Masters Meet may provide challenge

For some athletes in the Newport-Mesa area, this track and field season has possibly been, well, less than a challenge. Among the best in their events, they’ve dominated league meets and found their tests in the usual string of weekend invitational meets.

Well, for them, the challenges start this week with the CIF Southern Section Masters Meet on Friday. The 4:30 p.m. meet at Cerritos College is the lone steppingstone between the division finals and the state championships.

Only the top nine performances from around the Southern Section qualified for the Masters Meet (with the exception of the 3,200 meters, which had 12). The top five finishers at the Masters earn a trip to the state meet the following week at Cerritos College.

Among those who’ll be vying for state championship berths are Newport Harbor High’s Bo Taylor, Corona del Mar’s Annie St. Geme, Sage Hill’s Zach Chandy and Newport Harbor’s Allison Stokke.