Jake Arnold, Senior, Maria Carrillo
Jordan Kinley, Senior, Maria Carrillo
Maurice White, , Senior, Rancho Cotate
PD picked just Arnold, whats up?
You will notice that I have chosen a three way tie for athlete of the year in the boys even though the Press Democrat Newspaper has just one, Arnold.
In my view none of these three outstanding athletes stood head and shoulders above the others and since I have the liberty to do so I’m going with all three.
Below you will see a more detailed look at their seasons.
Places in meets White Kinley Arnold State Finals - 5-1600 8-IH State Trials 10-LJ, 23rd-TJ 8-1600 8-IH, 10-PV NCS MOC 1-LJ, 2-TJ 4-1600, 5-4X4 3-IH, 3-PV, 5-4X4, 18-4X1 NCS Redwood 1-LJ, 1-TJ 1-1600, 1-4X4 1-PV, 2-IH, 1-4X4, 7-4X1 NBL Finals 1-LJ, 1-TJ 1-1600, 2-800, 2-4X4 1-IH, 2-PV, 2-HH, 2-4X4 Viking Classic 1-LJ, 1-TJ 1-3200 1-IH, 3-PV, 5-400
All-Time List
Kinley 2nd all-time 1600 4:13.67 at State, 21st 3200, 23rd 800
Arnold 3rd all-time 300IH 38.82 at State, 5th PV 15-0 at MOC
White 9th all-time LJ 23-0 at MOC, 9th TJ from 2001
2002 Season recap
Jake Arnold
Arnold missed most of the vaulting season with a broken arm but turned that negative into a big positive as he became one of the best hurdlers in the Empire history. Arnold joined Santa Rosa great John Gash as the only boy on the all-time top five in two unrelated events. Interestingly Gash’s two where also the Pole Vault (15-6) and 300 hurdles (39.24). Arnold was a major factor in Maria Carrillo winning its first ever boys NBL title as he won one event and placed second in three others. His win was in the 300 hurdles.
He had an incredable dual with Montgomery’s Matt Tillinghast, as both broke the 23 year old meet record in the vault clearing 14-9. Lost 110 hurdles by 2/100 of second to Viking Nick Cho, and ran leg on 1600 relay that clocked 3:28.18. Arnold competed in four events through MOC and became one of only five Empire vaulters to ever clear 15-0. At State he literally had to run back and forth between his two events just missing make the finals in the vault with a 14-8 jump and then blazing the 300 hurdles to become only the third Empire hurdler to ever break 39 with a 38.82 clocking to advance to the finals. Arnold helped his 1600 relay team to an NCS Redwood Empire win and an Empire best 3:23.69 (5th place) finish at MOC.
Jordan Kinley
Kinley had a good season through the NCS Meet of Champions but it was at State where he really shined. After taking 5th in 2001, with a time of 4:15.35, Kinley recovering from flu ran the second fastest four lapper in Empire history, taking 5th, in 4:13.67. Of the 12 fastest 1600’s ever, all sub 4:15.75, Kinley has 5, Steve Guerrini 3, Ryan Mack 2, Dave Royal 1 and Dan Aldridge 1.
Kinley also ran the 2002 Empire best in the 3200, at 9:31.90, to win the Viking Classic. Besides winning the NBL & NCS Redwood Empire 1600 he also ran 2nd in the NBL 800 in 1:56.90 and a leg on the 1600 Relay. Kinley helped the relay team to an NCS Redwood Empire win and an Empire best 3:23.69 (5th place) finish at MOC. Kinley was also the 2001 winner of this award.
Maurice White
White was able to win both horizontal jumps at Viking Classic, NBL and NCS Redwood Empire meets before his big showing at the Meet of Champions. At MOC he soared to 23-0 to win the long jump and become only the 9th to ever span that distance in Empire history.
He later took second in triple with 2002 Empire best 44-10¾. At the State trials he jumped 22-11 in what looked like a berth into the finals before being bumped down to 10th by a last minute jump. White had the shortest season of the three, not competing until late April, but used his time well taking five first places in post season action.
2002 Bests Arnold 400 51.67 110HH 15.27 300IH 38.83 400 relay 44.48 1600 relay 3:23.69 High Jump 6-3¼ Pole Vault 15-0 Kinley 400 51.97 800 1:56.90 1600 4:13.67 3200 9:31.90 1600 relay 3:23.69 White Long Jump 23-0 Triple Jump 44-10¾