Track and Field: SRV Will Send Seven to State Meet

When the California State Track and Field championships get underway in Clovis on Friday, San Ramon Valley High will be well represented.

A strong showing at Saturday's North Coast Section Meet of Champions at U.C. Berkeley saw seven Wolves punch tickets for the State meet.

"We showed how balanced we were as a team," San Ramon Valley coach Tim Hunter said. "Everyone who is going (to State) deserves to be there."

Going into the meet's final race, 1600-relay anchor Garrett Storms was still trying to forget about 2009, when he stumbled in the final meters to allow Amador Valley pass him for the win.

"It was literally in my head all week," he said. "I knew I couldn't let that happen again."

When he made the final turn in first place and was caught by a runner from St. Mary's, he found himself thinking about 2009 once again.

"I felt him catch me, then told myself 'OK, I guess it's time to go,'" Storms said.

Storms pulled back into the lead and held off a late charge from Deer Valley to win the race in a school-record time of three minutes, 16.04 seconds.

Dan Davis and Kevin Griffith, who both had already qualified as individuals, ran the first two legs before Ian Padilla-Jong and Storms closed it out. The team's time will be the No. 7 seeded time in Clovis and was the fastest from Northern California.

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Griffith lived up to expectations in the 800, where he won by nearly two seconds in 1:52.15. It was also the top-time in NorCal this year and the No. 5 time in the state.

"Hopefully I'll get 1:51 at state," he said. "I'm going to have to race hard in trials just to get into the final."

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Davis' expectations weren't nearly as high, but his 48.60 in the 400 was good enough for third place a trip to State.

"Being here was enough for me, I had nothing to lose," he said. "I ended up being able to hold on, it feels amazing."

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Junior Sarah Griffith took a big step toward her ultimate goal of becoming the first athlete in school history to qualify for state all four year when she finished third in the 400.

"For some reason, I was really nervous, but then once the race started I was fine," she said. "I had a tear in my eye at the finish."

Griffith's 56.44 was her second-fastest time in the event.

Deer Valley's Chizoba Okodogbe, who has the No. 2 time in the nation this year, won the race in meet-record time of 53.06.

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Junior Ben Teichman finished fourth in the shot put with a throw of 53-feet, five-inches and was somewhat of a surprise qualifier.

"Originally I was just hoping to get top-six," he said. "There were a few other guys who had the potential to go, but I just good off a good one."

Sophomore pole-vaulter Colin Barber is headed to Clovis as well. He cleared 14-feet, three-inches to qualify.

"I'm really excited," he said. "It's my first time (going to State) and I'm hoping to go 15 (feet) or higher at State."

The San Ramon boys team finished the NCS meet with 38 points to finish second, while the girls finished 21^st.

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