Long Beach Poly Favored in Boys’ Track

Long Beach Poly High, led by junior sprinters Darrell Rideaux and Kareem Kelly and senior distance runner Chad Durham, will be favored to win its second consecutive boys’ title when the state track and field championships start at Cerritos College on Friday.

Qualifying in the field events begins at 2 p.m. on Friday with heats in the running events beginning at 5.

The finals will be held Saturday, starting with the field events at 2 p.m. and the running events at 4.

Long Beach Poly, which defeated Fremont Mission San Jose, 39-26, for the state title last year, only has entrants in five events. But those entrants could score heavily in a meet in which the top six finishers in each event will be awarded points on a 10-8-6-4-2-1 basis.

Rideaux could win the 100 after finishing third to Justin Fargas of Sherman Oaks Notre Dame and Miguel Fletcher of Mission Hills Alemany last year. Fargas and Fletcher are back, but Rideaux beat them in the Southern Section Masters Meet at Cerritos last Friday.

Kelly is favored to win the 200 after finishing fourth last year, and Rideaux is a potential top-four finisher in that event.

Rideaux, Kelly and junior teammates Samie Parker and Aaron Smith are favored to win the 400 relay and the same foursome could finish among the top three in the 1,600 relay.

Durham, the 1997 state Division I cross-country champion, is expected to contend for a top-three finish in the 3,200.

Dorsey, which won its third consecutive City Section title last week, and two-time defending Southern Section Division III champion Gardena Serra appear to be the teams with the best chance of upsetting Long Beach Poly.

Long Beach Wilson is favored to win its second title in three years in the girls’ meet, but defending champion--and Moore League rival--Long Beach Poly could upset the Bruins if they falter.

Woodland Hills Taft, which scored a record-high 112 points to win its first City title last week, appears to be the other contender.