Johnson Gives His Best Shot, But Still Chasing Williams

Get Rhuben.

That was Travis Johnson’s mantra during the qualifying round of the boys’ shotput in the state track and field championships at Cerritos College on Friday, and it will be again today when the Notre Dame High senior competes in the final at 3 p.m.

Johnson, a 6-foot-4, 268-pound defensive end who has signed to play football for Florida State, has never beaten defending state champion Rhuben Williams of Eagle Rock.

Fact is, he’s never been in the same league as Williams when it comes to putting the 12-pound metal ball. But Johnson unleashed a 60-0 1/2 effort on Friday, setting a school record for the fourth time this season and becoming the No. 2 qualifier behind Williams.

“I’ve been trying to beat him for four years now and I’ve never done it,” Johnson said. “So I wanted to get him today. That’s all I was thinking about.”

Johnson, who set his previous school record of 59-10 in a meet against Harvard-Westlake in April, went 59-9 1/2 on his first put. But Williams responded with a 61-5 mark.

Johnson hit 60-0 1/2 in the second round, only to see Williams go 62-7 3/4.

Johnson followed with a 57-5 1/4 on his third and final effort. Williams passed, knowing that his previous put was the best mark.

Williams, the state leader at 63-9, is heavily favored to win today, but Johnson said his goal will remain the same.

“Knowing Rhuben, he’ll step it up,” Johnson said. “So I’ll have to throw around 65 to beat him . . . I think I’m ready to do that.”

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Senior Gina Londono of Highland had an up-and-down meet on Friday.

She finished fourth in a wind-aided 14.36 in a re-run of the girls’ 100-meter high hurdles from the Southern Section Masters Meet at 2 p.m., but was a non-qualifying seventh in 15.34 in the second of three heats four hours later.

Londono finished third in the Masters Meet at Cerritos on May 26, but the section decided Wednesday to re-run the race because the third flight of hurdles was placed incorrectly.

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Melissa Astete of Birmingham has won three consecutive City Section titles in the girls’ pole vault, but she qualified for her first state final Friday when she cleared 11-8 on her second attempt to advance as the No. 5 qualifier.

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Junior Anita Siraki of Hoover didn’t run Friday, but she became a heavy favorite to win the final of the 3,200 tonight because national leader Alejandra Barrientos of Felton San Lorenzo Valley dropped out of the first heat of the 1,600 with what is believed to be a pinched nerve in her right leg.

“It started bothering her two or three days ago,” San Lorenzo Valley distance coach Rob Collins said. “There’s no way she’s going to run [in the 3,200].”