Colts' Powell dashes to repeat in 400

0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, May 27, 2007 | by Steve R. Waterhouse

BERKELEY -- It's Quentin Powell time.

For the past few weeks, the track and field season has been all about getting to the next phase for the James Logan High star.

First it was the Mission Valley Athletic League championships. Then the North Coast Section Bay Shore meet.

And on Saturday at Cal's Edwards Stadium, Powell claimed the 400- meter title for the second year in a row at the NCS Meet of Champions.

"This has been all business," said Powell, who finished in 48.62 seconds. "My whole goal is to run smart and prepare myself mentally."

Powell can now focus on the state meet slated for June 1-2 at Hughes Stadium in Sacramento.

"It's time to peak," he said. "This season has been slow up until now, and it's time for it to get going."

Powell finished sixth at state a year ago in 48.34.

The top four finishers in both field and running events qualified for the state meet.

In the team race, the Logan boys took first with 67 points, and De La Salle was second with 39.

On the girls side, Logan claimed its sixth straight MOC crown, with 66 points. Bishop O'Dowd took second with 46.

The 400 was quite a race from a Logan standpoint. Upstart Keagan Wethington, who suffered a dislocated shoulder during the football season and was slow to get going in track, finished second in 48.74.

"We're always on each other'sheels," Wethington said. "We keep pushing each other to perform harder."

Powell also competed in the 200, which was won by Salesian's Jahvid Best in 20.92. Powell finished third in 21.77. Wethington finished fifth in 22.36.

"I always thought of myself more as a 100 and 200 runner, but over this year I've turned into a 200 and 400 runner," Wethington said.

The Logan boys team got off to a fine start in the running events. The 4x100 team of Preston Bradford, Powell, Josh Neal and Wethington took first with a personal-best 41.72.

"This was the first time all season we ran this good," said Neal, who could hardly contain his enthusiasm.

Last year, the 4x100 Logan relay team finished fifth in 42.11. Last year's winner was Notre Dame of the Southern Section, in 41.45.

When Wethington crossed the finish line, he knew the Colts had done something spectacular.

"It definitely felt good," said Wethington, who crossed the line with a big grin.

On the girls side, the MVAL had just one MOC winner -- Jami Hardy of Logan.

The junior claimed the 800 title in 2:11.65. Last year, Hardy was sick and unable to run in the 800. However, she did participate on Logan's 4x400 relay team, which made it to state.

Logan's Jackie Harrison, who is headed to Cal State Northridge in the fall, finished second in the girls 400 (55.37) and third in the 300 hurdles (44.32).

She was also on Logan's 4x100 relay team that took third (47.67).

"I still get nervous," Harrison said. "But you have to have the right mind-set for this."

The 400 was quite interesting with four Logan participants. Victoria Humphrey, who won the 400 a year ago at this event, finished third (56.03), and Donnise Powell took fourth (56.53).

In the boys pole vault, Logan's Belal Mogaddedi surprised himself with a third-place finish after personal-best mark of 13 feet, 9 inches.

"To be honest, I just wanted to stand on the podium (top six)," Mogaddedi said. "To take third, that was really a shock."

In the boys long jump, Logan's Josh Laureta redeemed himself from Friday's triple jump debacle with a second-place finish (21-11), also a personal best.

Friday, Laureta entered the triple jump with the section's best mark, but failed to make state, finishing ninth.

"I just had to focus on this event and put that one out of my mind," Laureta said.

Logan's Victoria S. Johnson qualified for state with a third- place finish in the 100 hurdles (14.74).

"This is hard, but I knew I could do it," the freshman said. "Everyone believed in me, and my mom (Willa Johnson) wanted me to make it. Now, I've made it."