Live Oak’s relay teams both look impressive
GILROY — There they went down the sun-baked track at Gilroy’s Garcia-Elder Sports Complex, arms waving, cheeks puffed, hands clinging tightly to the metal tube that could mean the end of the world if dropped.
Those four streaks of green were Live Oak’s 4×100-meter relay of Billy Van Aken, James Hamblin, Greg White and Eric Tolson — who subbed for Jeff Roberts in Saturday’s Avis Kelley Invitational.
Did they ever put on a show.
The foursome was in four place during the third leg of their heat when Van Aken made the handoff to Hamblin, who proceeded to blow past Fremont’s anchor and glide across the finish line and lift his team to a third-place finish in 45.32 seconds.
“Yeah baby!” Roberts yelled from the infield.
Already a spectacle, the Acorns’ 4×1 relay is only going to get better this track and field season. The team placed fourth overall in the Avis Kelley Invite and first in the Willow Glen Invitational earlier this month.
“It’s still very raw,” Live Oak distance coach Mike Sullivan said. “It’s four fast guys and three not-great handoffs we’ve got to get down. Every week, there’s still that potential to get better.”
The secret is chemistry. All four relay members played varsity football for Live Oak in fall.
“When the season ended, we thought about this whole thing, and we thought we could go somewhere with it,” White said. “We have so much respect for each other. That always makes a great team.”
The 4×100 reached the CIF-Central Coast Section Semifinals last year and is aiming even higher in 2009.
“I see us at least going to (CCS) finals,” said Van Aken, who’s also a section-finals hopeful in the 100-meter dash. “That’s our goal. Once we get there, we’ll make another goal. We want to work hard and push each other.”
The Live Oak girl’s 4×100 relay is just as strong. That team, which also reached CCS last year, returns all four members — Erika Rodriguez, Courtney Robinson, Catherine Sparling and Lauren Drewniany.
“We’re really excited about that team,” Acorns first-year coach Jon Michael Porras said. “They have an outside shot at state.”
Almost the majority of Live Oak’s girls contingent qualified for sectionals in 2008. Stephanie Armstrong and Olivia Duran did so as juniors in the high jump and 3,200 meters, respectively, and Pauline Olsen as a sophomore advanced in the 400.
Armstrong, who placed third (four feet, 10 inches) in the high jump Saturday, hopes to make it back in the 300-meter hurdles as well.
“I feel stronger than last year,” she said. “I’m confident with my jumping. The hurdles will come around. I just need to stay healthy.”
Her mother and coach, Cindy Armstrong, felt the same. Stephanie is still nursing several injuries.
“She’s lost a lot of endurance,” Cindy said. “All she needs, in order to reach her goal, is more running to stay in shape.”
Cindy is also coaching 6-foot-2 multi-sport star Dominic Leach, who will compete in the high jump and hurdles.
“He’s pretty good at basketball. So his vertical is there,” Cindy said.
Also on Saturday, Duran placed seventh (12:34.34) in the two-mile, and Olsen was third (1:00.06) in the 400. Olsen faded only slightly in the final 100 yards.
“That’s a good start for me,” Olsen said. “I just need to work on peaking at the end of the race.”
