Long Beach Poly Girls Set Record

Long Beach Poly set a national high school record of 3 minutes 35.55 seconds in winning the girls’ 1,600-meter relay Championship of America race Friday at the Penn Relays in Philadelphia.

It marked the fourth national record that Poly has set this season. Indoors, the Jackrabbits set the 800-meter and 1,600-meter relay records at The Armory in New York City and outdoors they set the 800 sprint medley relay mark at the Arcadia Invitational.

Poly, running against two teams from Jamaica that earlier this year had run four seconds faster than the Jackrabbits, held of Holmwood Technical (Jamaica) as junior Shalonda Solomon anchored with a 51.6, the fastest relay split ever run at the Penn Relays.

Senior Shantae McKinney opened for Poly with a 55.9, followed by junior Jasmine Lee with a 52.8 and freshman Shana Woods at 55.1. Long Beach Wilson held the old national record of 3:35.72 set at the California State meet in 2001.

Earlier in the afternoon, Poly won the 400-meter Championship of America race in 44.96 with a team of Shana Solomon, her sister, Shalonda, Lee and Dominique Dorsey. The Jackrabbits finished in front of three Jamaican teams and moved into second place on the all-time high school list behind national record-holder Playa del Rey St. Bernard, which ran 44.70 in 1997.

Poly also starred in the 3,200-meter relay, finishing second behind Edwin Allen Comprehensive of Jamaica’s winning effort of 8:52.59. The Jackrabbits time of 8:58.00 is the fastest ever run by a California school and ranks 10th on the all-time list.

Poly’s boys were also present at Penn, qualifying third in the 3,200-meter relay in 7:54.32. Midlothian (Va.) was the leading qualifier at 7:50.77, but Poly has run a nation-leading 7:42.36 in winning the Arcadia Invitational. The Jackrabbits will also be trying to win the 1,600-meter relay, which they have run in 3:14.60.

Trevor Arroyo, a sophomore outfielder at Reseda Cleveland who is batting .417, has been lost for the season because of a torn labrum in his right shoulder, which will require surgery.

Guard Robert Locke, an All-Southern Section Division IV first-team selection from Santa Monica Crossroads, has committed to Cal State Northridge.