NORWALK – Newport Harbor senior Ethan Cochran and Canyon senior Cody Crampton prepared for defense of their respective state titles with victories in their final CIF tune-up.
Cochran took home the discus title, while Crampton won the high jump title in a jump-off at the CIF-SS Masters Meet Friday at Cerritos College.
Cochran, the No. 2 discus thrower in the nation, struggled early in the competition, but qualified for the state meet on his fifth throw and then uncorked a throw of 197-10 on his sixth and final throw to take home the title.
“I was tight on my first couple throws in the discus,” Cochran said. “Once I got 171-4 on my fifth throw, I just let loose on my final throw.”
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OCVarsity Hot Shots: Friday’s Masters Meet
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San Clemente senior Quaid Vuncannon finished third in the discus with a distance of 184-5.
“I felt comfortable coming in, and hitting 184 feet was a big throw right off the start,” Vuncannon said.
Also advancing in the discus was Newport Harbor senior Steve Michaelsen (177-9).
Earlier in the meet, Cochran finished second in the shot put with a throw of 61-7¼ and will enter the state meet as the state leader in the event.
Servite senior Connor Einck (58-6½) and Sailors junior Marty Taylor (57-9) also advanced to the state meet.
Crampton, who cleared a lifetime best 6-11 in last year’s state meet and in a dual meet earlier this season, scaled 6-10¼ to win the Masters title.
“My preparation was to qualify and I’m aiming to peak next week,” Crampton said.
Mission Viejo junior Sage Stone cleared the state meet qualifying standard of 6-5 to advance.
Mater Dei senior Corey Hammond pulled the tightest win of the meet in the 300 hurdles.
Finding himself in the middle of the pack coming around the final curve, Hammond found a burst down the back and over the final two hurdles. He crossed the finish line in a lifetime best 37.35, edging Serra junior Lloyd Siscard (37.36).
“I know I had to get out fast,” Hammond said. “I was able to keep myself calm, push it over the last 100 meters, and keep good form.”
El Toro junior Juan Gonzalez once again used a strong finishing kick in the final 200 meters of the 1,600 to finish second in a lifetime best effort of 4:11.28.
“I was boxed in on the final lap, but with 200 meters to go, I got to the outside and went for it,” Gonzalez said.
San Clemente senior Herbert Gamboa (10.59) advanced to the state meet in the 100, finishing second to Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks junior Khalfani Muhammad (10.51).
“Muhammad came up in the last 50 meters and I started pressing a bit, but I was happy when I crossed the finish line in 10.59,” Gamboa said.
Woodbridge senior Dragan Simic advanced to the state meet with a lifetime best 1:52.97 to place third in the 800.
El Toro senior Justin Schneider made the state meet in the long jump, finishing fourth with mark of 23-2½. Fellow Chargers senior Kevin Durham will be the county’s lone representative in the 3,200, grabbing the final qualifying spot with a seventh-place finish in a time of 9:08.15.
