In 2019, the San Diego Section won a record seven gold medals at the California State Track & Field Championships.

Going into that meet, however, only a handful of athletes — most notably Madison High School sprinter Kenan Christon, who started a college football career at USC and is now at San Diego State — were favorites in their events.

After last week’s meets, nine San Diego Section individuals have the top marks in the state.

Of course, there is no guarantee that all or any of the frontrunners in late April will duplicate their performances at the State Championships on May 24-25. It is notable, however.

Here’s a look at the San Diego Section athletes that sit at the top of their events, according to Athletic.net, and some who are serious challengers:

Boys

Mount Miguel sophomore Brandon Arrington is the clear leader in the 200-meter dash at 20.76 seconds, well ahead of Quartz Hill’s Adonyss Currie’s 21.07. Arrington is the lone sub-21 runner in the state and added a 20.88 at the Dick Wilkins Frosh-Soph Championship last weekend, giving him four sub-21s. His 10.43 in the 100 in a dual meet isn’t listed by Athletic.net, but is faster than the 10.47 by Mission Hills Bishop Alemany’s Demare Dezeurn.

• Shon Martin of Helix set a San Diego Section record of 13.84 in the 110-meter hurdles at Sundevil Invitational. He remains the state leader by .04 ahead of Cosumnes Oaks’ Myles Mcfarland’s 13.88. However, Martin’s 13.72, aided by a 3.1-mile wind in Texas, is clearly superior.

• Mission Bay senior Justin Reichenberg got off a 47-foot-6 triple jump at the Mt. SAC Relays to take the state lead over Temecula Great Oaks’ Andrew Robinson, who bounded 47-5¼ at the Sundevil Invitational.

Among the top three in the state are: Cathedral Catholic’s Vincent Atilano, who opted to run the 400-meter hurdles at Mt. SAC. Although he won, Cayden Roberson of Eastvale Eleanor Roosevelt moved ahead of him in the 300 hurdles, running 37.06 to Atilano’s 37.42. Mission Bay’s Brandon Cheeks is No. 2 in two events after high jumping 6-foot-10 in the Mt. Carmel Field-Distance Meet and long jumping 23-11¼ at the Sundevil Invitational. University City junior Kai Anderson is No. 3 in the pole vault at 16-4¾, one spot ahead of the 16-3 mark by Sage Creek’s Jacob Emerson.

Girls

Madison’s Amirah Shaheed won the Mt. SAC 200-meter dash in 23.73 to move to the top of the list in wind-legal competition in the state as well as No. 6 all-time in the San Diego Section. She edged Temecula Chaparral’s Keelan Wright (23.75) and La Jolla’s Payton Smith (23.94) in that race.

Smith, who has signed to run at Michigan, ran an impressive 53.56 to win the Arcadia Invitational 400-meter run. That remains the No. 1 mark in the state. Culver City’s Joelle Trepagnier (53.69) is right behind her.

• Eastlake’s Jaelyn Williams has three 100-meter races under 10:04, topped by her 10:00.30 at the Jaguar Invitational. Williams has the state lead over Mission Viejo Trabuco Hills’ Holly Barker (10:02.52), who beat Williams at Arcadia. San Diego Section record-holder Gioana Lopizzo of La Costa Canyon is No. 3 at 10:05.65.

• San Diego High’s Anisa Bowen-Fontenot lopped another tenth of a second off her previous 110-meter hurdles best at Mt. SAC. The Cavers junior tops the state at 13.76 seconds.

• Carlsbad junior Morgan Herbst had her most impressive performance at Arcadia Invitational, where she scorched a 41.45 in the 300-meter hurdles.

• Canyon Crest Academy’s Elisabeth Driscoll flew into the state lead in the discus with her 155-foot, 5-inch throw in a dual meet against El Camino. Two others are over 150-feet to set up a big showdown in the state meet.

Among the top three in the state are: Williams is No. 2 in the 1,600-meters at 4:43.20, but she will probably focus on the 3,200, which would move La Jolla sophomore Chiara Dailey (4:46.83) up to No. 2. Dailey is also No. 5 in the 3,200 (10:09.78). Del Norte’s Paige Echsner and defending state champ Iliana Downing of La Costa Canyon are tied for No. 4 at 12-10 in the pole vault, but No. 1 Jathiyah Muhammad of Pittsburg has been competing unattached and her availability for state is in question. If she doesn’t compete, the two move up behind a pair of 13-footers.

Article provided by the San Diego Union Tribune.