LAKEPORT — In a finish that couldn”t have been much closer, the Middletown High School varsity girls” track team edged Clear Lake 109-107 on Wednesday during the annual Lake County Meet in Lakeport.
The other two divisions were runaways as Middletown dominated the field in the varsity boys” division while Clear Lake did the same in the junior varsity boys” division.
The county meet awards points to the top five finishers in each event (8-6-4-2-1).
“We lost to them in head-to-head scoring (earlier this season) when the scoring was 5-3-1, so this format probably helped us,” Clear Lake coach Lars Ewing said. “It was fun to watch.”
Varsity girls
Of the 15 contested events, Clear Lake won eight and Middletown four. Double-event winners, all from Clear Lake, were Nadine Bradley in the 100 (13.5 seconds) and high jump (4 feet, 8 inches); Amanda Morton in the 200 (29.2) and long jump (14-4); and Kelsie Lawson in the 800 (2 minutes, 47.8 seconds) and 1,600 (6:12).
Morton and Bradley also ran on the winning 4×100 team, joining teammates Jessica Asbury and Crystal Wilcox, finishing in 55.6.
Middletown”s individual winners were Tori Roderick in the 3,200 (15:19), Amber Hart in the 100 hurdles (18.6) and Emily Reed in the triple jump (30-5).
Varsity boys
Middletown won nine of 16 events in the varsity boys” division while rolling up 155 points to runner-up Clear Lake”s 90.
Nick Dellia won the shotput (43-0) and discus (112-1) for the Mustangs while teammate Nick Santos picked up firsts in the 800 (2:18.7) and 3,200 (12:06.6).
Other Middletown winners were Anthonie Guzman in the 400 (57.0), Tanner Alves in the 100 (12.1) and Brett Southern in the 300 hurdles (44.3). The Mustangs” other two firsts came in the 4×100 relay 47.7) and 4×400 relay (3:56).
Clear Lake”s Zuhuri Manley, one of the Redwood Empire leaders in the long jump this season, didn”t have his best day but still won the event at 21-6.
Arnulfo Vargas led Kelseyville, third in the team standings with 62 points, with firsts in the high jump (5-8) and triple jump (40-0).
JV boys
Jonah Wilcox and Brice Beare turned in impressive efforts to lead the Clear Lake JV boys to an easy win.
Wilcox won the 200 (26.5), 400 (58.8) and high jump (5-2). He also helped Clear Lake to another first-place finish in the 4×400 relay, joining teammates Beare, Gabe Strong and Stephen O”Neill.
Beare won the 800 in 2:21 and the 1,600 in a personal-best time of 5:19.4, which would have placed him second in the varsity boys” race.
“He was impressive to watch,” Ewing said of Beare”s effort in the 1,600.
Kenyon Donald picked up two more wins for the Cardinals, taking the 100 hurdles (20.3) and triple jump (33-11).
The meet ran well, according to Ewing, thanks in large support to the many volunteers who helped out, including Ewing”s staff of Steve Shaw, Dick Bode and Ken Hook.
“I also had a lot of help from the other teams,” Ewing said.
All five county schools were represented in all three divisions.
Lake County”s track and field athletes return to action Saturday in the Coastal Mountain Conference Championships on the all-weather surface at St. Helena High School.
