Concord De La Salle junior Jaden Jefferson sets California all-time mark in boys 100-meter dash with wind-legal 10.01 in state prelims

CLOVIS – Whether it was a California prep record, or a dramatic runoff, sprinters were in the spotlight Friday night during the prelims at the CIF State Track and Field Championships at Veterans Memorial Stadium at Buchanan High.

Jaden Jefferson, a junior at Concord De La Salle High, produced the fastest 100-meter dash performance in state history by running a wind-legal 10.01 seconds in his qualifying heat for Saturday’s final.

Post-event interviews

Jefferson eclipsed three exceptional career efforts by former Serra High standout Rodrick Pleasant in one remarkable race.

Concord De La Salle junior Jaden Jefferson, center, with Leo Francis of Santa Margarita, left, and Jonas Petty from Piedmont Hills | Photo by Kirby Lee/Image of Sport

Jefferson eclipsed the all-conditions best mark by Pleasant with his wind-aided 10.09 performance in 2023 at the CIF-Southern Section Division 4 final.

Jefferson also ran faster than the wind-legal 10.14 effort that Pleasant produced that same season at the CIF-Southern Section Masters meet, in addition to the 10.20 state meet record that he achieved to repeat as champion two years ago at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Jefferson equaled the No. 5 all-time prep competitor, in addition to elevating to the No. 2 junior in U.S. prep history, trailing only Tate Taylor of San Antonio Harlan and his 9.92 performance May 3 at the Texas Class 6A state final.

Nicolas Obimgba, a junior at Torrance High, ascended to the No. 3 wind-legal performer in California prep history by clocking 10.20 in the 100 prelims, but that wasn’t even the most significant race he participated in Friday night.

Concord De La Salle junior Jaden Jefferson, right, ran a wind-legal 10.01 in the boys 100-meter dash prelims, with Torrance junior Nicolas Obimgba clocking 10.20 at the CIF State Championships | Photo by Greg Smotherman

Rodney Sermons, a junior at Rancho Cucamonga High, and Obimgba both clocked 21.184 in the 200-meter prelims and tied for the ninth and final qualifying berth, forcing a runoff to decide who would advance to Saturday’s state championship race.

Sermons competed in the 4×400-meter relay prelims for Rancho Cucamonga, then returned to the track more than 45 minutes later to race against Obimgba in the 200 runoff.

Sermons secured the final berth for the championship race, holding off Obimgba by a 21.11 to 21.31 margin in front of a loyal crowd of nearly 200 teammates, coaches, family members and spectators, more than three hours after he and Obimgba both qualified for the state final in the 100.

Antrell Harris of Birmingham equaled the No. 5 wind-legal competitor in state history by running 10.24 and Khairee Baker from American Canyon clocked 10.32, all in the same prelim race with Jefferson and Obimgba.

Sermons won his 100 prelim in a wind-legal 10.40, Demare Dezeurn of Alemany prevailed in his heat in a wind-legal 10.43 and Benjamin Harris from Servite clocked a wind-legal 10.49 to secure victory in his qualifying race.

Prince Najeeb Babalola-Buchango from St. Ignatius led all qualifiers in the 200 prelims by running 20.872, just ahead of Cy Lugo from Elk Grove at 20.873, with Jefferson advancing in 20.99 and Antrell Harris clocking 21.14.

Jack Stadlman of Temecula Valley, the top qualifier in the 400 at 46.99, also advanced to the 200 final in 21.00.

Jack Stadlman of Temecula Valley led all qualifiers in the boys 400-meter prelims in 46.99 seconds | Photo by Greg Smotherman

Naiaja Sizemore from Vanden led all female qualifiers in the 100 prelims, equaling the No. 9 all-time competitor in the state with a wind-legal 11.33 performance.

Sizemore also advanced to the 200 final in a wind-legal 23.84, as Keelan Wright from Temecula Chaparral led all qualifiers in a wind-legal 23.58.

Ellie McCuskey-Hay, a junior at St. Ignatius, advanced to three state finals after running a wind-legal 11.43 in the 100, a wind-legal 24.20 in the 200 and producing a wind-legal leap of 19-5.50 (5.93m) on her second attempt in the long jump.

