Boys track and field: Sailors breeze past Sea Kings

Tony Altobelli

CORONA DEL MAR - There’s strength in numbers. Just ask Corona del

Mar High boys track and field Coach Bill Sumner after Tuesday’s 102-34

nonleague loss to Back Bay rival Newport Harbor.

“We held our own in some events, but we just couldn’t match up against

their numbers,” Sumner said. “It was still fun to go up against them.

They’re a very strong school. We stacked up against them in certain

events, but we took our licks in others.”

The Sailors were led by a cast of standout runners, throwers and

jumpers.

Richard Weber, looking to fill the massive shoes left behind by UCLA’s

Trevor Jones, won the 100- (11.5) and 200-meter runs (23.8) before

anchoring the victorious 400 relay team (44.5).

“He’s not looking to replace anyone from the past,” Newport boys Coach

Bim Barry said. “He’s just a great kid who is working hard. He battled

some foot injuries last year so we’re looking for a successful, healthy

season from him.”

Senior John Peschelt was another double winner for the Sailors, taking

both the 800 (1:58.6) and high jump (6-0).

Both hurdles’ events were led by the 1-2 punch of Sean Tupy and Dan

Moyer. Tupy and Moyer (15.9 each) tied in the 110 high hurdles, while

Moyer won the 300 lows (42.3) bettering Tupy (44.4).

“There’s not too many teams out there that are going to break those

two up near the top of the hurdles’ events,” Barry said. “That’s going to

be a strong event for us.”

The same could be said in the 3,200, where Chris McMillen (10:22.2)

and Jesus Santana (10:22.3) went 1-2 with nearly identical times.

“This is perhaps the deepest team I’ve ever coached here at Newport,”

Barry said. “Some teams might have pockets of two or three strong

athletes, while we’re pretty strong across the board.”

David Marshall was strong in field events for the Sailors, winning the

shot put (41-10 1/2) and taking second in the discus (136-4).

The Sea Kings were led by a strong combination of their own in Josh

Yelsey and Travis Beardslee. Yelsey outbattled McMillen in the 1,600

(4:26.4) and took second in the 800 behind Peschelt. Beardslee took third

in both the 1,600 (4:41.8) and 3,200 (10:37.03).

Taumata Grey won the discus with a 130-9 and was runner-up in the shot

(40-11 1/2), while Erik Knupple won the pole vault (12-0).