored by Moore, set a national indoor record earlier this month and is expected to challenge the outdoor record of 3:07.4 set by Hawthorne in 1985. . . . Other meets Saturday include the La Puente Bishop Amat Invitational Relays at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut and the Trabuco Hills Invitational at Trabuco Hills High in Mission Viejo.