SD Prep Sports

SD Prep Sports: Track & Field

2006 Metro Conference Championships

Metro Conference Finals: Simply extraordinary

Posted May 19, 2006

When they assembled for a post-race photograph — all six of them — Castle Park assistant coach Hector Hernandez could only think of one tag-line for the elite group of 3,200-meter runners: the “ South Bay 's under 10-minute club.”

On second thought, how about the Metro Conference's “League of Extraordinary Gentleman?”

Assembled for a bit of local history were Bonita Vista's Eric Avila and Mathew Seat, Sweetwater's Azael Gomez and Alan Gudino, Eastlake's Eric Fujikawa and Castle Park 's Edgar Medina.

The Mesa League and South Bay League finals were over and the stadium lights were about to be darkened last Friday at Otay Ranch High School , but the brilliance on the field was stunning.

Avila , the defending Mesa League champion in both the boys 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs, had just set a league record in the 3,200 distance with a phenomenal time of 9 minutes, 21.94 seconds. What made the time so breathtaking was that it was the first time that Avila had run the event this season.

Considered one of the San Diego Section's top distance runners, Avila had been bothered by minor leg injuries most of this season. The injuries seemed to hamper him most in the 1,600 run, thus necessitating a switch to the longer distance where he could pace himself better on the oval.

But Avila 's breakthrough performance was only the beginning of a race that will linger in the memories of many fans. Following the Baron runner's lead were five other runners who clocked in under the 10-minute mark.

Following the Mesa League champion in order were Sweetwater's Gomez (9:50.78), Bonita Vista's Seat (9:53.47), Castle Park 's Medina (9:58.44), Eastlake 's Fujikawa (9:58.94) and Sweetwater's Gudino (9:59.65). Medina won the South Bay League title.

Chula Vista 's Roberto Hernandez, who finished sixth in the Mesa League with a time of 10:01.1, also met the CIF prelim qualifying standard — thus qualifying seven conference runners for this Saturday's prelim meet at Mt. Carmel High School .

The number was amazing to CP's Hernandez, a two-time CIF champion in the 1,600 run (1990 and 1991) and state qualifier in the 3,200 run during his competition days at Mar Vista.

“I haven't seen numbers like these in decades,” said an impressed Hernandez. “Usually you see only two or three qualifiers at the Metro finals. To have so many from the Mesa League and South Bay League, this is something special. This proves the strength we have down here. We're sending a message to the North County : watch out.”

Avila timed 9:40.67 in winning last year's 3,200 race ahead of SuHi's Gomez (9:58.36) and Eastlake 's Fujikawa (10:00.2).

“My calf had been bothering me every time I ran the mile,” Avila said. “My coach said that since I am a cross country runner, why shouldn't I just switch to the two-mile. This was my first time running it this year. It turned out pretty good. From now on, I might stick to the two-mile.”

Both the Mesa League and South Bay League fields ran together, with 21 runners listed on the heat sheet. Gomez settled into a comfortable second place midway the race but Medina and Seat jockeyed for that third-place spot for virtually the entire race. Seat eventually won the battle — and a bet with his father that generated some extra allowance money.

All said the race was a great inspirational motivator, as well as serving as a key barometer on where they stand in the section.

“There was a lot of good competition,” said Seat, who finished sixth in last year's 3,200 field in 10:16.53. “It was good to be battling against very good runners.”

“I wanted to beat him (Seat) but I had just run the 800, so I was a little tired,” said Medina , who otherwise made a statement with the top qualifying time in the 800 at the preceding Tuesday's South Bay League prelims.

“I liked racing with other fast guys. It gives you a better perspective on where you are,” Fujikawa said.

“It was hard,” Gomez said succinctly.

Medina , who finished third in the 800 run to Otay Ranch's Marc Corrales, upheld Castle Park 's tradition of two-mile league champions. Last year, ex-teammate Jorge Diaz captured the boys 3,200 title in 10:04.40.

The Trojans' dominance in the distances also extended to the girls race. Castle Park 's Julia Hernandez won her second consecutive South Bay League title in the girls 3,200 run with a time of 11:53.77. The daughter of Castle Park 's assistant coach, she also won the 1,600 run in 5:34.84 to earn a share of the South Bay League Female Athlete of the Meet award along with Otay Ranch's Britney Bennett and Charay Savage. The tri-athlete award is believed to be the first in league history.

Chula Vista 's Angelica Larios won the girls 3,200 Mesa League title in 12:15.97 ahead of fellow CIF prelim qualifier Tania Andrade of Eastlake (12:40.62).

