More than 40 years ago, Camille Andreas became first Redlands girl to compete in state track and field meet

The CIF-State track and field meet was Saturday at Buchanan High in Clovis. Two Redlands High athletes competed, pole vaulter Michael Cullen and girl discus thrower Su’Riah Williams.

Cullen earned a medal in his event (he finished eighth) and Williams did not – though just making it to the state meet was an accomplishment.

"I am capable of jumping significantly higher," the University of Montana-bound athlete said. "But if I look at it technically, I am happy with how well I was able to work around being tired and my ankle hurting. Still being able to jump 16 feet certainly wasn't too bad."

More than 40 years ago, Redlands High’s Camille (Robertson) Andreas became the first Redlands girl to participate in the state meet. That was in 1984, and Andreas competed for Redlands High. She is now a track and cross-country coach at Redlands East Valley High.  

The year 1984 was an Olympic year and the games were held in Los Angeles. But first the state track meet was staged at the Los Angeles Coliseum with Andreas competing in the triple jump.

“It was cool because they had a parade into the Coliseum with the Olympic torch,” Andreas said.  

Andreas finished sixth in the triple jump that year. She later competed at Cal Poly Pomona.

Two years ago, Andreas returned to the state meet with REV triple jumper Jeremiah Bolanos, who is now at Cal. It was serendipitous as Bolanos on his last jump did a personal best of 48-3 ¼ to win the state meet.

STATE MEET CONTROVERSY

This year's state track and field championships were notable for the controversy surrounding transgender athlete AB Hernandez from Jurupa Valley High. Hernandez tied for first in the high jump, took first in the triple jump, and second in the long jump.

Hernandez and Kira Gant Hatcher of St. Mary’s High in Berkeley both stood atop the podium after the triple jump, thanks to a new rule enacted last week by the CIF.

Due to increased pressure from President Donald Trump and the US Department of Justice over a transgender athlete competing for a state championship, CIF compromised by declaring that if a transgender athlete beat out a cisgender female for a specific place, that the cisgender female will also receive the same medal – as happened in the triple jump. It’s complicated and it wasn’t the only controversy on Saturday.

North Salinas High sophomore runner Clara Adams won the girls 400 meters but was disqualified for her celebration after the event. She took a fire extinguisher from her father, stepped away from the track and sprayed her shoes with the extinguisher after her blazing performance.

Meet officials reacted quickly, disqualifying her from the event and taking away her state title. She was also barred from running the 200 meters after her supposed unsportsmanlike conduct.  

“I’m disappointed and I feel robbed,” Adams told the Monterey Herald. With good reason. Stripping away a state title for that is ridiculous.

BULLDOGS’ BANNER SEASON ENDS

University of Redlands’ tremendous softball season ended last week when the Bulldogs lost two of three games in the NCAA Division III World Series.

Redlands (40-10) lost 8-0 to Trine, defeated Texas Lutheran 2-0, and fell to Linfield 9-1 in six innings on Saturday in an elimination game.

The Bulldogs’ victory Friday night against Texas Lutheran was the program’s first-ever College World Series victory. Katlyn Gandara pitched a complete game shutout and had a two-run single for Redlands.

Redlands’ 40 victories are the most in program history.

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS

High school football is only about three months away and Cajon High of the Citrus Belt League has scheduled an intriguing non-league game.

The Cowboys on Sept. 26 will play at Permian High of Odessa, Texas – the school on which the Buzz Bissinger classic book about high school football, “Friday Night Lights,” was written.

TOMPKINS STEPS DOWN

Robert Tompkins has stepped down as the Redlands East Valley High girls basketball coach, Tompkins said. The school had been searching for a new coach.

REV went 14-13 overall and finished third in the Citrus Belt League, with a three-point loss to league champion Yucaipa.

I thought Tompkins did an outstanding job, given the talent he had.   

Reach John Murphy at berdooman@gmail.com and follow him at @PrepDawg2.