Track and field: Locals set for prestigious Masters Meet

Tony Altobelli

NORWALK - For some, tonight’s CIF Masters Meet is a trip into the

farthest depths of their imagination, while for others, it’s another meet

on the way to the state finals.

Leading the local charge are Newport Harbor High’s Amber Steen and

Corona del Mar’s Julie Allen.

Steen and Allen each captured two CIF Southern Section titles at last

week’s CIF finals, both in the 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs, Steen in

Division II and Allen in Division III.

Steen’s 4:47.72 in the 1,600 not only shattered the school record,

held by Maggie Henson, but it also eclipsed the Division II record, held

by University’s Polly Plumer, set 20 years ago.

The University of Arizona-bound Steen didn’t do too shabby in the

3,200 either, winning with a 10:33.07 and bettering the Division II

runner-up by over 20 seconds.

In fact, only Allen, who ran with Steen in the race and won in

Division III with a 10:43.28, gave Steen the biggest run for her money.

Allen and Steen will go at it again tonight in the 3,200 only. Despite

qualifying for the 800, 1,600 and 3,200, Allen will focus all her

attention on the 3,200. Steen, who holds the second-fastest time in the

country in the 1,600, will compete in both the 1,600 and 3,200 for the

Sailors.

Joining Steen in the 1,600 will be CdM senior Diana Hossfeld, who

extended her CdM career with an inspired run at last week’s CIF Division

III finals.

Hossfeld used every ounce of energy to qualify for the 1,600 with a

5:00.27, topping her personal-best time by over seven seconds.

Costa Mesa High jumper extraordinaire Sharon Day will look to repeat

last year’s performance at the Masters Meet where she cleared 5-feet-9 as

a freshman, one of only two girls in the state to accomplish such a feat.

Last week, Day won her second straight Division III title with a mark

of 5-6.

On the boys side, CdM’s Josh Yelsey qualified for the boys 1,600 with

a personal-best time of 4:14.54, second only to Big Bear’s Ryan Hall

(4:11.13)..

Yelsey is joined in the 1,600 by Newport Harbor’s Chris McMillen and

Estancia’s Humberto Rojas.

McMillen overcame a few spike marks on his knee from a fallen runner

to qualify fourth with a personal-best 4:15.76.

Rojas, only a sophomore for the Eagles, qualified seventh with a

personal-best 4:17.81. His adjusted mile time of 4:19.41 shattered the

school record of 4:20.7, set my Mike McCaa in 1976.

Field events begin at 4:30 p.m., while the running events kick off at

6.

ORDER OF EVENTS FOR LOCALS (times approximate)

Sharon Day, high jump - 7 p.m.

Amber Steen, 1,600 - 6:17 p.m.

Diana Hossfeld, 1,600 - 6:17 p.m.

Josh Yelsey, 1,600 - 6:28 p.m.

Chris McMillen, 1,600 - 6:28 p.m.

Humberto Rojas, 1,600 - 6:28 p.m.

Amber Steen, 3,200 - 8:08 p.m.

Julie Allen, 3,200 - 8:08 p.m.