Rosemont's Dorner is second in 400

CLOVIS – Nia Dorner was 100 meters away from Sac-Joaquin Section history at the 94th CIF State Track and Field Championships on Saturday night.

The Rosemont High School junior had bolted to the front of the pack in the girls 400 meter dash, but Serra-Gardena's Renetia James was lurking.

"I didn't feel her until about 360 (meters)," Dorner said.

James flew down the backstretch and overtook Dorner to win in 53.98. Dorner finished second in 55.28 seconds.

Even though she got out to a lead, Dorner wasn't happy with her start out of the blocks.

"I felt I didn't get out and I had to make up for what I lost," Dorner said.

Dorner has been to the state meet in all three years of her high school career and moved up in place every season.

"I think coming in to the state meet as a freshman, sophomore and junior and getting better each year speaks for itself," Rosemont sprint coach David Lawrence said.

Dorner will have one last chance to become the first Sac-Joaquin Section girl to win a state sprint title.

"This loss will only be motivation for next year," Lawrence said. "Representing the Sac-Joaquin Section was something she did very well."

McClatchy's Jordan Monteiro-Williams, Friday's surprise qualifier, maintained that theme Saturday.

The senior, who came in with the 15th-best qualifying leap of 22 feet, 10 1/4 inches in the boys long jump, nailed a 23-9 3/4 to place second.

"It feels great, I didn't expect it," Monteiro-Williams said. "The coaches helped me a lot."

Serra (Gardena) sophomore Adoree Jackson won with a jump of 25- 1/2.

Monteiro-Williams' second-place jump came in his fourth attempt, after he was in fourth through three jumps.

"Not many people know about McClatchy, and I wanted to put it back on the map," Monteiro-Williams said.

Bear River's Kendal Nielsen leaped 38-7 1/4 in the triple jump for sixth place behind Sasha Wallace of Holy Names (Oakland), who won with a jump of 41-5 3/4.

"My goal was to get on the podium," Nielsen said. "I am not happy with the distance and I wish I could work on it more."

Nielsen was eighth in the long jump (18-7 1/2).

Del Oro's Casey Wheeler won medals in both boys hurdle races.

In the 110-meter race, heavily favored Kenneth Walker of Kennedy (Richmond) tripped over a hurdle and finished eighth. Wheeler placed fifth in 14.35.

"I was focused so I didn't see what happened," Wheeler said. "It is a shame because (Walker) is such a great athlete."

In the 300-meter race, Wheeler was lined up next to the state's top-ranked hurdler and eventual winner Jarrett Gonzales of LaVerne's Damien.

"I tried not worry about his pace and just run my race," Wheeler said.

Wheeler was able to make a push down the backstretch to finish sixth in 37.86.

Other area highlights:

• Brie Simmons of Del Oro struggled in her 300-meter girls hurdles race and finished ninth in 44.10 seconds.

• Foothill's Lawre'll Dobbins missed all three jumps at 5-3 in the girls high jump. Dobbins was a three-time Sac-Joaquin Section Masters champion in the event. She finished 12th here.

• Oakmont's Edixon Puglisi finished seventh in the boys 800 in 1:54.09.

• Read more articles by Andrew Rich

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