A Speed Bump in Taft Road

Taft High’s chances of winning the boys’ title in the state track and field championships aren’t dead, but they dimmed considerably during the qualifying rounds before 7,412 at Cerritos College on Friday.

Three Taft athletes, including 110-meter high hurdle favorite Chris Morgan, will compete in the finals of four boys’ events today, but the Toreadors suffered a big blow Friday when Fred Williams was disqualified from the first heat of the 100 meters because of a false start.

Williams, a senior, wasn’t expected to win the 100, but a fourth- or fifth- place finish in the final would have given Taft crucial points in the meet in which the top six finishers are awarded points on a 10-8-6-4-2-1 basis.

“I didn’t false start,” Williams said after coming back to post the fastest qualifying time in the 200 at 21.24. “I adjusted my feet in the blocks, but I didn’t false start.”

Coach Mel Hein of Taft saw things differently.

“I thought he jumped,” he said. “I called it before they pulled him off the track.”

Morgan and fellow junior Daniel Clements are Taft’s other finalists.

Morgan, state leader in the high hurdles in 13.94, led qualifying with a 14.25 clocking and was the No. 5 qualifier in the long jump in 23-1 1/2

Clements will run in the 3,200 after his career best of 4:17.59 in the 1,600 left him fifth in his heat and 10th overall, one place shy of the last qualifying spot.

“They dimmed a little bit,” Morgan said of Taft’s chances of winning its first state title since 1986. “But we’re still in the mix.”

So is Cleveland, although the Cavaliers will need teams such as Gardena Serra, Cerritos Gahr and Long Beach Poly to falter in order to win the team title.

They’ll also need a big race out of junior Jason Lovell in the 400.

Lovell ran a state-leading 47.43 to win the West Valley League title three weeks ago, but he was the No. 7 qualifier in 48.52.

He also ran the anchor legs on teams that were third-fastest in the 400 relay at 41.79 and sixth-fastest in the 1,600 relay at 3:17.47.

Senior Kenan Jackson will be Cleveland’s other finalist after qualifying third in the high hurdles in 14.44.

Palmdale has only two finalists, but could score big points.

Junior Jamil Smith led qualifying in the triple jump with a career-best and state-leading mark of 49-10 3/4 and senior Jerrick Holmes led qualifying in the high jump by clearing 6-8.

Senior Oliver Jackson of Royal, state leader in the boys’ long jump at 24-5 3/4, qualified fourth in 23-6 1/2.

Junior Porchea Carroll of Rio Mesa was the No. 2 qualifier in the 100 in 11.86, No. 6 qualifier in the long jump in 18-3 3/4 and ran on a team that qualified eighth in the 400 relay in 47.84.

Junior Alexis Weatherspoon of Grant was No. 3 qualifier in the 100 in 11.87 and tied for fifth in the 200 with freshman Allyson Felix of L.A. Baptist in 23.90.

Senior Deneeka Torrey of Taft qualified fourth in the 100 high hurdles in a wind-aided 14.17 and was No. 5 in the 300 lows in 43.81.

Erin Reed of Taft qualified fourth in the 400 in a career-best 55.29 and eighth in the 200 in a school-record 24.05.