Chandy running sweet

Steve Virgen

This is what most people know about Sage Hill School sophomore Zach

Chandy after eyeing the results in the Orange County track and field

championships, which took place at Trabuco Hills High Saturday.

Chandy earned third place in the 200 meters (22.34 seconds) and

fifth in the 400 (49.25). He was the fastest sophomore at the Orange

County championships.

What most people don’t know is that Chandy did not compete in

track and field last season. He couldn’t. He broke his right leg.

He said he’s embarrassed by the way he injured his leg because it

happened when he was horse-playing with his friends, jumping down a

hill.

However, Chandy has made sure to forget the past and make sure he

can became one of the top sprinters, not only in Orange County and

the Academy League, but also in CIF Southern Section Division IV.

“It’s almost like [the injury] didn’t really happen,” Chandy said.

“I thought it would be hard coming back from a broken leg, but I was

fine. It wasn’t that bad.”

Chandy was one of several highlights produced by Newport-Mesa

athletes at the Orange County championships, where the Sage Hill boys

finished 16th in the team standings. Corona del Mar took 25th.

Mission Viejo won the team title.

Chandy had the opportunity to race against a Newport-Mesa runner:

Corona del Mar senior Chris Ringstrom, who competed in just his third

400 of the season. Ringstrom finished eighth (50.19). In a different

heat of the 400, Back Bay rivals were featured as Corona del Mar

senior Brandon Borcoman and Newport Harbor senior Joel Walker

competed. Borcoman won the heat and Walker came in second.

Borcoman finished 11th overall (51.05, a personal record), while

Walker, who was bothered by a tight hamstring, finished 15th overall

in 51.75.

Corona del Mar junior Andrew Wong placed fourth in the pole vault

with a 14-0 clearance. Newport Harbor junior Nick St. Andre completed

a personal-best time in the 1,600 (4:37.36) and finished eighth in

the 1,600-meter rated race, as opposed to the faster seeded event.

Costa Mesa senior Juan Avilez came in 16th (4:43.93) in the 1,600

rated, while Newport Harbor senior Nick Miller was in 22nd (4:47.02)

and CdM junior Garrett Prechel followed in the 25th (4:53.69).

Miller also competed in the 3,200, but did not finish the race.

Newport Coach Nowell Kay said Miller was spiked. A runner stepped on

the back of Miller’s shoe and it came off. Miller ran roughly 400

meters with one shoe on before Kay told him to stop, as the Sailors

have a key dual Sea View League meet with Woodbridge Wednesday at

Orange Coast College.

The Newport Harbor boys frosh-soph team, led by sophomores Keith

Eldridge and Bo Taylor, won that division’s championship for the

first time in school history.

Taylor won the discus (139 feet, 9 inches) and the shot put (54-11

1/4) with a 10-pound ball. Eldridge set a frosh-soph meet record when

he won the 100, finishing in 11.13. That time would have put him

eighth in varsity competition.

Eldridge also took first place in the 200 in 22.79, which would

have put him in 11th against varsity runners.

“I knew we had those two horses,” said Kay, who was confident the

Sailors had a chance to win the championship. “In the 200, Keith kind

of surprised me. He made that look easy. He’s beginning to be really

good in the 200. That was a good performance by him.

Ringstrom was entered in the boys varsity 200, but pulled out to

compete with his teammates in the 1600 relay. Corona del Mar Coach

Bill Sumner said he wanted Ringstrom to get more practice in the 400,

as it will most likely be the event he competes in come

CIF-competition time.

Corona del Mar senior Kevin Artz finished 16th in the 800

(2:01.87) and 19th in the 1,600 (4:35.62) seeded.

Costa Mesa senior Qualic Vargas, who threw a 162-2 in the discus

April 15, fouled on his three throws. He wasn’t the only one, as 18

of the 27 competitors were disqualified, as well.

Costa Mesa sophomore Tony Krikorian recorded a personal record in

the triple jump (39-7 1/2) and finished third in the frosh-soph

division.

Estancia athletes did not compete in the Orange County

championships.