BERKELEY — Kelseyville High School”s Megan Touros gave it her best shot on Saturday during the girls” long jump finals at the North Coast Section Meet of Champions at Edwards Stadium on the U.C. Berkeley campus.
A sophomore competing in her second MOC, which is an achievement all by itself, Touros cleared 16 feet, 3 inches to finish tied for 14th in the 24-jumper field. She was the 14th seed headed into the competition.
“She did the best of the Redwood Empire jumpers,” said Rico Abordo, the former longtime track and field coach for the Knights. “It was a very solid effort. She is one talented and focused individual.”
Touros cleared 15-7 1/2 in her first jump, 16-3 in her second jump and scratched on her final jump. A week earlier she jumped 16-5 1/2 to finish first in the North Coast Section Class A Meet in Santa Rosa.
At her MOC debut in 2013 as a freshman, Touros placed 19th with a jump of 16-1 1/2.
“I think one thing that helped her was being there last year,” Abordo said. “She”s accomplishing her goals.”
Arden Creson of Miramonte won the event with a jump of 18-2. Only the top three finishers in each event move on to next weekend”s CIF State Championships and it took a jump of 18-1/2 to make the cut.
Touros joined two other Lake County athletes taking part in Saturday”s action at Berkeley. Clear Lake”s Gabe Strong, a senior, placed 20th out of 24 in the boys” discus with a toss 113-8 and Middletown”s Meghan Carlisle, a sophomore, recorded no height in the girls” pole vault.
In the discus, Strong would have needed a throw of 156-4 to reach state. Matt Thomas of Acalanes won the event at 171-5.
In the girls” pole vault, Carlisle would have needed to clear 11 feet to reach state. Lauren Larson of San Ramon Valley won at 11-8.
