SD Prep Sports

SD Prep Sports: Track & Field

Bonita Vista sophomore sensation is at it again

CHULA VISTA, May 10, 2005 -- Bonita Vista sophomore Eric Avila concluded an amazing cross country season by earning a trip to the state championship meet. He could be poised to accomplish the same feat during the spring track and field season. If not this year, then next year for sure, it seems.

Avila enters Friday’s Metro Conference championship meet among the top five leaders in the San Diego Section in the boys 1,600-meter run with a time of 4:18.5. He is just off the section leaders in the 3,200 event with a time of 9:34.40.
Avila said he entered the season thinking he would concentrate on the 3,200 run, where he seemed to stand his best chance of qualifying for the state meet. However, early season success in the shorter distance has prompted him to renew his hopes of possibly qualifying in that event.

“Coming into track, I thought I’d be concentrating on the 3,200 but in my first meet I did a 4:19 (in the 1,600), so I became a miler,” he said. “I didn’t expect to win the race, so I closed very strong and I ended up winning. I like races with a lot of competition.”

Avila has kept a personal log this season of his races. By his estimate, he has won 24 of the 26 races in which he has competed. He set the 4:18.5 mark in the 1,600 at the prestigious Arcadia Invitational in April — one of the races he did not win.

Avila’s list of impressive first-place finishes includes the Jaguar Invitational (3,200), Mt. Carmel Invitational (1,600), Mustang Relays (1,500), Escondido Invitational (1,600), and distance relay events at both the season-opening El Centro and Sweetwater relays. He timed 4:01 to win the Mustang 1,500 — a race that he called his best this season and one that buoyed his hopes of possibly earning a state qualifying berth in the 1,600.

The top three finishers at the CIF finals on May 28 at Mt. Carmel High School, plus those who meet a pre-determined time standard, advance to the state championship meet the following weekend in Sacramento. The time standard in the 1,600 is 4:16.9. Avila feels he is close to making that (the 4:01 in the 1,500 would translate to a 4:17 in the 1,600).
“I still don’t think I’ve reached my best yet,” he said.

Avila did not compete in Tuesday’s Mesa League prelims, as his events were byed to Friday’s finals. “On Friday, I just want to win. In the two-mile (3,200), I’ll see what happens. At CIF, I’ll try to get top three to go to state or the qualifying time.”

Others to watch
•Sweetwater’s Ernest Pierce entered the week ranked second in the section in the boys long jump with a best season effort of 22-3.

•Otay Ranch’s Charay Savage entered the week ranked second in the girls 100 hurdles (15.43).

•Hilltop’s Alexus Watley (38-3) and Montgomery’s Janet Von Eiff (37-2) ranked fourth and fifth, respectively, in the girls shot put.