SD Prep Sports

SD Prep Sports: Track & Field

Eastlake pole vaulters aim for new heights

By Phillip Brents

CHULA VISTA, April 15, 2004 -- The Eastlake High track and field team’s pole vaulters are back once again this spring and hope to soar to new heights.

Senior Joe Ziomek has his goal firmly set: 14 feet, 7.5 inches. That is the qualifying standard to advance to the state championship meet.

His best last year was 14-0. He bettered that mark with a clearance of 14-1 in Eastlake’s 116-20 dual meet victory April 15. He cleared 13-6 to take fourth place at the Mt. Sundevil Invitational March 27 and placed second with a clearance of 12-6 at the Elmer Runge Classic April 3 at Patrick Henry High School.

“I want to make it to the state meet, that’s my personal goal. I know I need to get over 14 to do that,” said Ziomek, who placed second last season in the Mesa League finals at 13-6 before going on to finish ninth at the CIF/Masters finals.

If Ziomek holds to his yearly progression, he might meet that goal. A four-year performer on the Titan track and field team, he vaulted 10-6 as a freshman and 12-6 as a sophomore.

He said the biggest challenge to vaulting is mental.

“People need to know how to rock back into the bend of the pole,” he said.

Ziomek is joined this season on the Eastlake pole vaulting team by Nick Nelson, Shawn West, Bobby Simpson and Aaron Doria. West placed fourth at last year’s league finals at 12-10 while Nelson tied for sixth place at 11-8.
Through midseason, Ziomek topped the Metro Conference with his 14-1 vault while West ranked third with a season-best clearance of 13-0. Nelson followed at 12-6 (a mark that tied Ziomek at the Elmer Runge Classic).

Entering the Titans’ April 15 dual meet against Montgomery, Marina Pastrana led the team’s girls vaulters with a conference-leading mark of 10-0. She won last year’s Mesa League title with a clearance of 9-6.

Pastrana cleared 9-0 to capture first place at the Elmer Runge Classic and was fifth at the deeper Mt. Carmel Invitational by clearing 9-6.

Other Eastlake athletes earning showcase status this season include Lisa Malchow, who topped her heat of the girls 100-meter hurdles at the Mt. Carmel Invitational with a time of 16.14 and Esha McDowell, who won both the girls high jump (5-0) and triple jump (34-5) at the Elmer Runge Classic.

Soli Gonzalez placed second in the girls discus at the Elmer Runge Classic with a throw of 116-4 and was fourth in the girls shot put (35-0). At the Mt. Carmel Invitational, she finished fifth in her discus heat (116-0) and seventh in her shot put (36-9.5).

Craig Jackson was second with a triple jump of 42-0 at the Elmer Runge Classic to highlight boys competition. The mark led the conference at midseason.

Other midseason Metro leaders included Eastlake’s Christian Estrada in the boys long jump (20-10), Marcus Yarbrough in the boys shot put (48-9), Jackie Parras in the girls 400 meters (1:01.42). McDowell and Gonzalez’ top marks also led the conference.

In other Mt. Carmel Invitational top marks turned in by Titan athletes, Brittany Leija was fourth in the girls 100 meters in 13.61.

Justin Elwood (53.18) finished fourth in his heat of the boys 400-meter run at the Mt. Carmel Invitational while Roo Brown (23.40) was fifth in his heat of the boys 200 meters. Kyle Bear (126-0) was fifth in his heat of the boys discus while Jackson (41-6.5) was fifth in the triple jump.

Mustang Invitational
The inaugural Mustang Relays, made possible in part by a $15,000 grant by The Phair Co. to purchase top-line electronic timing equipment, will be held Saturday, April 24, at Otay Ranch High School. The event will feature 18 schools, including 11 Metro Conference teams. Competition starts at 8:30 a.m.