Boys track: Sailors slip past Hawks, literally

Tony Altobelli

LAGUNA HILLS - WHEW!

That just about summed up the emotional state of Newport Harbor High boys

track and field coach Bim Barry following the Sailors’ 77-55 Sea View

League win over host Laguna Hills.

“Needless to say, I’m much more relaxed now than I was earlier,” Barry

said after the meet. “The meet certainly didn’t start out the way we

would have wanted it.”

What Barry was referring to was the Sailors (3-0, 2-0 in league)

mishandling a baton pass in the 400-meter relay and then watching senior

hurdler/sprinter Trevor Jones take a nasty tumble in the 110 high

hurdles.

After scraping the second hurdle of the race, Jones fought back to take

the lead, but tripped over the next-to-last hurdle and was sent sprawling

to the ground.

“There was a lot of implications riding on that spill,” Barry said. “We

didn’t know at the time if he was hurt, how bad he was hurt, if he could

race any more today or even beyond today. Fortunately, he was just

scraped up and he’ll be fine.”

Jones had some scrapes and cuts on his hand, knee and shoulder, but

pressed on anyways, eventually winning the 100 (11.0), 200 (22.3).

“I was being told that the hurdles were not the same height and

basically, I almost felt like it was the first time I’d ever ran the

event before,” Jones said with a laugh afterward.

With the meet still up for grabs, Newport took control with a sweep in

the discus by seniors Nathan Caldwell (142-3), Steve Wukawitz (133-6) and

Aaron Roberts (128-4).

“That was huge for us,” Barry said. “That really gave us the boost we

needed to win.

Shortly thereafter, junior John Peschelt (2:02.6) and Doug Dukes (2:02.9)

went 1-2 in the 800 and Dan Moyer (42.4) and Sean Tupy (43.0) took first

and second in the 300 intermediate hurdles, giving Newport the lead for

good.

Dukes was also a double-winner, taking first in the 1,600 (4:31.7) and

3,200 (10:06.0), while Peschelt took the high jump (5-10) and placed

second in the 400 (52.8).

Tupy (16.0) and Moyer (16.6) were second and third, respectively, in the

high hurdles, picking up the slack for the fallen Jones.

“It was really nice seeing Tupy and Moyer step up like that,” Barry said.

“Getting marks in the hurdles without Jones was a big lift for us.”

In the field events, senior Steve Wukawitz took first in the shot put (42

5 1/4), while Nathan Caldwell captured the discus throw (142-3).

Wukawitz’ 133-6 in the discus was good enough for second place.

Barry was also pleased with the efforts of sophomore David Sprenger, who

took second in the long jump (19-0 3/4) and triple jumps (40-11 1/2).

“His triple jump mark was a personal-best for him,” Barry said. “And, he

was way behind the board, so that’s pretty encouraging.”

The Sailors will continue Sea View League competition when they host

Woodbridge at 3 p.m.