Williams medals in two events at State track meet

By: BECKY FREEMAN - Staff Writer | Saturday, June 3, 2006 11:06 PM PDT ∞

NORWALK ---- The white finish line on Cerritos College's blue track marked the ending to Jonathan Williams' short but storied prep track career on a hot Saturday afternoon. And while the Temecula Valley senior would have liked to lean across it as the CIF-State 100 and 200-meter champion, Williams felt blessed just to sprint over it at all.

Williams finished off what he called a "surprise" year by taking third in the 100 and fifth in the 200 at the CIF-State Track and Field Championships. Other Valley finishers included Murrieta Valley's Kelsey Rubeor, who took ninth in the high jump, and teammate Matt Lahti, who placed eighth in the discus.

"Most people didn't know where Temecula Valley was, or who Temecula was, so I surprised ëem," Williams said. "Now they are like, 'Who's Jonathan?'

"I surprised even myself. At the beginning of the season, I didn't think I would make it past (CIF-SS) finals. I never thought I could run this fast."

Williams finished third in the 100 to two of the most well-known sprinters in the State ---- Sherman Oaks Notre Dame's Rodney Glass and Woodland Hills Taft's Jamere Holland. Glass won the race in 10.53 seconds, while Holland just out-leaned Williams in 10.59 to Williams' 10.60.

In the 200, it was Long Beach Poly's Bryshon Nellum who stole the show, getting under 21 seconds for the second straight day ---- clocking a 20.96. He also won the 400 in 46.38.

"In the 100, I did alright, but I didn't do so well in the 200," said a tired Williams after his 200, in which he ran a 21.47. "I almost got Holland, but still to take third and fifth in the state, is pretty good.

"I'm happy. It was close. But my (minor hamstring) injury in the long jump (Friday) just killed me. I was disappointed. I wanted the 100 real bad."

In contrary to Williams himself, Temecula Valley coach Steve Rapaport was not shocked by his athlete's fine showing.

"For him, it was a surprise, but for me it was no surprise," Rapaport said. "I always knew that if he really buckled down that he could get to the state meet ---- and to get a third and a fifth is not a bad day."

While Lahti's eighth-place showing with a discus toss of 169 feet, 10 inches was not what he wanted, the Nighthawks' senior did get the chance to share the ring with one of the nation's top throwers in San Diego Morse's Darius Savage ---- who won the shot put in 66-1 1/2 and the discus in 205-6.

Lahti will continue his track career at UC Irvine next season.

An injured Rubeor bowed out early in the high jump, after failing to clear the second height of 5-5. She cleared 5-3 on her first attempt, but missed 5-5 twice and came close on her third attempt, but fell short.

"It was the first time since her injury that she had to go two days in a row, so inherently that presents a problem," Murrieta Valley coach Matt Farmer said. "It was big for her to make the final as a junior, hopefully we'll get back here next year and take care of business."

In other regional girls' highlights, San Jacinto's Sarah Robles won the discus title by nearly 13 feet, with a toss of 158-0. Rancho Verde girls' 400 and 1,600 relay teams placed third and fifth respectively, with the short relay clocking a quick 45.97 amidst a fast field won by Long Beach Wilson in 45.19.

Wilson and Union City James Logan tied for the girls' team title with 37 points each.

On the boys' side, in addition to Nellum and Savage, Pomona Diamond Ranch's Terry Prentice was also a double winner, winning the long jump and the 110 hurdles. He won the former in 23-10 1/2 and the latter in 14-11, and added on a bronze medal to his day in the 300 hurdles (36.79).

Long Beach Poly won the boys team title with 42 points. Williams' eight points put Temecula Valley at an even 20th with five other schools in the team standings.

Contact staff writer Becky Freeman at (951) 676-4315 Ext. 2630 or bfreeman@californian.com.