Girls track and field: Sailors’ Day measures up

Barry Faulkner

WALNUT - Newport Harbor High veteran girls track and field

standouts April Ross, Amber Steen and Krista Dill have all proved they

know what it takes to survive the tenuous territory of the CIF Southern

Section Division II preliminaries.

And while the aforementioned trio took care of business Friday night at

Mt. San Antonio College, Harbor freshman Valerie Day showed she was

hardly overwhelmed by the supremely competitive environment.

“I was a little intimidated, but I needed to get the job done,” said Day,

who did just that, finishing second in her 300 low hurdles heat to

advance to the Saturday’s Division II Finals at Cerritos College.

Day’s time of 46.93 was a personal record and earned her the No. 6 seed

for the division final, continuing a surprising postseason run, according

to Newport Harbor girls coach Eric Tweit.

“Realistically, a week before (Sea View) league finals, we were wondering

if she’d even make league finals,” Tweit said, “because she was running

in the 50-second range. Then, she runs the fastest time at league prelims

and wins the league title (47.86). Tonight, I think her time was about

two-tenths of a second off the top qualifier, so it’ll be interesting to

see what she can do next week.”

Steen, Ross and Dill will also fuel finals anticipation, after the

threesome qualified in three individual events, apiece.

Steen, a junior who finished fifth in the state 3,200 meters last spring,

posted a personal best of 10:45.85 to win her 3,200 heat Friday. It was

nine seconds faster than her previous best and likely the fastest time

posted at the prelims, though official confirmation was not available at

press time.

Steen also won her 1,600 heat, cruising to the fourth-fastest qualifying

time of 5:13.84. She followed up her sizzling 3,200 by anchoring the

1,600 relay team to a qualifying mark of 4:07. It was a season best,

though it was good for a third-place showing in their heat.

Dill earned one of nine spots in the Division II finals in the shot put

and discus. Her 130-7 effort in the discus was fourth best. Her shot put

mark of 39-4, was also well above the qualifying standard, though it was

nearly 10 feet behind top qualifier Karen Freberg, a junior from San Luis

Obispo.

The Duke-bound volleyball player said it was difficult to focus on

throwing, due to AP finals last week, but added she will not face a

similar distraction next week.

“Krista needs to step up and score points for us, as well as do well for

herself,” Tweit said. “She’s probably among the nine best throwers in the

shot put and discus, so it would be good for her to advance to the

Masters Meet (the top nine from all divisions).”

Ross, a senior who won a section high jump crown as a freshman, advanced

in the high jump (5-2) and the triple jump (35-4). She was one of nine

high jumpers to clear that height, while her triple jump mark came on her

final attempt.

“April was really nervous, because she fouled on her first two jumps and

it came down to a do-or-die situation,” Sailors jump coach Nowell Kay

said.

Sophomores Nadja Topalovic and Lauren Hanson, as well as Natalie St.

Andre, joined Steen on the 1,600 relay.

Lynn Rinek (800), Sonya Mechkor (3,200) and Lisa Gerlach (discus) were

among the Sailors who competed, but did not advance.