High School

5-star USC football commit headlines 2025 CIF Southern Section track & field finals

The 2025 CIF Southern Section track and field finals are packed with elite talent and high drama, from breakout freshmen and five-star football commits to nationally ranked sprinters, throwers, and relay squads.

Roland Padilla

Servite track and field boys' relay team medals at the 2025 Arcadia Invitational.
Servite track and field boys' relay team medals at the 2025 Arcadia Invitational. / Arcadia Invitational via Image of Sport

The stage is set for the 2025 CIF Southern Section track and field finals. And while last weekend’s scorching temperatures may have cooled across Southern California, fans should still expect red-hot times on the track and eye-popping performances in the field. (Note: All times/marks are pulled from athletic.net as of 5/15/2025)

The Baseline League — best known as one of California’s premier football conferences behind the Trinity League — also boasts a pipeline of elite track and field talent. This weekend, all eyes will be on several standouts looking to leave their mark on the postseason stage.

Leading the pack is Rodney Sermons of Rancho Cucamonga High School, California’s second-fastest sprinter this season. The standout junior trails only Brandon Arrington—the highly touted Class of 2026 football recruit—in the state rankings. The junior has a personal best of 10.3 seconds in the 100-meter (with +3.0 wind) and a 20.88 seconds 200-meter (with a +2.7 wind). These marks put him in 2nd and 1st respectively in the section. Unfortunately we won't get to see the talented 4x400 squad typically anchored by Sermons at finals as they false started. (Video of Sermons full 200-meter PR can be found at the bottom of the article)

Jaxson Gates from Damien, California's 7th fastest 100-meter runner with a time of 10.39 seconds will look to push his boundaries and advance to the

Another Baseline League contender, Etiwanda High School is traditionally known as a basketball powerhouse—having sent multiple players to the NBA under longtime head coach Dave Kleckner. But this spring, it’s the track and field team that’s making noise.

Senior Derrick Brown will line up in the 100 meters, but it’s sophomore Brandon Andrade who has emerged as the team’s breakout star. Andrade ranks sixth in the section in the 110-meter hurdles with a personal best of 14.13 seconds. He’s even more dominant in the 300 hurdles, where he holds the fastest time in the state this season at 36.79 seconds.

In the throws, junior Drew Harisay is another name to watch. He’s one of just eight athletes in California to surpass 60 feet in the shot put this year, with a personal best of 60 feet, 1 inch—eighth best in the state and second in the section. Harisay also ranks among the top 10 in California in the discus, with a best mark of 175 feet, placing him fourth in the section.

Turning to the girls' side in the throws, Jaslene Massey of Aliso Niguel is a name to watch. She's the first girl in California to eclipse the 50-foot mark in the shot put since 2016. Her personal best of 50 feet, 7 inches leads the state and ranks No. 4 nationally. Massey also impressed in the discus during prelims, hitting a new personal best of 159 feet, 8 inches—good for second-best in both the Southern Section and the state.

The team turning heads across the Southern Section this postseason is Servite’s surging sprint squad, which qualified an impressive six athletes for the finals in the 200 meters—all of them underclassmen. Leading the charge is Ben Harris, who ranks inside the top 10 in the section in both the 100 and 200 meters. But perhaps the biggest breakout belongs to freshman Jaelen Hunter, who currently sits No. 2 in the section in the 400 meters with a blistering time of 46.32 seconds. He trails only Temecula Valley senior Jack Stadlman, who leads with a mark of 45.69 seconds.

Fun fact: This servite squad also has the four fastest freshmen in the 200-meter in the whole nation. So not only are they here to compete now, but they are here to stay. These other freshmen are the Wells twins, Jorden and Jace, and 11-time Jr. All American, Kamil Pelovello.

On the girls’ side of the sprints, two standouts are set for a thrilling showdown in the 100 meters: Redondo Union’s Journey Cole and Chaparral’s Keelan Wright. Both seniors are among the fastest in California this season and are top contenders for the section title.

Cole enters with the state’s fastest time in the 100 at 11.36 seconds, while Wright isn’t far behind, clocking 11.51 seconds, currently third in California. In the 200 meters, the roles reverse — Wright owns the state-leading mark of 23.39 seconds, while Cole’s 23.83 is ranked fifth in California.

Shifting to the middle distances, Long Beach Wilson’s Wyland Obando is a name to watch in the boys’ 800 meters. His personal best of 1:50.45 leads the Southern Section and ranks second statewide. Obando also brings notable speed, having clocked 48.31 seconds in the 400 meters.

His teammate, Kaylin Edwards, is a standout in the hurdles. She’s the only athlete in the section to break the 14-second barrier in the 100-meter hurdles this season and holds a commanding lead in the 300 hurdles, with a personal best of 40.56 seconds — nearly a second and a half ahead of the next closest competitor. Edwards is currently ranked No. 2 in California in both hurdle events and also owns the state’s 20th-fastest time in the 400 meters.

