TRACK AND FIELD; RIO MESA'S CARROLL GLAD TO HELP RELAY TEAM.

Byline: Kirby Lee Special to the Daily News

Porchea Carroll advanced to the state meet in the 100, 200 and long jump last season. This season, the Rio Mesa junior had no hesitation about dropping the 200 after the Spartans' 400 relay of Jaclyn Grentzer, Kristen Hirashima and Kyelynn Chiong qualified for the state meet for the first time.

``I really wanted to help my relay team as much as I could,'' said Carroll, who was second in the 100 in 11.90 and sixth in the long jump at 18-4 1/2 in this year's state meet on Saturday at Cerritos College.

``It was a really big deal for them. They were all excited. I want to be as fresh as I can for them. I had the opportunity to come to the state meet last year. It is important but not that important because I have kind of been there.''

--Family man: Oliver Jackson of Royal won his first state long jump title after entering the state meet for the last three seasons as the Southern Section Masters Meet champion.

The UCLA-bound Jackson did not advance to the finals as a sophomore. Last season, he led heading into the final rounds before finishing second. On Saturday, Jackson rallied with an effort of 24-4 1/4 on his next to last jump in the fifth round to take the lead.

``My consistency was somewhat better this year, I was more mentally ready for it,'' Jackson said. ``This year, I had too many people at home with my parents and my family expecting me to win. I was going to a big-time university. I just had too much going on behind me. I told myself I was not going home without a state title.''

--Demus reigns: National high school records were set in the girls' 400 meters and the 100 high hurdles in the state meet.

But the girls' 300-meter hurdles record, which many anticipated would be broken by Lashinda Demus, still stands.

A Palmdale resident, the Long Beach Wilson junior has been the most dominant high school hurdler with five of the top 10 marks, but the 1984 standard of 40.18 held by Leslie Maxie has been elusive.

Demus was at another level on Saturday on her way to defending her state title in 40.41, the third-fastest mark of all-time in the state meet.

The 1999 Track & Field News girls' athlete of the year has run under 41 seconds three times and has the six fastest times in the nation this season.

Demus appeared to be on track for the record in the Southern Section Division I finals, Masters Meet and in the state preliminaries but stuttered over the final hurdle. Demus cleared all the barriers smoothly on Saturday for her personal best but had trouble cracking a smile afterward.

``It was taken for granted she was going to beat the record,'' said Wilson coach Terry Kennedy. ``Sometimes the things you think are the most obvious to happen, the ones you least expect to do. That's what track is all about.''

--First-hand experience: Demus, a member of Wilson's national-record setting 1,600 relay team as a freshman in 1998, has been involved in two national federation record races this season - both on the losing end.

On Saturday, Demus finished fourth in the 100 high hurdles in a lifetime-best 13.76 in a race won by Nichole Denby of Riverside North in 13.20.

In the section finals, Demus clocked a personal best 52.97 in the 400 to finish second to Angel Perkins, a junior at Gahr who timed a then-federation record 52.28, breaking an 18-year-old mark.

Demus, who also ran on Wilson's 400 and 1,600 relays that were fourth and second, respectively, helped the Bruins tie for third in the team standings with San Diego Morse and Long Beach Poly.

--Golden rules: Junior Jamil Smith and senior Jerrick Holmes powered Palmdale to a tie for fourth in the boys' team standings with 18 points. Serra won its first title with 38 points, followed by Long Beach Poly (24) and Berkeley St. Mary's (20).

Smith won the triple jump at 49-4 3/4 to become the Falcons' first state track champion. Holmes, who set a school record of 7-0 in the high jump this season, finished second at 6-10. Holmes, Smith, Terry Furlow and Travis Morse also teamed on Palmdale's 400 relay, which was sixth in its preliminary heat in a nonqualifying 42.47.

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Photo: Porchea Carroll passed on the 200 to be part of Rio Mesa's 400 relay team.

By Kirby Lee/Special to the Daily News