Sooner or later after making an enormous announcement about his future, RJ Sermons focused on the current and rebounded from a disappointing effort within the boys’ 100 meters to beat a loaded discipline within the 200 meters Saturday within the Southern Part Masters Meet at Moorpark Excessive.
“Not having the best race in the 100 gave me more fire in the 200 and I feel like I understand that race all the way,” Sermons stated after constructing a large lead across the flip and successful in 20.97 seconds — not fairly matching his personal-best 20.88 achieved three weeks in the past at Baseline League finals. “The most important thing right now is to stay level-headed and prepare well for state.”
A four-star cornerback from Rancho Cucamonga, Sermons declared on Friday he’ll forgo his senior 12 months, reclassifying from the category of 2026 to 2025 with the intention to be part of his older brother Cameron at USC this summer time.
“I was thinking about it for two months, finalized my decision about a month ago and announced it yesterday because Thursday was the last day of school,” stated the 6-foot, 185-pounder who dedicated to USC in mid-December, fulfilling a lifelong want to comply with within the footsteps of his father, Rodney Sr., a operating again for the Trojans from 1994-97.
Earlier than he turns his consideration to varsity soccer, although, Sermons nonetheless has unfinished enterprise on the highschool observe and has particular targets for the state meet on Might 30 and 31 at Buchanan Excessive in Clovis.
“For the 200, I can go 20.8 [seconds] for sure and my goal is 20.6,” he stated, after ending fourth within the 100 in 10.47 Saturday and ending in 10.36 on the part finals final week. “In the 100, I’ll need to run high 10.1 or low 10.2 to win state. My focus [in the 100] will be the start. The key is getting out of the blocks fast.”
Alemany sophomore Demare Dezeurn repeated as boys’ 100 meters champion in 10.35 seconds Saturday.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Occasions)
Defending his Masters title within the boys’ 100 meters earlier than putting second to Sermons within the 200 with a personal-best 21.04 was Bishop Alemany sophomore Demare Dezeurn, whose successful time of 10.35 seconds bettered his Division 4 record-setting 10.42 and was one hundredth of a second quicker than his wind-aided time finally 12 months’s Masters.
“My goal is to win next week and one day be able to tell my kids I was state champion,” Dezeurn stated, who confirmed he’s transferring to Palisades and desires to play soccer within the fall. “This is just the beginning for me. I wasn’t planning to win today, I just wanted to put a good time on the board.”
Servite sophomore Benjamin Harris, second to Dezeurn final 12 months within the 100 and fifth at state, stumbled and fell whereas crossing the ending line within the 100 (he was third in 10.44) and needed to scratch from the 200.
Robert Gardner, proper, anchors Servite’s 4×100 relay, which posted the quickest time on the Southern Part Masters Meet on Saturday.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Occasions)
Servite’s depth makes it a state title contender within the boys’ 4×100-meter relay. The group of Jace Wells, Jaelen Hunter, Kamal Pelovello and Robert Gardner, received Saturday in 40.40. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame was runner-up in 40.77.
“We’re a whole new team from last year but none of us like to lose and we’re going to practice getting the baton around better for next week,” stated Gardner, who ran the anchor leg. Hunter later received the 400 meters in 46.91, one second quicker than Jack Stadlman of Temecula Valley.
Lengthy Seashore Poly obtained revenge on Oaks Christian within the women’ 4×100, as Leila Holland, Nevaeh Lewis, Aniyah Brooks and Brooklyn Lee received in 45.94 after ending second to the Lions at state final 12 months.
Anchor runner Brooklyn Lee, proper, of Lengthy Seashore Poly sprints throughout the end line first within the 4×100 relay on the Southern Part Masters Meet on Saturday.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Occasions)
“This was very important and it feels good but we’re going to state to redeem ourselves,” Lee stated. Oaks Christian (46.12) was second and Redondo Union (46.96) third.
After repeating as Southern Part champion within the 100 every week in the past, Georgia commit Keelan Wright (11.41) from Chaparral was edged by 5 hundredths of a second by North Carolina A&T-bound Journey Cole of Redondo Union within the 100, however rebounded to win the 200 in 23.21.
Corona Santiago’s Braelyn Combe adopted her second straight Division 1 part title with a successful effort of 4 minutes 44.36 seconds within the women’ 1,600 meters, bettering her time from final week by greater than two and a half seconds.
Corona Santiago’s Braelyn Combe runs throughout the women’ 1,600 meters on the Southern Part Masters Meet on Saturday.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Occasions)
Grant Miller of La Serna was the boys’ 1,600 champion in 4:09.86. Stanford-bound Evan Noonan, who opted to not run the 1,600 (he received the part Division 1 title final week) to avoid wasting his power for the three,200 meters, received the occasion in 8:55.76.
College of Oregon commit and reigning women’ state lengthy leap champion Loren Webster of Lengthy Seashore Wilson leaped 18 toes 11½ inches — the third-best mark behind solely Ab Hernandez of Jurupa Valley (19-03½) and Kaylee Better of Norco (19-¾).
“I’ve been dealing with patella tendinitis the entire season but over the weeks the pain has decreased,” Webster stated. “I was confident I’d win state last year because I’d jumped over a foot better than anyone else. As for this year I’d say 20 feet should win.”
Defending state champion Loren Webster of Lengthy Seashore Wilson competes within the lengthy leap on the Masters Meet on Saturday.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Occasions)
Texas commit Brandon Gorski of Mater Dei certified for state for the fourth time within the boys’ excessive leap with a top of 6-6 to complete third behind Chaminade’s Matthew Browner and Sherman Oaks Notre Dame junior JJ Harel (final 12 months’s state runner-up), who each cleared 6-10. Gorski additionally posted the third-best mark within the lengthy leap with a 22-10½ effort.
Lengthy Seashore Wilson received the women’ 4×400-meter relay in 3:43.71 and Lengthy Seashore Poly received the boys’ race in 3:10.83.
Aliso Niguel’s Jaslene Massey received women’ discus (165-06) and shot put (49-07½). Reigning state discus champion and 2023 state shot put champion Aja Johnson of Sherman Oaks Notre Dame took second in each with marks of 158-08 (discus) and 45-08 (shot put).
1. Mater Dei senior Brandon Gorski competes in lengthy leap on the Masters Meet on Saturday. 2. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame junior JJ Harel competes in excessive leap. 3. Servite freshman Jaelen Hunter separates from the pack on his technique to successful the boys’ 400 meters. (Steve Galluzzo / For The Occasions)
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