CV's Hernandez finished second to Eastlake 's Austin Jett in the boys 1,600 run. Jett won both the boys 800 and 1600 runs with times of 1:58.11 and 4:28.57, respectively, as well as running a leg on the Titans' victorious 4x400 relay team (3:28.70).

Eastlake 's Dante Franks earned honors as the Mesa League Male Athlete of the Meet after winning individual titles in the 200 and 400 dashes, timing 22.59 and 49.69, respectively, as well as running legs on the Titans' two winning relay teams.

Chula Vista 's Virginia Madero earned honors as the Mesa League Female Athlete of the Meet after winning the 400 dash (1:00.48), 800 run (2:23.75) and anchoring the Spartans' dramatic come-from-behind victory in the 4x400 relay (4:17.19).

Otay Ranch's Ranee Woods received honors as the South Bay League Male Athlete of the Meet (for the second consecutive year) after winning the high jump (6-2) and 110 high hurdles (15.25). He was in the lead of the 300 intermediate hurdles when he tripped over the second to last hurdle, got tangled up with a hurdler in the adjacent lane who had also fallen to the track and then got up to finish second in the race to Castle Park's Sam Ledezma (42.58).

Otay Ranch's Bennett, who previously earned honors as the 2004 and 2005 South Bay League Female Athlete of the Meet, won the girls 100 and 200 dashes, timing 12.77 and 26.31, respectively, as well as winning the girls long jump (17-6) and running the anchor leg on the Mustangs' school record-setting 4x100 relay team (49.09).

Savage won individual titles in the girls 100 and 300 low hurdles with respective times of 15.13 and 45.51 while also claiming an individual title in the girls triple jump (35-1). Savage also ran a leg on Otay Ranch's victorious 4x100 relay team.

The glut of Metro qualifiers or this Saturday's CIF prelims was not limited solely to the boys 3,200 run. The Mesa League 110 high hurdles produced five automatic qualifiers alone: Eastlake 's Mark Novilla (15.46) and Jerrell Mitchell (15.82), Bonita Vista's Justin Mangubat (15.93), Eastlake 's Estevan Canciller (16.13) and Bonita Vista's Bernie King (16.26).

Woods, Hilltop's Albert Novelozo (15.64) and Otay Ranch's Karlos Santiago (16.19) made it eight Metro qualifiers in the event with the top three finishing positions in the South Bay League 110 highs.

Canciller took first-place finishes in the high jump (6-0) and long jump (22-1).

The Mesa League had four automatic qualifiers in the boys discus throw: Sweetwater's Sam Suarez (142-4), Eastlake 's Marcus Yarbrough (141-1), Bonita Vista's Meir Maya (135-7) and Sweetwater's Lafo Kaapana (135-6).

Yarbrough (50-1.5) won the boys shot put title while Suarez (49-5) was second.

Notables
• Eastlake 's Anette Delarosa successfully defended her Mesa League titles in the girls 100 dash (13.16) and 300 hurdles (48.05). She won the 100 dash in 13.06 and 300 hurdles in 49.26 last year.

• Montgomery 's Janet Von Eiff captured Mesa League titles in the girls shot put (34-3) and discus throw (110-6).

•Otay Ranch's Wesley Merlin swept to titles in the South Bay League sprints, winning the 100 dash in 11.46 and the 200 dash in 23.26.

•Otay Ranch's Julian Samson captured individual titles in the boys shot put (44-8.5) and discus throw (158-0.5).

•Otay Ranch's Jessica Soltysiak won titles in the girls shot put (33-1) and discus throw (120-7).

•Other South Bay League boys event winners included Otay Ranch's Estevan Galindo (400 dash, 51.53), Brandon Velasquez (1,600 run, 4:34.98), Mark McPherson (triple jump, 42-7.5) and Brian Bauman (pole vault, 11-6) and Castle Park's Matt Goodsell (long jump, 20-4.5).

•Other South Bay League girls event winners included Otay Ranch's Bonnie Ayala (400 dash, 1:00.63) and Kim Baumgardner (pole vault, 9-0) and Hilltop's Tanya Valenzuela (800 run, 2:28.44) and Lindsay Beckner (high jump, 5-1).

•Other Mesa League boys event winners included Southwest's Stephan Towns (100 dash, 11.21), Eastlake 's Mark Novilla (110 hurdles, 15.46), Brent Boone (300 hurdles, 40.99), Luc Ruiz (pole vault, 14-2) and Robert McKinney (triple jump, 43-7.25)

Metro Conference Parade of Champions

Mesa League Boys Champions

Running Events

4x100 relay: 1. Eastlake 43.56.

