BACK FOR MORE: Orange Lutheran's Blake Ayles, who is bound for USC as a tight end, is among the state's best in the discus. FILE PHOTO TRACK AND FIELD AT A GLANCEO.C. boys individual top 5: 1. Riley Sullivan (Trabuco Hills, Sr.); 2. Scott Blair (Trabuco Hills, Sr.); 3. Blake Ayles (Orange Lutheran, Sr.); 4. Johnathan Shawel (Troy, Sr.); 5. Austin Messick (Capistrano Valley, Sr.) Athletes to watch: Tyler Valdes (Dana Hills, Jr.), Louie Gallardo (Mater Dei, Sr.), Sean Wade (Servite, Sr.), Ryan Simoni (Edison, Sr.), Michael Andraszczyk (Aliso Niguel, Sr.), Talal Khan (Valencia, Sr.), Brendon Confer (Servite, Jr.), Devalee Pedrogo (Mission Viejo, So.), Justin Smith (Aliso Niguel, Sr.), Mike La Rocca (Dana Hills, Sr.), Jeff Adam (Dana Hills, Sr.) Boys team top 10: 1. Trabuco Hills; 2. Mater Dei; 3. Orange Lutheran; 4. Servite; 5. Dana Hills; 6. Mission Viejo; 7. Aliso Niguel; 8. Edison; 9. Troy; 10. Fountain Valley O.C. girls individual top 5: 1. Christine Babcock (Woodbridge, Sr.); 2. Shelby Buckley (Corona del Mar, Sr.); 3. Anja Disiena (Fountain Valley, Sr.); 4. Alex Dunne (San Clemente, Jr.); 5. Hillary Hayes (Edison, Jr.) Athletes to watch: Allison Damon (Corona del Mar, Sr.), Kyle Wolff (Woodbridge, Sr.), Kelly Collins (Santa Margarita, Sr.), Vanessa Hancock (Brea Olinda, Sr.), Meghan Foley (Edison, Jr.), Lizzy Coe (Fountain Valley, Sr.), Grace Esslinger (Dana Hills, Sr.), Chelsea Taylor (Mission Viejo, Sr.), Tiara Hamer (Capistrano Valley, So), Staci Foster (Orange Lutheran, Sr.) Girls team top 10: 1. Woodbridge; 2. Corona del Mar; 3. Mission Viejo; 4. Dana Hills; 5. Fountain Valley; 6. Edison; 7. Trabuco Hills; 8. Aliso Niguel; 9. Capistrano Valley; 10. Orange Lutheran IMPORTANT DATES Earl Engman Relays, Eagle Invite (Saturday); Irvine Invitational (March 8); Triton Invitational (March 15); Surf City Invite (March 22), Trabuco Hills Invitational (April 4-5); Arcadia Invitational (April 11-12); Mt. Sac Invitational (April 18-19); Orange County Championships (April 19); CIF Prelims (May 10); CIF Division Finals (May 17); CIF Masters Meet (May 23); CIF State Championships (May 30-31) |
Orange Lutheran's Ayles has something left to accomplish
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Track and field preview: He is among the top returning performers, along with Sullivan and Babcock.
If versatility is the key to fielding a successful track and field program, the Orange Lutheran boys' team may well accomplish great things this spring.
It was a highly successful season for the Lancers last season, led in large part by the efforts of USC-bound senior Blake Ayles.
Ayles, known primarily for his impressive gridiron exploits, brought his enormous talent to the discus last year, where he evolved into one of the best throwers in the state. He won titles at the Orange County Championships, the Trinity League championships, and the CIF-SS Division III Finals, where he set a division record by throwing 190 feet, 6 inches, breaking former Serra High standout Reedus Thurmond's mark of 189 feet, 10 inches set in 1998.
Lancers head coach Jack Preus said that Ayles is primed to have a big season.
"Being the No. 2 returner in the state, he has high goals for himself this year," he said. "He is an incredible athlete and definitely capable of winning state."
The Lancers also return three members from their county and Division III champion 1,600-meter relay team. Senior Chris Woods and juniors Kyle Dravis and Terrance Brown helped set a school record at the Masters Meet (3:18.81). Dravis is also one of the top returnees in the county in both the 100 and 200 meters.
With seniors Sam Delgado and Cameron Everhart among the top distance returnees in the county, Preus knows that his team has talent in many places.
TALENTED FIELDS
Both the boys and girls 1,600 meter competition is loaded with quality talent. On the boys side, Trabuco Hills senior Scott Blair was the county leader in the event last season (4:13:56). Teammate and cross country athlete of the year Riley Sullivan, Troy's Johnathan Shawel, Santa Margarita's Jonathan Telles, Brea Olinda's Erich Yanoschik, and Valencia's Talal Khan are some of the runners who will compete for top spot in the county.
On the girls side, Woodbridge senior Christine Babcock will be seeking her third consecutive state title. At the state meet last June, she posted the second fastest time in county history (4:38.85), trailing only former University star Polly Plummer's mark of 4:33.65 set in 1982. Others with state champion aspirations include: CdM's duo of Shelby Buckley and Allison Damon, Brea Olinda's Vanessa Hancock, and Edison's Hillary Hayes, each of whom finished in the top 20 at the state meet last year.
SURVEYS
Only a few of the 2008 track and field surveys have been received. All coaches, athletic directors and statisticians are strongly encouraged to submit a survey to preps@ocregister.com or jeichelberger@ocregister.com. You can also e-mail jeichelberger@ocregister.com to request a survey if you have not received one through the mail.
Contact the writer: jeichelberger@ocvarsity.com
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