Marissa Williams was up to her usual tricks at last Thursday’s City track and field preliminaries. The Palisades High junior overtook Chatsworth’s Giselle Masedo on the final turn to win the 800 meters in 2:18.50, won the 1,600 by 19 seconds in 5:03.35 and completed her trifecta with a 40-second triumph in the 3,200 in 10:52.35.
Seniors Ashley Stevens (58.62) and Doshawn Franks (59.24) had the two fastest times in the 400 and Stevens qualified fifth in the 200.
Sophomore Kendal Lake got the eighth and last qualifying spot in the 300 hurdles and teamed with Nicole Figueroa, Franks and Stevens to post the fastest qualifying time in the 4×400 relay (4:05.18). Lake, Stevens, Franks and Hayley Hutt qualified third in the 4×100 relay. Franks cleared 4-8 to qualify in the high jump, Alex Olsen advanced in the pole vault and Hutt leaped 33-1 for seventh in the triple jump.
For the boys, Chase Cobb was sixth overall in the 200 and just missed qualifying in the 100, Romare Ashford was third in the 800 and Menelik Dagnachew won his heat in the 1,600 (4:25.26) and had the third-fastest 3,200 time.
Senior Emerson Simpson cleared 5-8 to qualify in the high jump and leaped 20-8.5 for fifth in the long jump.
“I have a better chance in the high jump,” Simpson said. “I don’t pay attention to height, I just try to clear what’s there.”
Former Pali High multi-event star Kendall Gustafson, now a heptathlete at Duke University, has been working with the jumpers.
“Since she started helping out I’ve gone from the 18s in the long jump to the 20s,” Simpson said. “I’m hoping for 21 or 22 for finals. She’ll say your hips aren’t good or you need to arch your back. She’s very specific.”
The girls tried to defend their title at yesterday’s City finals.
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