1,600 run: 1. Austin Jett ( Eastlake ) 4:28.57.

110 high hurdles: 1. Mark Novilla ( Eastlake ) 15.46.

400 dash: 1. Dante Franks ( Eastlake ) 49.69.

100 dash: 1. Stephan Towns (Southwest) 11.21.

800 run: 1. Austin Jett ( Eastlake ) 1:58.11.

300 intermediate hurdles: 1. Brent Boone ( Eastlake ) 40.99.

200 dash: 1. Dante Franks ( Eastlake ) 22.59.

3,200 run: 1. Eric Avila (Bonita Vista) 9:21.94.

4x400 relay: 1. Eastlake 3:28.70.

Field Events

High jump: 1. Estevan Canciller ( Eastlake ) 6-0.

Pole vault: 1. Luc Ruiz ( Eastlake ) 14-2.

Long jump: 1. Estevan Canciller ( Eastlake ) 22-1.

Triple jump: 1. Robert McKinney ( Eastlake ) 43-7.5.

Shot put: 1. Marcus Yarbrough ( Eastlake ) 50-1.5.

Discus throw: 1. Sam Suarez (Sweetwater) 142-4.

Mesa League Girls Champions

Running Events

4x100 relay: 1. Eastlake 50.65.

1,600 run: 1. Melanie DeSalvo ( Eastlake ) 5:23.5.

100 hurdles: 1. Pia Coleman ( Chula Vista ) 16.69.

400 dash: 1. Virginia Madero ( Chula Vista ) 1:00.48.

100 dash: 1. Anette Delarosa ( Eastlake ) 13.16.

800 run: 1. Virginia Madero ( Chula Vista ) 2:23.75.

300 hurdles: 1. Anette Delarosa ( Eastlake ) 48.05.

200 dash: 1. Mary Lisa Crimi ( Eastlake ) 27.62.

3,200 run: 1. Angelica Larios ( Chula Vista ) 12:15.97.

4x400 relay: 1. Chula Vista 4:17.19.

Field Events

High jump: 1. Madison Dempsey ( Eastlake ) 4-6.

Pole vault: 1. Allison Gain ( Eastlake ) 8-0.

Long jump: 1. Janesta Edmonds ( Eastlake ) 15-5.75.

Triple jump: 1. Alyssa Viega (Sweetwater) 32-5.5.

Shot put: 1. Janet Von Eiff ( Montgomery ) 34-3.

Discus throw: 1. Janet Von Eiff ( Montgomery ) 110-6.

Athletes of the Meet

Mesa League

Boys: Dante Franks ( Eastlake )

Girls: Virginia Madero ( Chula Vista )

South Bay League

Boys: Ranee Woods (Otay Ranch)

Girls: Britney Bennett (Otay Ranch), Charay Savage (Otay Ranch), Julia Hernandez ( Castle Park )

Dual Meet Champions

Mesa League

Boys: Eastlake Titans (5-0)

Girls: Eastlake Titans (5-0)

South Bay League

Boys: Otay Ranch Mustangs (5-0)

Girls: Otay Ranch Mustangs (5-0)

Mesa League Standings

Boys dual meets: Eastlake 5-0; Bonita Vista 4-1; Sweetwater 3-2; Southwest 2-3; Montgomery 1-4; Chula Vista 0-5.

Girls dual meets: Eastlake 5-0; Bonita Vista 4-1; Chula Vista 3-2; Sweetwater 2-3; Southwest 1-4; Montgomery 0-5.

Metro swim finals.

By Phillip Brents

Sports editor

The emphasis was on fast times, not medals at last Saturday's Metro Conference swimming championships at the Loma Verde pool. League champions had already been decided the prior week. All that was left was to bring the conference's top 16 swimmers together for one big pool party.

Fast times, more than not, were the predictable result. Bragging rights were also on order between Mesa League and South Bay League swimmers.

Trophies were presented, however, to the championship teams in each league. Swimmers of the year, divers of the year and coaches of the year were also named during a break in the competition.

Bonita Vista's Chris Sanchez earned the Mesa League Male Swimmer of the Year award. He captured conference titles in both the 100-yard freestyle and 200-yard freestyle with times of 47.96 and 1:47.19.

