LJ track: Smith's 100-meter time one for the books

Payton Smith, in braids third from right, takes off

from the blocks in the 100 meters against

Sage Creek March 3. She ran 12.0, wind-aided.

Far right is teammate Ebony Crandle. Far left

is Maddie Lyons. (Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

On an increasingly frigid afternoon ahead of a midnight rainstorm, La Jolla's Payton Smith recorded a record time in the 100 meters.

The Viking sophomore, who was relaxed and friendly, greeting a reporter, "Hi, -----," topped a field that included fast teammates Ebony Crandle and Maddie Lyons, was timed in 12.0 seconds on electronic timing.

That was good for tied with second place all-time in the history of La Jolla High girls athletics, behind only a sub-12-second time recorded on hand-held devices back in 1974, the first year that girls were allowed to run in official CIF events. Before that, it was a boy's world.

LJHS head coach Paul Byrne said, "I'm going to put it in (the record books)," as the wind began to pick up and the chill began to set in. The field wind meter read higher than the allowable amount, so officially Payton's time doesn't qualify. But it was good enough for Byrne and bystanders.

Lyons said she ran a 12.65 to someone who asked her her time. It was a fast day, as Sage Creek, a nine-year-old public school in Carlsbad, drove the 30 minutes to La Jolla to get a taste of some Viking track competition. Crandle was timed in 13.43 seconds.