Track and field: Locals heading to state preliminaries

Tony Altobelli

SACRAMENTO - It’s approximately 480 miles of traveling from the

Newport-Mesa area to this weekend’s CIF state preliminaries and finals.

The road traveled for the six local high school standouts who qualified

for this competition was much longer.

“This is the big dance,” Corona del Mar High Coach Bill Sumner said.

“These kids are workhorses and they deserve the honors they get.”

Three CdM runners, two Newport Harbor runners and a Costa Mesa high

jumper will make their way to the season’s biggest meet, which kicks off

Friday at Sacramento City College.

Sailors’ senior Amber Steen looks to cap off her already impressive

career with a first-ever state title. She will be competing in the

1,600-meter prelims Friday and the 3,200 finals Saturday. She was third

in the 1,600 and 15th in the 3,200 at last year’s state meet.

“I think she’s ready to go,” Newport Coach Eric Tweit said. “She’s

excited. She’s been there before and she should have a great weekend.”

Steen won last week’s CIF Masters Meet with an incredible time of

4:43.75, bettering her personal best by nearly four seconds and

establishing the top time in the nation this season.

Steen’s toughest competition will come from Montgomery High’s Sara

Bei, who qualified second in 4:46.17.

Joining Steen in the 1,600 is CdM senior Diana Hossfeld, who qualified

eighth (4:58.26).

“People look at Diana and think it was luck that got her to state,”

Sumner said. “They didn’t see how hard Diana has been working and like we

always say over here, ‘The harder you work, the luckier you get.’ ”

Like Steen, CdM junior Julie Allen also qualified for the 3,200

finals, scheduled Saturday. There are no 3,200 prelims. It’ll be the

third state meet for Allen, who represented Fountain Valley High at the

event the last two springs.

Steen and Allen will have to overcome a tough field, led by Glendale

Hoover’s Anita Siraki.

The boys 1,600 will also have a Newport-CdM combination in the

prelims.

CdM senior Josh Yelsey qualified second in state in the 1,600

(4:14.62). Only Big Bear phenom Ryan Hall (4:04.24) bettered Yelsey’s

time.

“Josh doesn’t even count Ryan as a competitor anymore,” Sumner said.

“He knows Ryan is at another level. Josh’s main focus is on finishing

first against the rest of the field. That way, if Ryan trips or

something, he’ll be right there to take over.”

Joining Yelsey is Newport Harbor senior Chris McMillen, who qualified

sixth in 4:15.42.

“I still think Chris can take some time off his PR,” Newport Coach Bim

Barry said. “There’s still more in the tank. It’s just a matter of

running a better second half of his race. I think he’ll be right in there

with the top runners.”

Costa Mesa sophomore Sharon Day looks to end her 2001 season on the

right foot in the long jump. “Not only does she have a good chance to

qualify for the finals, I think she’s got a good chance at winning,”

Eugene Day, Sharon’s father and jumping coach, said. “If she puts her

mind to it, she is just as good as the rest of the top jumpers.”

Day, who finished fifth at last year’s finals with a clearance of 5-8,

is seeded fifth with a the same mark, behind St. Ignatius’s Jenna

Grimaldi (6-0), Riverside-based J.W. North’s Chante Howard (5-11), Taft’s

Schquay Brignac (5-9) and Crescenta Valley’s Emily Forsythe (5-8). Day’s

personal best is 5-9.

“She’s been flirting with 5-11 for a while and if everything falls

into place, she can hit that mark or go even higher,” Eugene Day said.