Despite record-breaking afternoon, LO advances one athlete to
finals
GILROY — Live Oak’s track and field teams produced some of their best times and marks this season at CIF-Central Coast Section Semifinals, but with little reward.
Of the 15 Acorns who competed Saturday at Gilroy’s Garcia-Elder Sports Complex, only junior jumper Stephanie Armstrong earned a return trip for Friday’s section finals.
Live Oak came away with an impressive four top-11 finishes (only the top eight advance).
“It is a little frustrating, but we’ve had a great day overall,” Live Oak distance coach Mike Sullivan said. “The kids got the kind of marks they wanted, but everyone did well today. That’s how tough this meet is.”
The Acorns’ bittersweet afternoon was epitomized by their talented 4×100-meter relays; they ended their season after breaking school records. Jeff Roberts, Greg White, Billy Van Aken and James Hamblin finished ninth in 43.89 seconds, and Erika Rodriguez, Catherine Sparling, Courtney Robinson and Lauren Drewniany clocked 50.6 to take 11th.
The boys foursome will be an alternate at CCS Finals.
“It’s tough not to advance, but we know we did well today,” Roberts, a senior, said. “We had our best race of the season. I think all of our hand-offs were great.”
Armstrong placed third in high jump, matching her personal-best height of five feet, two inches. She matched co-front-runners Julia McCarthy of Aptos and Presentation’s Emily Sklar, who finished with fewer misses.
“Stephanie only missed once, so it was definitely a good day for her,” Sullivan said. “The high jump is such a hit-or-miss event. People have good days and bad. Stephanie was able to get in there and get a good mark.”
Armstrong collected her second straight finals berth — and almost made the cut in the 4×400-meter relay as well. She joined Pauline Olsen, Rodriguez and Sparling in taking ninth in 4:05.7. The foursome from King’s Academy edged them by less than a second to snag the last invite.
Olsen, another section-finals veteran, settled for 15th in the 400 meters (1:00.17) and 16th in the 200 meters (27.05).
“I just wish I ran smarter,” Olsen, a junior, said after the 400. “I went out way too fast. You want to do your best today, but you have to be smart at the same time. I faded in the last 100 — that’s make or break.”
Also for Live Oak, senior Mason Lammers bested his previous top mark in discus by nearly three feet to finish 22nd (127-4). Van Aken placed the same in the 100 meters (11.64), and White took 13th in long jump, leaping 20-6 3/4.
The Acorns’ mile relay of Eric Tolson, Kean Vaziry, Jacob Daw and Jacob Montoya dropped significant time off its PR, but placed 27th (3:35.88).
