Chapus Wins 1,600 at State Track Finals

, a junior at Harvard-Westlake High in North Hollywood, won the girls 1,600-meter race in a personal-best 4:40.88 at the on Saturday at Buchanan High in Clovis. Alli Billmeyer of Torrey Pines in the San Diego Section was second in 4:41.71.

Chapus offered a glimpse of what was to come by taking first place in her heat in 4:53.69 at Friday's preliminaries, making her the second fastest qualifier behind only Aptos sophomore Nikki Hiltz (4:48.20). Her state finals effort was a personal-best by six seconds and is the second-fastest time outdoors in the country all season.

Chapus, who lives in Pacific Palisades and was a multi-sport star at , also ran the 3,200 and finished ninth in 10:29.62. Simi Valley freshman Sarah Baxter won in 10:13.00.

Chapus closed the meet by running the second leg of the Wolverines' 4x400 relay, which clocked a school-record 3:42.69 to finish first. The time did not officially count, however, because Harvard-Westlake was disqualified when officials ruled that anchor runner Amy Weissenbach committed interference before the final turn.

Her first 1,600 state title was the final brush stroke to a successful 11th-grade year for Chapus, who won the state Division IV cross country championship for the second time in the fall and was a key contributor on the soccer team in the winter along with fellow Palisadian K.C. Cord, who was also on the 4x400 relay Saturday and ran her leg in a personal-best 57 seconds.

Palisades High sophomore qualifed for the state meet in four events--the 100 high hurdles, 300 low hurdles, long jump and high jump--but did not compete in the long jump in Clovis.

In the 100 hurdles, Gustafson was eighth in the second of four heats and 24th overall, clocking 15.56 at Friday's prelims. Only the nine fastest qualifiers advanced to Saturday's final. In the 300 hurdles, Gustafson was seventh in her heat and 25th overall with a time of 46.43.

In the high jump, Gustafson tied for 13th, topping out at 5-2 after having cleared 5-6 to win the City title. Rachel McCoy of Fontana Miller cleared 5-8 to win the state high jump title.

Gustafson leaped 17-4 3/4 to finish second in the City long jump. Jenna Prandini of Clovis won the state long jump title Saturday with a leap of 19-11 3/4.

In the girls pole vault, two-time City girls champion could not qualify for Saturday's finals. The Palisades High junior cleared 10-9 at Friday's prelims after having cleared 11-0 to win City. Anginae Monteverde of Clovis West got over at 13-6 to win Saturday's state title.

Greenberg vaulted a personal-best 11-3 at last year's state prelims.

In the boys 3200-meter race, Palisades High junior finished 29th out of 31 finishers in 9:35.83 on Saturday. Los Angeles Loyola senior Elias Gedyon won in 8:50.03 for his fourth state individual championship. Stromberg was second at City finals in 9:30.17.

In the boys shot put, Palisades High senior , the City Section champion, did not participate in the state meet. He threw 51-3 3/4 to win the City title May 26. Nicholas Scarvelis of Goleta Dos Pueblos won the state title with a throw of 64-0.