It was a good day at the track for the handful of Islander thinclads who managed to survive to the CIF Prelims held at Mt. Carmel Saturday.

At stake was advancement to the state qualifying CIF finals this coming Saturday. The Division I and Division II meets were held simultaneously. The Top 18 athletes out of the combined events advanced by performance to this weekend’s finals, with the top 9 placed in the ‘A’ heat, with the rest in the ‘B’ heat. At the finals, the Top 3 athletes out of the ‘A’ heat for each event will advance to the state meet.

Jake Ruzevick placed a close second in the Division II 1,600-meter run in 4:22.28, and easily won the 800-meter run in 1:58.65 to advance to the ‘A’ heat in both events. Jamie Klages and Sarah Player high jumped 5-4 and 5-1 respectively to advance, with Klages placed in the ‘A’ heat and Player in the ‘B’ heat. Player won the Division II 300-meter hurdles in 45.99 to advance to the ‘A’ heat in that event.

Reid McLean advanced to the ‘A’ heat of the boys 300-meter hurdles with a time of 39.79. Although he finished in second place, it was nearly a dead heat, with the winner only .02 seconds in front. McLean also high jumped 6-2 to advance to the ‘B’ heat.

Adam Munns won the high jump at 6-6, and then raised the bar to 6-8.25 inches to try for the school record. It was very close, but the old CHS high jump record still stands.

Sophomore Danielle Eckert is coming into her own in the pole vault event. Her vault of 9-feet, 8-inches was the third best in Division II and a new school record. She had tied Lisa Robbins’ record of 9-6 earlier this year at the Frosh-Soph Championships. She was well over 9-8 and nearly made 10 feet. She will have another shot at 10 feet this weekend in the ‘B’ heat of the pole vault. Ben Enowitz, the only freshman in the 3,200-meter run, was a little off, but got good experience in a big race and finished in 11:16.

At the 4-mile bridge run Sunday, Coronado High School distance Coach Jack Nash won the 50-55 division award with a time of 23:47. Track team senior Kasey Zapatka won the 13-17 division in 24:12. Coronado Middle School 8th grade runner David Grimes was right there as well in around 25:15, followed by CHS freshman Jose Tijerina in 10th place. CMS 7th grader Sallie Privett, placed second in the women’s 13-17 division with a time of 25:25.