Solomon Proves a Wise Choice in 800

Turns out James Trettin has an eye for talent.

Trettin, a junior distance runner at Northern Colorado, was a two-time Los Padres League champion in the boys’ 800 and 1,600 meters at Lompoc Cabrillo High.

It was during his senior season that he told Cabrillo Coach Jesse Davis that freshman Duane Solomon was capable of becoming a superb 800 runner.

“He said, ‘Coach, this is a guy who can run with me [in practice],’” Davis said. “‘You should think about having him run the 800.’”

Solomon had been competing in the long jump, triple jump and high jump, but clocked a promising 2 minutes 5 seconds in the 800 by season’s end.

He lowered his career best to 1:55.6 last year and placed second in the Southern Section Division III final. But few people would have predicted him to be among the favorites entering this year’s state championships, which begin today at Cerritos College.

“Our goals this season were to get to the [Southern Section] Masters Meet and to run 1:53,” Davis said of the smooth-striding 6-foot-2, 152-pound Solomon. “But when he ran [1:52.38] a couple of weeks ago, that got [us] to focus on the state championships.”

Solomon had a season best of 1:55.87 entering the Southern Section divisional championships at Cerritos College on May 18, but became a state-title contender when he won the Division III title in 1:52.38.

Then came the Masters Meet at Cerritos College last Friday when he broke away from a high-quality field with 200 meters left and held off a late charge by senior Kyle Sunderland of Etiwanda to win in 1:52.84.

“That was gigantic,” Davis said. “There were a lot of questions asked about him after he ran 1:52 [at the Division III final]. He basically did that on his own. He was running against the clock. So there were some questions about how he would handle things in a race the caliber of the Masters Meet.”

Solomon, who is undefeated this season, did just fine. He maintained contact with the leaders for the first lap, moved up on the backstretch of the second lap and surged into the lead entering the final turn.

The unassuming Solomon lacks the big-race experience of fellow competitors such as Sunderland, senior Beau Bettinger of Castro Valley, the state leader at 1:52.34, and senior Eric Gifford of Exeter. But he likes his chances entering the state meet.

“I’m looking forward to it,” he said. “I just want to win.”

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The boys’ team championship could be decided in the 1,600 relay, the final event of the meet, as contenders Bakersfield, Woodland Hills Taft and Long Beach Poly each have strong entrants in that race.

Bakersfield will be led by junior Thomas Mack, the favorite in the 110 high hurdles and 300 intermediates. Taft tops the state list in the 400 relay and is second in the 1,600 relay. Long Beach Poly is second in the 400 relay and first in the 1,600 relay.

In the girls’ meet, Long Beach Poly is favored to win its second consecutive title with its strongest challenge expected to come from Riverside North.

Senior hurdler Tunisia Johnson and sophomore sprinter Shalonda Solomon are expected to lead Poly.

Senior Chaunte Howard of North is favored to win her second consecutive title in the high jump and contend for championships in the long jump and triple jump.