2008 Cal State Meet: Greatest All Time Prep Double Ever!

Photo: Christine Babcock, a senior at Irvine Woodbridge High, was as dominating as German Fernandez in the girls’ 1600m where she won in 4:33.82 to break her week-old national federation record of 4:36.57 set on the same Cerritos College track 8 days earlier in the Southern Section Masters Meet.

June 17, 2008. By Kirby Lee. Let the arguments begin for German Fernandez as the greatest all-time distance double in California history. The Riverbank High senior thrust himself into the spotlight after winning the 1600 meters in a state meet record 4:00.29 and the 3200 meters in a national federation record 8:34.23 in the 90th CIF State Championships at Cerritos College on May 31.

Fernandez’ mark in the 1600 meters on a warm afternoon was a state meet record and the fastest 1600-meter race time ever—second only to Alan Webb’s en route 3:59.51 for the national federation record at the 2001 Arcadia Invitational mile for the fastest mark in a high school–only race.

That was only the start for Fernandez, who smashed the national federation record in the 3200 by nearly 7 seconds held by none other than 2008 U.S. Olympic marathoner Dathan Ritzenhein.

Fernandez became the first to complete the 1600–3200 double since Mebrahtom Keflezighi posted a 4:07.61 and 8:58.11 combo in 1994.

Fernandez’ combined time for the 1600 and 3200, though, was more than 31 seconds faster than Keflezighi, the 2004 Olympic marathon Silver medalist and the American recordholder at 10,000m.

And according to Fernandez’ coach, Bruce Edwards, this was merely a workout for the Nike Outdoor Nationals three weeks later.

Fernandez’ efforts were a study in pacing. In the 1600, Fernandez reeled off splits of 2:00.49 for 800, 2:59.10 at 1200, 3:30.2 at 1400m en route to his 4:00.23 clocking.

In the 3200, his fully automatic timed lap splits did not vary by more than 0.85. Fernandez’ fully automated timed splits were 64.31–65.14–64.82–64.58–64.29–64.50–65.06, and closed with a 61.59 final 400.

Christine Babcock, a senior at Irvine Woodbridge High, was as dominating as Fernandez in the girls’ 1600m where she won in 4:33.82 to break her week-old national federation record of 4:36.57 set on the same Cerritos College track 8 days earlier in the Southern Section Masters Meet.

The national federation records by Fernandez and Babcock overshadowed a captivating duel by Jordan Hasay of San Luis Obispo Mission Prep and Laurynne Chetelat of Davis in the 3200.

Hasay out dueled Chetelat to win her third state title in the 8-lap race in a meet record 9:52.13–9:52.51 for the second and third times ever in high school history.

Sandwiched between the distances were team battles won by the Compton Dominguez boys and the Long Beach Poly girls.

The Dominguez boys clinched their first state title in dramatic fashion with a victory in the 1600 relay in a showdown against Long Beach Poly and the nation’s two fastest teams.

Junior Kivon Grant, senior Manoah Wesson, sophomore Leon Dilihunt and senior Aaron Hester timed 3:09.59 for the 10th time ever nationally and the 6th in California history. It was the fastest time by a California quartet since 1997.

The Dons, also buoyed by a runner-up finish by Dilihunt in the 400 in 46.60 and De’Vrong Walker in the 110 hurdles in 13.96, totaled 36 points to edge out Long Beach Poly and Los Gatos, which tied for second with 32.

Dominguez’ victory in the 4x400 also spoiled a heroic effort by Long Beach Poly senior Joey Hughes, who had a hand in all his team’s points and ran in eight races in 2 days.

Hughes won the 400 in a nation-leading 46.28 and finished 4th in the 200 in 21.53. He ran the second leg of Poly’s 4x100 that edged Dominguez in 41.26 to 41.27 and anchored Poly to a 2nd-place finish in the 1600 relay.

Randall Carroll of Cathedral tabbed himself as the next track gridiron great with state-leading wins in the 100 in 10.42 and the 200 in 20.91.

The Long Beach Poly girls won an unprecedented ninth state title under legendary coach Don Noford led by freshman Akakaw Ndipagbor.

Ndipagbor won the 400 in a nation leading 53.35 and anchored the Jackrabbits’ 4x400 relay to a win in 3:40.87. Long Beach Poly also received a win from sophomore Tara Richmond, who cleared a Long Beach area record 5-11.

Ndipagbor and Richmond paced Poly to a 39–30 victory over Mt. Pleasant, which received all of its 30 points from senior Vashti Thomas. Thomas won the 100 hurdles in 13.44 into a 2.7 meter-per-second headwind, the long jump at 20-0 1/4 and the triple jump at 42-0 ½ into a 2.7 mps breeze.