The Scoop: States, States and More State Championships

May 28, 2023

CIF State Championships Brought The Best Head-To-Head Matchups

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Ventura's Sadie Engelhardt left everything out on the track at the CIF Outdoor Championships as she found herself making history. She began her day by blowing away the field in the girls 1,600m finals.

From the start, Engelhardt pressed the pace as she won the title in a new state meet record of 4:33.45 and improved on her US No. 1 time by three seconds.

Later in the evening, Engelhardt returned to the track for the 800m final where she faced Mackenzie Browne of J.W. North, the defending champion and fastest girl in the nation at this distance with a 2:03.07.

Engelhardt's strategy for the 800m was the opposite of how she approached the 1,600m.

She bought her time as she allowed Browne to maintain control of the race. Engelhardt decided to make her crucial move the final 100m. The sophomore, who was second in this event in 2022, sprinted the last 50m and won the title in 2:07.22. Browne finished second with a 2:08.66 and Tessa Buswell of Poway was third in 2:08.53.

Engelhardt became the second girl in CIF State Meet history to win the 800m-1,600m double. Kathy Costello of Pleasant Hill accomplished this feat back in 1975. Notably, Shannon Rowbury won the 800m title in 2001 before she won the 1,600m in 2002.

* Dijon Stanley wins the 400m title in 45.77

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In the boys 400m final, there was a showdown between Granada Hills Charter's Dijon Stanley and Long Beach Poly's Xai Ricks.

Stanley, who was third in this event in 2022, was out incredibly well as he quickly made up the stagger on Ricks. Ricks tried to wheel back his competitor the last 100m but the three-star football Utah recruit had too much strength and footspeed.

Stanley improved on his US No. 3 time to a 45.77 for the title and Ricks moved to US No. 5 with a 46.06 for second.

In the boys 100m final, all eyes were set on Rodrick Pleasant of Serra-Gardena as he was in the hunt to defend his state titles in the sprints. Pleasant was undefeated all season and produced the third-fastest time in the nation with a 10.14 at the Southern Section Masters.

This was a brand new day.

The starting gun went off and the four-star Oregon football recruit crossed the finish line in a new CIF meet record of 10.20 (+2.0) for the title. He earned his second title of the day in the 200m with a 20.67. That was his fifth performance under 21 seconds this season.

One of the best long jumpers in the country, Sydnie Vanek, the Arizona volleyball and track recruit, also defended her state title with a 20-7.75 leap.

In the 3,200m, Rylee Blade of Santiago Corona won the 3,200m title in 10:02.19 to be US No. 14 and Matthew Donis of Highland clocked 8:51.37 in the boys race.

* Rodrick Pleasant defended his 100m title with a new CIF state meet record of 10.20 (+2.0)

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