Serra junior runs second-fastest all-conditions 100-meter dash in state history with wind-aided 10.16 effort, produces No. 2 wind-legal 200 by a California prep sprinter with 20.40 performance, as Cavaliers sweep Division 4 championships for first time since 2012

By Landon Negri for DyeStat

MOORPARK, Calif. – Rodrick Pleasant ran like he was a blur Saturday afternoon. And now, perhaps, he’s appearing ready to blot out sprint records in California.

Running out of Division 4, the Serra junior ran the second-fastest California high school time in the 200 and what would’ve been the fastest time ever in the 100, if the wind had died down. The results were a 200 win in 20.40 seconds and a 100 victory in 10.16, marks that turned the most heads during the CIF-Southern Section Finals at Moorpark High School.

DIVISION 1 RESULTS | DIVISION 2 RESULTS | DIVISION 3 RESULTS | DIVISION 4 RESULTS | INTERVIEWS

Pleasant was one of seven boys to win multiple individual events, with seven female athletes also winning more than once.

Upland (Division 1), Long Beach Jordan (Division 2), Cathedral (Division 3) and Serra (Division 4) claimed the boys’ team titles, with Golden Valley (Division 2), Calabasas (Division 3) and Serra (Division 4) joined Roosevelt (Division 1) for girls’ crowns, with Roosevelt prevailing by one point over Long Beach Poly and four over Long Beach Wilson.

It marked the first championship sweep for Serra in Division 4 since 2012.

A +2.7 wind reading kept Pleasant’s 100 from standing for a record – and the second-fastest all-conditions performance behind the 10.13 effort from Javelin Guidry of Vista Murrieta in 2017 – the 2.0 in the 200 did put it right behind former Vista Murrieta standout Norman’s 20.14 run in 2016.

Pleasant is a student of the marks, and already knows what the next goals are.

“10.09, somewhere around there” he said. “State leader .. and trying to get that guy MIchael Norman.”

Pleasant said he feels healthy now after dealing with a strained quad suffered at last month’s Arcadia Invitational.

“Just getting healthy, that was the biggest thing for me this week. Just coming into this healthy and trying to compete at the highest level.”

“I’m in hungry mode,” he added moments later. “I’ve been waiting to run this fast.”

Pleasant’s times also turned heads on a day in which marks didn’t, for the most part. Temperatures hovered near 90 degrees though at times, a breeze cooled things off.

The sprint performances seems to set up some great clashes next week in the CIF-Southern Section Masters meet, also at Moorpark High. Servite senior Max Thomas was a double winner in Division 3 in the 100 (10.35) and 200 (20.68), with Long Beach Jordan sophomore Jordan Washington won Division 2’s 100 in a wind-aided 10.35 and the 200 in a wind-aided 20.93.

“The sprints went smooth for me, so I can’t complain,” Thomas said. “I have a lot to work on in my 100, which is great because that’s more room for improvement. I’m super happy with that. In the 200, I was very, very happy. I can’t complain. I just have to get back to practice and get to work.”

Sprints also paced the girls side, as Redondo Union senior Eve Divinity triumphed in Division 1 in the 100 (wind-aided 11.74), with sophomore sister Lela Divinity capturing the 300 hurdles (44.49).

Roosevelt senior Naomi Johnson earned victories in both the 200 (23.69) and 400 (54.44), but was proudest of her anchor leg of the Division 1 girls 4X400 relay.

Needing to stay ahead in team points of both Wilson and Poly, Kaia Burns, Cierra Ellis, Dakota Minor and Johnson (3:46.17) placed second to the Wilson team of Samarra Monrroy, Kaylin Edwards, Aujane Luckey and Sadia Green (3:45.06).

That was just enough for Roosevelt’s girls to win the Division 1 team championship with 61 points, eclipsing Poly with 60 and Wilson with 57.

The win was Roosevelt’s second in four seasons.

“For me, I was a freshman when we won the team title, and now I’m back in my senior year, and we’re reigning again,” Johnson said. “So it’s really like a circle for me.”

Several doubles were achieved in jumps, as well. Great Oak senior J.C. Stevenson topped the Division 1 long jump (wind-aided 23-5.25/7.14m) and triple jump (47-8.75/14.54m), with Golden Valley senior Elijah Ellis winning the long jump (24-2.50/7.37m) and triple jump (48-3.50/14.71m).

In Division 1 girls, Martin Luther King junior Alyssa Hope prevailed in the long jump (19-8.25/6.00m) and triple jump (40-2.50/12.25m). Golden Valley senior Kylee Davis led her team’s 1-2 finish in the Division 2 long jump (19-11.50/6.08m) and high jump (5-8/1.72m), with support from sophomore teammate Meagan Humphries (18-9.25/5.72m and 5-6/1.67m).

In distances, Ventura freshman Sadie Engelhardt extended her early-career success with Division 2 wins in the 800 (2:08.26) and the 1,600 (4:43.93) as she prepared for what she hopes is a strong run through Masters and the CIF State Championships in two weeks. Engelhardt, along with Dana Hills senior Jai Dawson (1:52.73 in the 800 and 4:12.55 in the 1,600) in Division 2 boys made up the distance doubles Saturday.

“I was just trying to tell myself that I’m ready for this,” Engelhardt said. “I’ve done all the workouts leading up to this. I’ve done super, great intervals and great times along with that. It gave me a lot of confidence coming into today.”

Two girls athletes earned multiple individual wins in hurdles. Thousand Oaks senior Lauren Thai claimed the 100 hurdles (14.50) and 300 hurdles (45.08) in Division 2, with Monrovia senior Madeleine Conte won the 100 hurdles (14.12) and 300 hurdles (44.09) in Division 3.

In Division 4, Crean Lutheran’s Jack Fairchild won the 110 hurdles (14.41) and triple jump (46-2). The lone double in Division 4 girls was Serra’s Jordan Washington in the 100 (11.55) and (23.68).