Record for Long Beach Wilson

Morro Bay High senior Shayla Balentine and the girls’ 1,600-meter relay team from Long Beach Wilson set national high school records at the CIF state meet finals at Sacramento City College’s Hughes Stadium on Saturday.

Balentine won the pole vault with a mark of 13 feet 8 inches, bettering the mark 13-4 set in 2000 by Stacie Manuel of Albertville, Minn.

The Long Beach Wilson team of Angel Tate, Quian Hodges, Lashinda Demus and Ashley Freeman won in a time of 3:35.72, breaking its own team national mark set in 1998 of 3:36.32.

Long Beach Poly won the girls’ championship with 59 points, to 40 for Long Beach Wilson. Arroyo Grande won the boys’ championship with 28 points over Granite Hills El Cajon.

Ryan Hall of Big Bear set a meet record in the 1,600 meters, covering the four-lap race in 4:02.62. Hall broke the record of 4:04.00 set six years ago by Michael Stember of Carmichael Jesuit.

Hall downplayed his time, but was clearly happy when he crossed the finish line, throwing a fist in the air in approval.

“I was just happy to be here,” Hall said. “Earlier, when I was running 4:10, no one cared what I was doing.”

Hall’s splits were nearly even, running a 60.6-second opening lap, followed by two laps timed at 60.7. Hall closed with another 60.6 lap, finishing 12 seconds ahead of Josh Yelsey of Corona del Mar.

Hall was hoping to run under four minutes and take a shot at the National Federation record of 3:59.51, set by Alan Webb of Reston (Va.) South Lakes High while winning the mile at the Arcadia Invitational April 7.

Hall said the conditions weren’t quite right for accomplishing that goal. A stiff wind blew in his face on the backstretch and there were no other runners to push him. It was also the first time he had to run a preliminary race the day before.

Hall hopes to find some faster competition this summer. He hopes to meet Webb at the U.S. Senior Nationals later this month in Eugene, Ore., the same location where Webb broke the national high school record in the mile a week ago.

Senior Anita Siraki of Hoover, defending state champion in the 3,200, forced the pace in that race but couldn’t hold off soon-to-be Stanford teammate Sara Bei of Santa Rosa Montgomery in the final straightaway.

Bei, who outkicked Siraki to win the national cross-country title last December, followed Siraki through a 5:10.5 opening 1,600 and a 9:02.1 split at 2,800 meters before surging past her with about 80 meters left.

Candace Baucham of Long Beach Poly won the triple jump at 42-4 1/2.