California HS State Meet Results

HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS HISTORY - CALIFORNIA TRACK & FIELD

By: Bruce McIntosh, Rick Obrand, Bill Peck

Additional Thanks to: John E Spalding (research) D.B. Patton (data entry)

When the newly formed California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) organized the first State Track & Field Meet in 1915 in Fresno, it was the beginning of what is generally acclaimed as the highest quality high school competition in the nation, if not the world. For most of the history of the CIF, it has been the only statewide competition in any sport. Even to participate in the State finals has been the privelege of the few who have been able to survive up to six consecutive weeks of elimination meets, often against the top competition in the nation.

With the exception of four years during World War II, the best male (& female) high school track athletes have competed in the statewide meet since 1915, regardless of school size, though some sections of the state did not participate at all times. Girls events were added beginning in 1974. Recently, the top 27 qualifying athletes or relay teams, who have finished among the top echelons of their respective sections have competed in the two day state finals. In early years, before 1963, fewer boys qualified for a one day State Meet.

While some publications have documented some highlights of this greatest of all high school competitions and recent state meet programs have listed the individual champions, a summary of the placing finalists has not been available to state track fans. On the following pages, an attempt has been made to summarize all the individual results of top placers in each event, as far as is known. This is the result of uncounted hours of research & compilation.

Meet Notes

*- indicates a State Meet Record or meet record tied

** - indicates a National record

w - Wind-aided mark (if the wind speed is known)

Meet Scoring System

1915-1928: 5-3-2-1

1929-1930: 5-3-2-1-½

1931-1979: 6-4-3-2-1

1980-2009: 10-8-6-4-2-1

Since 2010: 10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1

General Track Info Re: the State Meet

•100y/100m• Thru 1979 the short sprint was 100yd, but all events were converted to metric distances in 1980. Electronic timing (FAT) was introduced in 1977 (times listed in 1/100 seconds are FAT, others were hand timed). Starting blocks were first allowed in 1932.

•220/200• Thru 1965 the 220 was usually on a straightaway, then around a full curve since that time. Starting blocks were "encouraged" beginning in 1930.

•440/400• Until 1947 the race was generally run around one curve, with only the first straightaway in lanes. Beginning in 1948 the race was run fully in lanes, with staggered start.

•880/800• Before 1960, the race was often run around three turns only, with a scratch start. For the last three decades the race has been run around four turns, with the first curve in lanes.

•Mile/1600• Between 1926 and 1969, doubling in distance races was prohibited. When metric distances were introduced in 1980, it was hoped that the usual international distance of 1500 meters (3¾ laps) would replace the Mile Run. However, 1600 meters, a closer four lap equivalent to the mile, was the distance designated (approximately 1.5 to two seconds less time than the mile run).

•2 Mile/3200• It was not until 1965 that the 2 Mile was added to the State Track & Field meet.

•The Relays• In 1968 the 880 relay was dropped and replaced by the 440 Relay and the Mile Relay.

•High Jump• Tie-breaking rules for all places were introduced in 1963. Soon after foam rubber landing pits replaced sawdust or, earlier, sand.

•Long Jump• From the beginning of the California State Meet through 1962 all competition took place on one day. When the meet was extended to two days in 1963, jumpers took the preliminary round jumps on Friday (marks counted for final placings) and completed three final jumps on Saturday. Later a qualifying round (marks not counting for finals) took place on Friday prelims & final Saturday.

•Triple Jump• A non-scoring exhibition event was the "hop, step and jump" (as it was called in those days), held twice as part of the State Meet in the early years. In addition, it was a popular event for many years in the Central Section. But it was not until 1973 that the Triple Jump was added as a regular event to the State Meet. The TJ was added for the Girls in 1982.

•Shot Put #12• The 12lb shot has been a traditional event in every California State Track & Field Meet since the first one in 1915. Dirt rings were used until the late 1950's. Otherwise, rules and equipment have remained virtually the same. From 1974-79 the Girls threw an 8lb shot. The 4K shot was introduced in 1980

•Shot Put #16• Beginning in 1920, special awards were presented to boys who placed in competitions with college weight throwing implements, including the 16lb shot and 2 kilo discus. These events were most often non-scoring (exhibition) contests among those athletes who had already competed in the high school weight events. The event was discontinued in 1959.

•Discus• At the beginning of state competition, the international or college weight discus (2 kilo or 4lb, 9oz) was used through 1950, though the event was completely abandoned for many years. In 1951, the high school weight (1.6 kilo or 3lb, 9oz) was introduced. Through 1960, one or both weights were thrown, often as non-scoring events. In 1961, the discus(1.6K) became a scoring event.

•Javelin• The weight of the javelin was 800 grams. It was a non-scoring event in 1915 and 1923 - 1925. It was not held from 1919 - 1922 and was discontinued starting in 1933.

•Football Throw• When the discus throw was dropped from the State Meet after 1932, the football throw for distance was substituted. This competition continued as a scoring event through 1938.

Hurdle Notes

High Hurdles

From 1915 thru 1938 the hurdle height was 42" (College Height). In 1939 height was lowered to 39" (present height). In 1980 distance was changed from 120yd to 110m (very slightly shorter).

At the inception of the girls events for the California State meet, the 80y Lows were the only hurdle race. In 1977 the race was changed to 110y, then to 100m in 1980. The hurdles were 30" during this time until they were raised to 33" in 1993

Low Hurdles

From 1915 thru 1946 LH race distance was 220yd (30" hurdles) on a straightaway. From 1946-1974 LH race distance was 180yd, usually on a straightaway.

From 1975 to 1979 the LH race was moved out to 330yd (changing to 300m in 1980). Hurdle height was raised to 36" in 1984. The 300LH (30" hurdles) was added for the Girls in 1981.

Sectional Qualifying

Since the earliest State Meets, athletes qualified by virtue of placing highly in their geographical Sectional meets. At the beginning, the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) was divided into Northern, Southern, Central and Bay (later called NCS) Sections. As population and the number of high schools increased dramatically, these three sections divided. Presently, there are ten CIF Sections which qualify athletes to the State Meet in each event.

In these summaries of results, schools are listed by the Section in which they are 'currently located', though particular schools may have changed Sections (and others are no longer in existence) and in 
many cases their current Section did not even exist in their years. Abbreviations for each Section are listed below:

CE - Central • CC - Central Coast • LA - Los Angeles • NO - Northern • NC - North Coast

OK - Oakland • SF - San Francisco • SJ - Sac-Joaquin • SD - San Diego • SS - Southern