NOVATO — Lower Lake High School”s Mike Perez won the 1,600-meter run with ease and was edged out by a fraction of a second in the 800 during the North Coast Section Class 2A Track Championships on Saturday at San Marin High School in Novato.
Since Perez only had to finish in the top seven to advance to this weekend”s Meet of Champions (MOC) at U.C. Berkeley, he really wasn”t under much pressure in either event. The Lower Lake senior breezed to an easy win in the 1,600 at 4 minutes, 15.86 seconds and was just .69 seconds behind 800 winner Tim Murphy of Healdsburg, though the two runners were never on the track at the same time.
Perez won the first heat in 1 minute, 55.85 seconds while Murphy, with a large section of Healdsburg fans rooting him on, ran a personal-best 1:55.16 to win the second heat.
After winning his heat, Perez was there to congratulate Murphy, who told Perez that his winning time in the first heat “pushed him” in the second heat. The two will face each other again during qualifying and possibly in the 800 finals at the MOC, which is the qualifier for the CIF State Championships the weekend of June 2-3.
Lower Lake coach Bob Galloway said that Perez “runs better” in head-to-head situations and is looking forward to facing Murphy again at the MOC.
“If Mike runs his race, he”ll win,” Galloway said.
While Perez was qualifying for the MOC at the Class 2A Meet in Novato, five other Lake County athletes — four boys and one girl — finished in the top three at the Class A Meet in Ukiah to also earn a trip to Berkeley.
Of those five, Clear Lake”s Brandon White had the best finish as he was second in the 110 high hurdles with a time of 16.35 seconds.
Other boys” qualifiers — all taking thirds — were Clear Lake”s Jorel Allegro in the shotput (39 feet, 9 inches), Kelseyville”s Tanner Olsen in the long jump (19-5 ?) and Clear Lake”s Justin Mills in the pole vault (10-6).
The lone girl qualifier was Kelseyville”s standout sprinter Malia Shannon, who finished third in the 200 (27.36).
