Last Saturday at the Bronco Invitational, San Diego section’s first major track invitational of the season, held this year at Rancho Bernardo, a handful of Islanders picked-up where they left off last year. In the high jump, Adam Munns just missed at 6 feet 6 inches, which would have been the leading section mark. Still, his 6-4 effort put him in a dead heat for top honors with Mt. Carmel’s Roger Endreson and West Hills’ Mike Edmonson. Based on overall misses, Endreson won the event with Munns 2nd and Edmonson 3rd. Reid McLean placed 8th at 6 feet even. McLean also placed 2nd in the long jump with 20’ 2” and ran a 51.2 second leadoff leg on the mile relay team. Jake Ruzevick stepped up in distance to try his hand at the 3200 (basically 2-miles). His 9:57 sixth place effort after a slow early pace and hot conditions puts him in the game with many of the county’s top runners. He already has a 4:30.5 mark in the 1600 this year. In the girls 1600, run in hot, dry conditions, Katherine Wingert faded but managed to hold on to 4th place in 5:27.21. Nila Heurtelou placed 5th in the 100 in 13.08. Not a bad time for a dirt track. Beth Wittry scored a double of sorts. Not only did she win the open 400 in 60.58, she broke her own school record in the triple jump by nearly a foot with a 6th place leap of 33 feet 6 ½ inches. Here is a QuickTime Video Beth Breaking the Record. In the relays, which were run in divisions, the girls 4x100 team consisting of Heurtelou, Wittry, Sara Player and Danielle Eckert placed 2nd with 54.12. The girls 4 x 400 was won in a lark with Wittry, Heurtelou, Player and Wingert in 4:22.41. The boys 4 x 100 consisting of Gino and Leon Jacobs, David Zodrow and Jeremy Hastings placed 2nd with 49.94. Ruzevick, McLean, Hastings and Leon Jacobs combined for 2nd in the 4 x 400 with 3:48.64. As a team, the girls should be a bit stronger this year than last because of a several additions. We have a small but talented veteran base consisting of Wittry, Wingert, Heurtelou, Jamie Klages , Caitlin Alley, Megan Mushovic, Caitlin Bigham, Morgan Gary and Ashley Houston with mid-distance and distance support from Monica Ascolani, Danielle Cabana and Justine Gordon. Freshman, Sara Player, should be a major addition in the jumps, hurdles sprints and throws. Freshman Danielle Eckert is looking great in the pole vault and will help in the other jumps and relays. Based on this the girls team has a better than even chance at a 3rd consecutive league title. With Munns, Ruzevick and McLean the boy’s team will be strong at the big meets where individual efforts take precedence. Adam Munn’s twin, Brad, is in this league as well but he’s out for the season with a basketball injury to his ankle. As a team, however, there is insufficient depth to contend with the larger teams in our league. We should break 500, however. On the positive side we have Blake Gorey and Alton Smith from cross country as well as some developing runners in Leon and Gino Jacoby, Brent Gladney, Jeremy Hastings, Brandon Hoover and Zac Kinnett. Our throws team, this year coached by Mel Bechtel, is led by Levi Lozano and David Zodrow. There are several new recruits in the wings but I’ll hold off on the throws situation for a week or so until the picture becomes clear. The prognoses looks positive. As for the other coaches, Kerry Elders (7-2 high jumper) coaches the high jump and hurdles; Mark Tompkins (4:10 USNA miler), the distance runners; Jack Nash (Villanova) and myself the rest.