INLAND FIELDHOUSE

I’m covering the Baseline League Track & Field Finals today, Friday, May 6, 2016, for the Southern California Newspaper Group (@SoCalNewGroup).

Track events start at 5 p.m., weather permitting, at Rancho Cucamonga High School.

THE LOW DOWN:
Thunderstorms and rain will be a major concern this evening as a system hustles across the Inland Area. Will the track, not to mention the runways and other playable surfaces, be dry in time?

There’s another thing. It’s a hot, hot coach rumor. Which doesn’t happen often in track, but it doesn’t happen, and this one could be timely.

THE KEY ATHLETES:
Boys —
Joseph Anderson, Jr., Upland — Set the pace in 110 hurdles (14.05) and 300m hurdles (38.96).
Eric Guerrero, Jr., Los Osos — Aims to sweep both shot put and discus.
Alex (Luis) Perez, Sr., Damien — More than a second faster than the field in the 400.
Curtis Price, Sr., Chino Hills — Fastest in both the 100 (10.69) and 200 (21.53) at Prelims.
Jaylon Redd, Jr., Rancho Cucamonga — Only challenger to Price in the 100 and 200.
Michael Solomon, Sr., Los Osos — Best shot at a double in the jumps.

Girls —
Ezinne Abba, Soph., Etiwanda — Broke 58 seconds in the 400 at Prelims.
Ashley Anumba, Jr., Los Osos — Sure thing to take both shot put and discus finals.
Jalyn Harris, Jr., Rancho Cucamonga — Fastest in the 100 (24.18), second in 200 (58.52).
Jada Hicks, Soph., Upland — Had the fastest time 100 (11.88), 100m hurdles (14.42) at Prelims.
Jacquelyn Hill, Jr., Etiwanda — Two seconds back 800, two seconds in front in 1,600.
Tatyana Pooler, Sr., Rancho Cucamonga — Aims to sweep 100 and 200 in front of home crowd.

THE ONE PREDICTION:
Redd will win the 100 out from under Price. Redd was 0.5 seconds behind Price during prelims on Tuesday, but nothing is certain on a day like today.