CLOVIS – A week ago, Villa Park senior Garrett Corcoran was content letting runners pass him down the stretch in the 1,600 meters at the CIF-SS Masters Meet.
After all, it was only a qualifying meet for the CIF State Championships.
A week later, with about 110 meters left in his qualifying heat at the state prelims, the memory of being passed down the stretch hit him like the 100-degree winds that blew through Buchanan High’s Stadium on Friday.
Corcoran, the state leader in the event, and longtime rival Sydney Gidabuday of El Modena, exchanged the lead in the final lap of the event. Just as it appeared Gidabuday would take the heat, Corcoran battled back to win in 4 minutes, 9.63 seconds. Gidabuday was second in 4:09.70.
“I wasn’t looking to expend a lot of energy in that prelims heat,” Corcoran said. “And we just broke 4:10 in prelims? We didn’t really need to do that.”
Corcoran and Gidabuday were among five Orange County runners in the 1,600 and more than two dozen who advanced to today’s finals.
“I was looking down at the shadows coming around with 150 to go and I thought I saw more than two behind Sydney,” Corcoran said. “I wanted to make sure I didn’t get passed by too many guys coming down the homestretch.”
County qualifiers in the boys 1,600 included the Brea Olinda pair of Austin Tamagno and Brennon Koryta and George Gleason of Huntington Beach. All but Koryta qualified in the heat pushed by Corcoran and Gidabuday.
“I guess that could have been my fault,” Gidabuday said. “I was trying to hang in the back and it was a little hard to move around. I panicked and I went for it a little too much with 400 to go, and I pushed the pace too strong too early.”
Winning wasn’t the goal for Corcoran on Friday. Tonight will be different.
“I came here to win,” he said. “I expect to be in a good position to PR. I really want to run faster than what I’ve run so far. … You can’t just expect it out of yourself, but that’s my goal, is to win both races tomorrow, the 16 and 32. I’m here to win, like I said.”
Despite losing its 400 relay team, Mater Dei remains in strong position to challenge for the boys team title. Senior Curtis Godin was the top qualifier in the 100 and 200 and junior Malik McMorris advanced in the shot put and discus throw.
Los Alamitos senior Mackenna Howard also advanced in both of the weight throws.
State leader Ashlyn Rambo of Mater Dei said she held a little back in qualifying fifth in the 800, running 2:10.79. She said it may take a personal best of sub-2:08 to win tonight.
Tonight, Northwood senior Bethan Knights, the national leader in the 3,200 with a best of 9:54.89, is expected to challenge the national record of 9:48.59 set by Kim Mortensen of Thousand Oaks in 1996. The 3,200 is the only event that did not hold prelims on Friday.
Contact the writer: jparenti@pressenterprise.com
