Five High Desert athletes captured first place at the CIF-Southern Section Divisional Prelims, across four different sites, on May 9.
At the Division 1 Prelims, hosted by Trabuco Hills High School, Oak Hills’ Quran Clayton Jr. took first place in the boys 100-meter dash with a time of 10.42 seconds, and also in the 110-meter hurdles at 13.62 seconds.
Clayton’s mark in the hurdles is officially the fastest mark in the state of California this season, as he passed Mater Dei’s Jasir Fontenot’s mark of 13.67 seconds. Clayton already holds the fastest 100-meter mark in California at 10.12 seconds.
Clayton also ran a leg in the 4×100 relay, along with Tony Shropshire III, Jordan Spencer and Jaylen Spencer. They claimed first place with a time of 40.93 seconds.
Spencer qualified for the Divisional Finals in three other events, including the 4×400 relay, where he along with Jaylen Gooden, Tony Shropshire III and Anthony Sanchez took ninth place with a time of 3:22.09.
Spencer finished second place in the 200-meter with a time of 21.10 seconds, and third in the 400-meter with a time of 47.74 seconds.
Oak Hills had two other qualifiers. Noah Walker took second place in the boys high jump with a mark of 1.93 meters, and Belen Gonzalez took fifth place in the girls 3,200 meter races with a time of 10:54.47.
Silver Valley’s Ryan Mereles joins Clayton as an athlete that took first place in multiple events.
At the Division 4 Prelims, Mereles took first place in the boys high jump (1.85 meters) and in the triple jump (13.72 meters). Merles also placed third in the long jump (6.39 meters) and ninth in the 110 hurdles (15.77 seconds).
Silver Valley’s Serwaah Sarpong took first place in the girls triple jump (11 meters), and sixth in the 100 hurdles (15.09 seconds).
At the Division 2 Prelims, Deshaun Kaeo-Kahalioumi captured first place in the boys discus with a throw of 52.37 meters.
Here’s a list of the 14 other athletes that compete within the High Desert’s three leagues that also qualified for the Divisional Finals. The nine best marks from the Prelims qualify for the divisional finals, which will be held at Moorpark High School on May 16.
Division 2 Boys
Willie Leonard, Adelanto — fifth place in the 110 hurdles (15.13 seconds)
Cayden Bell, Silverado — ninth place in the 110 hurdles (15.15 seconds)
Kenan Aka, Serrano — ninth place in the high jump (1.88 meters)
Keneth Lindsey, Silverado — fifth place in the long jump (6.63 meters)
Division 2 Girls
Reniyah Rosborough, Victor Valley — seventh place in the 100 (12.25 seconds)
Alohilani Atimua, Silverado — ninth place in the shot put (10.54 meters)
Emmalina Tisdale, Victor Valley — second place in the discus (36.30 meters)
Division 3 Boys
Silas Aberer, Burroughs — fifth place in the 3,200 (9:24.48)
Tyrell Gray, Burroughs — sixth place in the high jump (1.83 meters)
Trevin Hess, Burroughs — fifth place in the pole vault (3.86 meters)
Alex VanLuven, Burroughs — seventh place in the triple jump (13.16 meters)
Division 3 Girls
Madalyn Martin, Burroughs — third place in the 100 hurdles (15.07 seconds)
Eve Washburn, Burroughs — seventh place in the 3,200 meters (11:03.91)
Division 4 Boys
Bishop Moore, Silver Valley — eighth place in the discus (38.48 meters)
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: High Desert athletes shine at CIF-SS Prelims, Quran Clayton Jr. dominates in 3 events
Reporting by Jose Quintero, Victorville Daily Press / Victorville Daily Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