Distance events also feature some of the state's top names. Stanford commit, Evan Noonan of Dana Hills enters the meet with a state-leading time of 4:04.88 in the 1,600 meters. He also holds the No. 3 mark in California this season in the 3,200, clocking 8:55.95 — both good for best in the Southern Section. Jordan Lieberman of Murrieta Valley has the best mark in the section in the 1600-meters with a time of 4 minutes, 43.08 seconds, almost three seconds to the nearest person.

Field Events

While Jaslene Massey remains the top girls’ thrower overall, Su’Riah Williams of Redlands isn’t far behind. Her shot put mark ranks second in the nation among high school athletes this season, making her a serious contender on the national stage.

In the vertical jumps, Natalie Cottrill of Hart enters as the top high jumper in the section with a season-best clearance of 5 feet, 10 inches—a two-inch edge over the next closest competitor. In the pole vault, Olivia Bettinger of Los Alamitos holds the top spot thanks to a mark of 12 feet, 11 inches, giving her a three-inch lead over the field.

On the boys’ side of the field events, one of the biggest margins of dominance belongs to Tavy’cee Washington of Orange Vista. The junior owns a personal best of 24 feet, 7 inches in the long jump, giving him an eight-inch lead over the next closest competitor in the section.

In the triple jump, Cajon’s Keith Cotlage stands alone as the only athlete in the Southern Section to surpass 50 feet this season. His best mark of 50 feet, 7 inches also gives him an approximate eight-inch cushion. Both Washington and Cotlage currently rank No. 1 in California in their respective events.

The boys’ high jump could deliver a historic moment this weekend, with three athletes currently tied at 6 feet, 10 inches. That sets the stage for a potential milestone: will we see someone clear 7 feet before the season ends?

In the pole vault, Brady Furr of Santa Margarita leads the field with a personal best of 16 feet, 5 inches, holding a three-inch advantage over his closest challenger.

In the boys’ throws, Bo Ausmus of Redondo Union leads the section in the shot put with a top mark of 60 feet, 5 inches. In the discus, Benjamin Lingenfelter of Yucaipa holds the top spot with a personal best of 194 feet, 10 inches—a mark that ranks second in California this season.

Relays

In the relays, the biggest shock of prelims came from Rosary Academy, which entered as the state leader in the girls’ 4x100-meter relay with a season-best time of 45.21 seconds. However, a dropped baton during an exchange at Carpinteria High School dashed their hopes of advancing. They finished 25th in Division 4 with a time of 51.60 seconds.

With Rosary out, Long Beach Poly and Calabasas emerge as the favorites. They’re the only other squads in the state to clock sub-46-second times this season and will be closely watched in the finals.

On the boys’ side, Servite’s 4x100 team has drawn serious attention as it chases a sub-40 performance, a mark rarely seen at the high school level.

In the 4x400 relay, Long Beach Wilson’s girls’ squad stands nearly eight seconds ahead of their next closest competitor in the section, thanks to a season-best of 3:39.60. For the boys, Long Beach Poly leads the section with a time of 3:09.94, followed closely by Culver City, which is coached by Olympic gold medalist Lashinda Demus and features her twin sons on the relay.

FULL RACES

As the 2025 CIF Southern Section Track and Field Finals approach, the stage is set for a weekend filled with record-chasing performances, breakout stars, and unforgettable moments. From national leaders to rising freshmen, every event promises a storyline worth following. Whether you're a fan, coach, scout, or athlete — this year's finals aren’t just a meet. They’re a preview of greatness in the making.

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Published
Roland Padilla
ROLAND PADILLA

Roland Padilla is a high school sports journalist, NIL specialist, and analytics strategist covering primarily West Coast track and field, basketball, and football for High School On SI. He began his career in 2015 reporting on Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook’s Thunder era for ClutchPoints before moving into full NBA coverage. He later worked directly with the founder/CEO of Ballervisions, shortly leading programming and cross-platform social strategy during its viral 2016 rise covering the Ball brothers—a run that helped propel the brand toward its eventual ESPN acquisition and evolution into SportsCenter NEXT. A three-sport alumnus and current throwing coach at Damien High School, and a former NCAA track athlete at UC San Diego, Roland blends athlete-development knowledge with advanced analytics in his role as a Senior Analyst at DAZN and Team Whistle. He has supported content strategy for major global and U.S. sports properties including World Rugby, FIFA Club World Cup, the New York Mets, MLS, X Games, the Premier League, the NFL, and the Downs2Business podcast. With a strong background in NIL rules, athlete branding, and recruiting, Roland helps families, athletes, and readers navigate the rapidly changing high school sports landscape—bringing national-level storytelling and clarity to the next generation of athletes.

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