BERKELEY — Lower Lake High School”s Mike Perez ran fast enough on Friday during time trials to qualify for both 800- and 1,600-meter finals today at the North Coast Section Meet of Champions at U.C. Berkeley”s Edwards Stadium.
The top four finishers in each event today qualify for the CIF State Championships June 2-3 at Cerritos College in Norwalk.
“You don”t want to use everything up the first day,” Lower Lake coach Bob Galloway said of Perez”s qualifying times.
Perez won his heat and posted the top overall time in the 1,600 at 4:19.17. The top three in each of the two heats plus the next two fastest runners move on to today”s finals.
“He just ran comfortably in front,” Galloway said of the 1,600, which was Perez”s first event of the day. “He was never seriously threatened.”
Perez finished second in his heat and the fourth overall fastest time in the 800 at 1:56.99 to easily gain the finals (the heat winners and the five other fastest runners move on).
“He ran in front until the last 100 meters and eased up a bit,” Galloway said.
Fighting symptoms of the flu, Perez said gusting wind was a factor in both races.
“He hasn”t been feeling well for about the last four weeks,” Galloway said. “We”ve had him checked out and he”s taking antibiotics right now to help him battle the bug he”s got.”
Perez is among the top runners in the state in both the 800 and 1,600. In fact, Galloway said that as of the latest state rankings, released Thursday, Perez is fifth in the state in the 800 (1:52.13) and fifth in the 1,600 (4:09.91).
The senior has already received a full scholarship package from Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo, where he will continue his running career next season.
Perez won the 800 and the 1,600 on May 13 at the Coastal Mountain Conference Championships in Ukiah. Last weekend in Novato, he won the 1,600 and finished second in the 800 at the North Coast Section 2A Meet. The runner who edged out Perez in the 800 ? Healdsburg”s Tim Murphy ? also reached today”s finals, winning his heat in 1:57.74.
“He won his heat but Mike had a better time (in the other heat),” Galloway said.
Murphy and Perez also ran in separate heats at the 2A Meet. Today will mark the first time this season they have been on the track together at the same time.
Among other Lake County athletes competing at the meet on Friday, Clear Lake”s Brandon White did the best, finishing 18th out of 23 runners in the 110 high hurdles at 16.35 seconds. His teammate, Jorel Allegro, threw 39 feet, 9 inches in the shotput. Kelseyville”s Tanner Olsen will compete in the long jump today.
In the girls” field, Kelseyville”s Malia Shannon posted a mark of 27.58 in the 200.
