Locals try for position

Chris Yemma

Like peeking at a Christmas present too early and getting caught, the

downfall of a track and field athlete is sometimes peaking too soon.

A peaking problem wasn’t the case with Newport-Mesa athletes at

Saturday’s Arcadia invitational at Arcadia High, involving the best

track and field athletes from around the country.

Newport Harbor’s Allison Stokke, owner of the national sophomore

outdoor pole vault record, will have to wait until another day to

break the high school record, as she missed three attempts at 11

feet, 9 inches in the windy conditions in Arcadia. She didn’t get a

mark and was out of the placing.

Stokke, with a personal best 13-5 3/4 still has something to

shoot for, along with teammate Whitney Blue, a junior distance runner

for the Sailors. Blue finished seventh in the two-mile invitational

with a personal best 10:39.35.

The best Orange County cross country runner in the fall, and the

fourth best in the state, Blue did accomplish something that she had

not expected. She beat out Corona’s Alma Escobar, the CIF Southern

Section Division I cross country state champion, who had the cross

country time in the state.

“That was pretty cool, I’m not going to lie,” Blue said about

topping 10th-place finisher Escobar (10:47.70). “I stayed with her

for a while but then I just turned it on and pulled away.”

Newport Harbor girls coach Eric Tweit said he wasn’t sure how Blue

would perform. But he was sure of one thing.

“If she’s peaking right now, we’re in for some trouble,” he said.

Newport’s Bo Taylor is also still on the upswing, looking to peak

near CIF time. Taylor finished eighth in the invitational shot put

with a 54-10 3/4 throw. “He was great today on his throws,” Sailors’

boys coach Nowell Kay said. “He gives us solid depth.” Taylor didn’t

reach the finals in the discus.

Sage Hill sprinter Zach Chandy had a learning experience in the

400 and 200 meters, running against the cream of the crop.

Two-time defending state champion David Gettis of Dorsey and prep

newcomer Bryshon Nellum of Long Beach Poly cruised to the top two

finishes in 46.81 and 46.92, respectively. Chandy was seventh in the

400 in 48.48, just off his personal best of 48.11.

Chandy, who holds the fastest time in Orange County in the 200,

finished fourth in the seeded event in 22.06.

Corona del Mar’s Melissa Swigert won the 400 in the open session

events Saturday afternoon, while other finishers in the open session

events include; CdM’s Allison Damon (fourth in 800), Sarah Cummings

(fifth in two mile); Newport’s Trevor Theriot (second in shot put),

Jessica Robson (second in high jump); and Sage’s Laura Gordon (14th

in triple jump).