Junior High Track and Field: Action heats up even more Thursday

CORONA DEL MAR - Led by eighth-grader Geo Macias, the TeWinkle

Intermediate boys track and field team is on the verge of winning its

17th straight Newport-Mesa District Junior High Championships.

Among the three divisions, the Trojans qualified 52 in the top eight

Tuesday at Corona del Mar High. The qualifiers advance to Thursday’s

finals also at CdM with action beginning at 3:15 p.m. with the 1,600-meter run, an event that did not take place Tuesday. The 400 relay

was also saved for the finals.

Macias qualified first in the 400 (56.3) and set up one of the more

anticipated finals against Corona del Mar’s Mike Caponera, who finished

in 57.5. But, Caponera’s best time this season is a 55.0. Macias also

qualified second in the 800, winning his heat by more than 100 meters in

2:14.1. He also cleared 4-8 to make the cut in the high jump.

Macias will compete in the three events Thursday along with running

the anchor in the 400 relay, which includes Edward Diaz, Marlon Aragon

and Mario Herrera.

Harbor Day’s eighth-grade girls are poised to repeat as well, so to

speak. Led by Melissa Swigert, the seventh-grade team won its division

last year and are on pace to do the same this year.

The championship meet was broken into three divisions -- ‘C’ (5-foot-4

and under), 7th grade and 8th grade.

-- by Steve Virgen