AB Hernandez, a junior at Jurupa Valley, became the third athlete in state meet history to qualify for the finals in the girls high jump, long jump and triple jump in the same year.

Hernandez was one of six competitors to clear 5-5 (1.65m) in the high jump, in addition to producing a wind-legal long jump of 19-11.75 (6.08m) in the opening round and a wind-legal triple jump of 40-9.75 (12.43m) on her first attempt.

McKay Madsen, a senior at Clovis North, produced the top qualifying marks in both the boys discus throw and shot put, looking to win both titles for the second year in a row.

Madsen achieved a third-round mark of 206-11 (63.06m) in the discus and reached 67-5.75 (20.56m) on his third attempt in the shot put.

Madsen is looking to join former Oxnard High standout Clarence Houser, who won the discus and shot put from 1920-22, as only the second male athlete in state history to repeat in both throwing events.

Carson led all qualifiers in the girls 4×100 relay in 46.16, with Servite achieving the top prelim mark in the boys 4×100 by running 40.28.

Christina Gray, center, anchored Carson to the fastest girls 4×100-meter relay prelim time of 46.16 seconds | Photo by Greg Smotherman

Braelyn Combe of Corona Santiago clocked 4:49.38 in the girls 1,600 and Grant Miller from La Serna achieved a 4:09.37 to lead five sub-4:10 efforts into the boys 1,600 final.

Anisa Bowen-Fontenot, a senior from San Diego High, ran a wind-legal 13.22 in the girls 100 hurdles prelims and her freshman brother Jasir Fontenot improved on his own freshman class national record, in addition to matching the all-conditions best performance in state meet history by clocking a wind-legal 13.31 in the 110 hurdles.

Fontenot also elevated to No. 3 all-time under all-conditions in the 110 hurdles as a California prep athlete.

Jasir Fontenot of San Diego High lowered his own freshman class national 110-meter hurdles record and elevated to No. 3 under all-conditions in California prep history by running a wind-legal 13.31 seconds in the state prelims | Photo by Greg Smotherman

Madison Mosby from St. Mary’s Academy achieved the fastest girls 400 qualifying mark at 53.97, with Anne Elise Packard of JSerra producing the top 800 prelim performance of 2:08.25.

Wyland Obando, a junior at Long Beach Wilson, led all boys 800 qualifiers for the final by running 1:50.67.

Kaylin Edwards, a Long Beach Wilson senior, clocked 40.28 in the girls 300 hurdles prelims, with state record holder Morgan Herbst from Carlsbad running 40.68 and Bowen-Fontenot advancing in 41.22. Edwards also ran a wind-legal 13.79 in the 100 hurdles.

Long Beach Wilson senior Kaylin Edwards led all qualifiers into the girls 300-meter hurdles final in 40.28 seconds, along with advancing to the 100 hurdles championship in 13.79 seconds | Photo by Greg Smotherman

Kingston Waring, a senior at Culver City, led all qualifiers into the boys 300 hurdles final with a 36.73 effort.

Long Beach Wilson took another step toward back-to-back girls 4×400 titles by running 3:43.23 in the prelims.

Long Beach Poly led four programs to sub-3:12 marks by clocking 3:10.70 in the boys 4×400 prelims.

Trinity Tipton from Camarillo and Corynn Smith of Lancaster Desert Christian both produced marks of 152-6 (46.48m) in the girls discus prelims.

Aja Johnson of Sherman Oaks Notre Dame led all prelim competitors in the girls shot put at 45-5 (13.84m), in addition to securing the 12th and final qualifying berth at 139-3 (42.44m) in the discus, the event where she is the reigning state champion.

Paige Echsner from Del Norte and Keily Ramirez of Lodi both cleared 12-4 (3.75m) in the girls pole vault prelims.

Nine athletes cleared 15-10 (4.82m) in the boys pole vault and seven competitors produced 6-7 (2.00m) clearances in the boys high jump.

Brandon Gorski of Mater Dei opened his long jump series with a wind-legal 23-9 (7.23m) effort to lead all qualifiers, with Keith Cotlage from Cajon achieving a wind-legal triple jump mark of 50-4.75 (15.36m) on his second attempt, more than two feet ahead of the next competitor.