Carroll Planning Fast Finish

Porchea Carroll of Rio Mesa High hasn’t run as fast this season as she did last year.

Nor has she jumped as far.

But assistant Brian FitzGerald of Rio Mesa says she’s on pace to turn in her top performances of the season in the state track and field championships June 1-2.

Carroll, runner-up in the 100 meters in the state championships last year, will compete in the 100, long jump and 400 and 1,600 relays in the Ventura County championships at Moorpark High today.

The meet starts with open events at 3 p.m. Invitational field events start at 5:30, running events at 7.

Carroll ran 11.60 in the 100 and 24.15 in the 200 by this time last year, but her season bests of 11.99 and 25.29 pale in comparison.

Her season best of 18-5 3/4 in the long jump is well off her career best of 19-3 1/2 set in 1999.

“[Porchea] didn’t play soccer this year and she wasn’t as fit at the start of the season as last year,” FitzGerald said. “But that aside, we’re looking to run fast in June.”

Carroll is expected to claim her 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th county titles today.

She is favored to win her fourth consecutive 100 title and her third consecutive long jump title.

She will run on teams favored to win their third consecutive championship in the 400 relay and second in a row in the 1,600 relay.

Other defending champions are Laura Jakosky of Agoura in the girls’ 3,200 and 1,600, Julian Gooden of Hueneme in the boys’ 100, Phillip Reid of Rio Mesa in the boys’ 3,200, Makisi Haleck of Thousand Oaks in the boys’ pole vault and Chadd Smith of Camarillo in the boys’ high jump.