Several locals earn CIF medals

Rick Devereux

Zach Chandy took home two silver medals for Sage Hill School Saturday

at the CIF Southern Section Division IV championships after coming in

second place in the 200-meter (21.90) and 400-meter (49.36) runs.

“My times were close to my PR [personal records],” Chandy said. “I

was very nervous before the meet.”

Lightning teammate Laura Gordon took third in the division with a

triple jump of 36 feet, 6 inches, a personal best.

“I wanted to get 35 feet,” Gordon said. “My mouth dropped when I

saw what I got.”

Earning a fourth-place medal was Newport Harbor’s Bo Taylor for

his 50-8 effort in the shot put in Division II. Teammate Whitney Blue

grabbed a fifth-place medal finishing the 1,600 in 5:05.05.

Also getting a fifth-place medal was Qualic Vargas from Costa Mesa

with his 151-6 throw in the Division III discus.

“He was looking to get 160,” Coach Dan Johnston said. “There

wasn’t a day all week long in practice without multiple throws over

160.”

Vargas may not have hit the mark he threw in practice, but he was

happy with the result considering he started throwing the discus for

the first time about two months ago.

“It’s my first time [at the CIF finals],” Vargas said. “I wanted

to hit 160 but it’s all right.”

Also in Division III, Corona del Mar senior Kevin Artz rebounded

from a ninth-place finish in the 1,600 and earned a sixth-place medal

in the 800 (1:59.43).

“I wasn’t too happy today,” Artz said. “I’ve never been to CIF

finals and started feeling nervous.”