Terra Linda's Cornejo Has Two Tasks at State Meet

gave up football this year in an effort to be the best he could possibly be come discus and shot put season in the spring.

So far, so good. And that’s despite the fact the senior has left himself room for improvement.

Cornejo will be in Clovis for the State Meet this weekend, representing the North Coast Section as its second-best in the discus and third-best in the shot put.

Actually, according to Terra Linda coach , Cornejo is the best from NCS in the discus, despite what his medal from last week’s competition might say.

“Circumstances kind of conspired against him with rain coming in the second half of the meet,” Lanier said of the Berkeley event. “No one threw farther than he did after it started raining.”

Cornejo would have to throw about 20 feet farther than he’s ever thrown in order to win the state title. The odds of that, says Lanier, are better than you’d think of a guy who this spring hasn’t even reached a personal best set last season.

“He’s been notably good from pretty much the second he picked up the disc. He’s very talented,” Lanier observed. “He hasn’t hit the 170s (feet) this season and the top guy has thrown 190. But what’s very encouraging is the few times I’ve been able to watch him, I’ve seen some throws 180, 185 with small fouls.

“So he’s definitely throwing better than he has in the past. And he’s peaking right now.”

That’s the benefit of training year-round. He’s had plenty of time to complete his strength work and still be well rested for the biggest meet of the year.

That should help Cornejo in the shot put, too, where Lanier predicts, “His best days are coming Friday and Saturday.” And he's already the Terra Linda all-time school record-holder in the event, and in the discus, too.

Lanier says Cornejo is considering attending a community college with a strong track and field program next season. He’s currently looking at some in Southern California.

His options could grow exponentially this weekend.

“Any good performance in the State Meet is definitely a door-opener,” Lanier said. “The nation’s coaches at the various universities are looking at the State Meet to see who threw well there.”

San Rafael's , the fourth-place finisher last week in the NCS Meet of Champions at 800 meters, also will compete this weekend.