Hello to all from Fresno. I'm sure most of you won't see this until you wake up, but it's still Friday night for me after the first day of the state track and field championships at Veterans Memorial Stadium on the campus of Clovis-Buchanan High School.

Just a quick post here because I've got to be up and at 'em again in the morning for the state finals, but I'd be neglecting my duties not to let you know what went on today.

Here's a list of local state finalists:

BOYS
Johnny Carter, Ridgeview — The first one to tell you Carter had his first bad day at a state meet was Carter. He came in as a freshman at last year's state triple jump and shocked everybody, winning the whole dang thing. This year, he jumped no better than 47-2. That's almost two feet worse than the mark he won with last year. BUT — the good news is that Carter was in seventh place after the prelims, good enough to go to today's finals and have his slate wiped clean. Is the pressure off again?

Matt Darr, Frontier — Darr's work on Friday was all of two throws — a 187-6 in the discus, good for first place in qualifying and a 60-6 in the shot put, good for second. He passed on all his other throws, content to come to the finals with another double throwing title for Kern County on his mind.

George Robbins, West — West survived a 10-way tie at 6-foot-6 in the high jump because he only missed three time on two different heights. Garces' Phillip McCullum also maxed out at 6-6 but didn't get to advance to the state finals because he missed five times. But even though he had to sneak through the qualifying, Robbins has a chance to make noise today because the leaders were only at 6-8.

Chris Schwartz, Foothill — there isn't a 3,200 meter prelim because there's no need to narrow the field, so Schwartz had the day off. He'll compete in Saturday night's final against some 25 other distance runners

GIRLS
Alex Collatz, Stockdale — It's hard to say there was a different local headliner at the state meet when Anna Jelmini set a state-meet record (see below), but what Collatz did was special. After a couple of 152-foot-and-change throws in the discus — just mediocre for her — Collatz popped off a 177-0 throw. That's three big things in one throw: (1) It was her PR by 11 feet, 7 inches. (2) It was the best throw ever by a high school sophomore in this country (and the best by a soph this year in any country. OK so that's two things in one). (3) It beat Jelmini! Well, at least in qualifying. Today the slate is wiped clean and Collatz will have to do it again.

Taylor Jackson, Frontier — Here was the most pleasant surprise of the day. Jackson came in with a good time in the 300-meter hurdles, but not something that was going to give her entry into the state finals without improvement. She got it. Jackson actually led the state leader in the event with about 60 meters to go, and though she was passed, she recorded a PR in 43.95 and finished eighth in qualifying. Now anything can happen, and Jackson has a chance at the state podium. That more than makes up for two weeks ago at the Central Section meet, where Jackson stumbled on a hurdle in the 100 hurdles and only advanced to state in one event.

Anna Jelmini, Shafter — The headliner didn't take long to live up to her billing. Her first shot put throw was a perfect arc that traveled 53-8, about eight inches short of her PR and a state-meet record. Any time you can see a meet record at the prestigious California high school meet, you feel honored, and that's no different with me watching Anna today. The discus obviously didn't work out as planned, but no one will remember that if (when?) Jelmini takes care of business today. I'll go out on a limb and say Jelmini gives us at least one national record in the finals.

Kayla Kovar, Burroughs — Not somebody we normally talk about, but out in the desert section of Kern County, Kovar also is an elite thrower. She finished in the top five in the state discus last year, and though she's had her struggles in the event this year, she reached the finals again. Today, she'll add an appearance in the shot put finals after qualifying fourth.

Notice how, at the beginning of this post, I was calling it "Saturday," and now I'm calling it "today"? That means it's late. Time for bed. I'll try to update as the day goes on tomorrow — 32 state champions will be crowned — so check back often.