Gardena Serra’s Rodrick Pleasant clocks wind-aided 10.09 seconds for 100 meters

The wind swirling around Moorpark High on Saturday afternoon had largely stayed under the allowable 2.0 for record purposes. Then the gun was heard for the Southern Section Division 4 100-meter race and the wind gauge hit 3.3. It was the only obstacle for Rodrick Pleasant of Gardena Serra High, the fastest teenager in America.

By the time he sped down the straightaway and crossed the finish line, his final time was 10.09 seconds, the fastest 100 ever by a high school athlete in California history.

“I definitely can go faster,” said Pleasant, who set the state record last season on the same track at a wind-legal 10.14 seconds.

He’ll get another chance at next Saturday’s Masters Meet at Moorpark. Pleasant’s times this season had been faster than last year leading up to Saturday’s final, so he was confident he’d put on another show. Committed to Oregon for football and track, Pleasant said “it’s post season,” so the wraps are off and he’s going all out to leave a lasting legacy.

The fastest wind legal 100 was by Jordan Washington of Long Beach Jordan. He ran 10.24. in Division 1.

Westlake Village Oaks Christian has a future football/track standout in freshman Deshonne Redeaux. He ran the anchor leg in the 4×100 relay, coming from 10 meters down to deliver victory in the fastest time of the day, 41.28, in the Division 4 final. He also went against Pleasant in the 100. Coach Wes Smith thinks Redeaux will end up being the fastest athlete in Oaks Christian history.

“It was real fun, a cool experience to push myself,” Redeaux said.

Another freshman making a name for herself was Rayah Rodriguez of Oaks Christian. She ran a career-best 54.41 to win the Division 4 400. The fastest time of the day was Aujane Luckey of Long Beach Wilson at 53.23 in Division 1.

Many of the standout runners focused more on winning as many races as they could to help their schools in the team competitions rather than worrying about setting records. Sophomore Sadie Engelhardt of Ventura, defending state champion, cruised to victory in the Division 2 1,600 in 4:49.96, easing up at the finish because she still had races in the 800 and 3,200. She won the 800 in 2:08.48.

Last season Engelhardt faced stiff competition from Dalia Frias of Manhattan Beach Mira Costa and Samantha McDonnell of Newbury Park in the 1,600. They went 1-2-3 in the state 1,600. “Everyone is stepping up to fill their shoes,” Engelhardt said.

One of those distance runners making progress is junior Payton Godsey of Oaks Christian. She’s being recruited by UCLA and Oregon, among others. She won the Division 4 1,600 in 4:55.56. She was a state cross-country champion in the fall and her father, Brian, is a former Woodland Hills Taft track coach. Her mother Andrea ran at Cal State Northridge. “My parents are my biggest supporters,” she said.

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame continued its success in the girls’ shotput, with UCLA-bound April Fontenette winning Division 3 at 45-2 and sophomore Aja Johnson placing second at 43-6.

Cathedral’s two junior distance standouts with the same first names, Emmanuel Perez and Emmanuel Hernandez, went 1-2 in the Division 3 1,600. Perez won in 4:13.98.

Davis Davis-Lyric of Upland continued his path toward competing for a state championship, winning the 110 hurdles in 13.87.