Eastlake 's Dani Kimmel captured the Mesa League Female Swimmer of the Year award. She came away with conference titles in the 50-yard freestyle (25.92) and 100-yard breaststroke (1:08.32).

Mar Vista's Don Sales and Hilltop's Garrett Boyle shared the South Bay League Male Swimmer of the Year award. Sales won conference titles in the 200 individual medley (2:05.50) and 100 butterfly (54.83). Boyle did not compete at the conference finals because of a prior commitment.

Hilltop's Andrea Meier and Otay Ranch's Roni Coffer shared the South Bay League Female Swimmer of the Year award. Both captured two individual events at the league finals.

Otay Ranch's Danny Inzunza and Mar Vista's Isaac Engram shared the South Bay League Male Diver of the Year award. Engram defeated Inzunza during the dual meet season but Inzunza bested Engram at the league championship meet.

Otay Ranch's Rosana Quevedo earned honors as the South Bay League Female Diver of the Year while Sweetwater's Carlos Guerrero was named the Mesa League Male Diver of the Year.

Coaches of the Year awards in the South Bay League went to Otay Ranch's Ernie Medina (girls team) and Hilltop's John Salts (boys team). Eastlake 's Bryan Monzon made it a sweep in the Mesa League.

Among the more impressive swims last Saturday was that turned in by Sweetwater freshman Vanessa Rodriguez, who defeated reigning Mesa League champion Andrea Williamson of Eastlake to win the girls 200 IM. Rodriguez timed 2:26.42.

Fast times were evident in the boys 50 freestyle as Eastlake's Sam Gottlieb (23.14) out-touched Titan teammate Gavin Fluhart (23.19) and Bonita Vista's Josh Harris (23.29) at the wall.

Eastlake freshman Jacquie Kimmel captured four firsts, including titles in the 100 freestyle (53.51) and 100 backstroke (1:00.71)..

She teamed with her older sister, as well as Heather Voigt and Taylor Stoddard, for victories on the Titans' 200 medley and 200 freestyle relays.

Stoddard won the conference title in the girls 200 freestyle while Voigt won the 500 freestyle.

Metro Conference Swimming Championships

May 13 at Loma Verde pool

(All distances in yards)

Boys Results

200 medley relay: 1. Bonita Vista (Carlos Escaba, Chris Sanchez, Robert Newman, Kevin Burman) 1:44.08.

200 freestyle: 1. Chris Sanchez (Bonita Vista) 1:47.19.

200 individual medley: 1. Don Sales (Mar Vista) 2:05.50.

50 freestyle: 1. Sam Gottlieb ( Eastlake ) 23.14.

100 butterfly: 1. Don Sales (Mar Vista) 54.83.

100 freestyle: 1. Chris Sanchez (Bonita Vista) 47.96.

500 freestyle: 1. Robert Newman (Bonita Vista) 5:07.13.

200 freestyle relay: 1. Eastlake (Jeff Demoss, Tom Dziadkowiec, Gavin Fluhart, Sam Gottlieb) 1:35.24.

100 backstroke: 1. Jeff Demoss ( Eastlake ) 56.98.

100 breaststroke: 1. D.J. Payton (Hilltop) 1:02.28.

400 freestyle relay: 1. Bonita Vista (Chris Sanchez, Josh Harris, Carlos Escaba, Kevin Burman) 3:25.56.

Girls Results

200 medley relay: 1. Eastlake (Dani Kimmel, Taylor Erickson, Taylor Stoddard, Alexis Gackstetter) 1:55.84.

200 freestyle: 1. Taylor Stoddard ( Eastlake ) 1:59.84

200 individual medley: 1. Vanessa Rodriguez (Sweetwater) 2:26.42.

50 freestyle: 1. Dani Kimmel ( Eastlake ) 25.92.

100 butterfly: 1. Roxy Magee (Otay Ranch) 1:11.22.

100 freestyle: 1. Jacquie Kimmel ( Eastlake ) 53.51.

500 freestyle: 1. Heather Voigt ( Eastlake ) N/A (clock malfunction).

200 freestyle relay: 1. Eastlake (Heather Voigt, Taylor Stoddard, Dani Kimmel, Jacquie Kimmel) 1:43.87.

100 backstroke: 1. Jacquie Kimmel ( Eastlake ) 1:00.71.

100 breaststroke: 1. Dani Kimmel ( Eastlake ) 1:08.32.

400 freestyle relay: 1. Bonita Vista ( Lauren Way , Chelsea Prestige, Alejandra Hardesty, Sasha Beltran) 3:58.66.