Here are some notes from Friday’s CIF-SS Masters Meet. The top six in each event moved on to state this upcoming week. Athletes could also advance to state if they hit a certain state-qualifying mark, which varied for each event:
Mater Dei’s Malik McMorris showed off his versatility on Friday.
McMorris cleared the state-qualifying mark of 57-09 in the shot put when he recorded a 58-07.00 on his final throw of the day.
In the discus, McMorris threw for a state-leading 192-11. McMorris was the only boy in the CIF-SS to move on to state in both events.
Tesoro sophomore Amanda Gehrich impressed with a 4:46.53 in the girls 1,600 to finish third. She was the only county girl to qualify for state in the race.
At the CIF-SS Finals last week, El Modena’s Sydney Gidabuday was caught down on the final lap of the Division 3 boys 1,600 by Brea Olinda’s Austin Tamagno.
At Masters, Gidabuday finished strong down the stretch and claimed the 1,600 title in 4:09.54.
“I felt a lot more comfortable this week,” Gidabuday said. “Last week, from the beginning, I felt really tight and I felt it was hard to move through the pack. I’m not sure if these guys gave their full effort (today), but I’m glad I qualified.”
The Monarchs’ Emma Radan will also move onto next week after running a 14.27 and 43.00 in the girls 100 and 300-meter hurdles, respectively. Radan now ranks fifth in county history in both events.
Mission Viejo’s Kennedy Gillian ran a personal best, 55.53, in the 400. That’s the 10th best time in the state.
Corona del Mar’s Matt Hurst ran the county’s best time in the boys 400 this year with a 47.79. Woodbridge’s Gabe Warner ran a 48.06.
Warner’s 21.51 in the 200 placed him fifth, and vaulted him into the state meet along with JSerra’s Dante Pettis (21.63)
Pettis also qualified in boys long jump, with a best mark of 23-08.00.
Mater Dei’s Curtis Godin trailed Alemany’s Dominic Davis for about 50 meters in the boys 100, but turned on his boosters in the last half of the race to claim the win in 10.55.
Costa Mesa’s Quinton Bell ran 10.87 to finish fourth and give the county two representatives next week.
Three county girls — the Monarchs’ Ashlyn Rambo, the Diablos’ Taylor Arco and Huntington Beach’s Cassie Durgy — all qualifed for state in the girls 800.
Eamon Smythe of Edison was the lone qualifier in the boys 800, which he clocked in at 1:54.46 on Friday, good for fourth place.
Lost in the domination that was the 9:54.89 ran by Northwood’s Bethan Knights in the girls 3,200 was the San Clemente’s Melissa Eisele, who placed eighth in 10:33.08.
The boys 3,200 will have a solid number of county participants at state, as Dana Hills’ Jake Ogden, Villa Park’s Garrett Corcoran, Corona del Mar’s Spencer Keith and Tamagno each qualified.
Tamagno finished in second at Masters with a 8:59.33.
Tesoro’s Mitchell Bland and Orange Lutheran’s Myles Hawkins will each go forward in the triple jump and high jump.
A 46-08.50 qualified San Clemente’s Arik Nesbit for state in the triple jump.
In the boys pole vault, Orange Lutheran’s Carl Johansson recorded a 15-08.00 to finish third. The Lancers’ David Bean and Luke Newman of Trabuco Hills also qualified for state.
The Mater Dei and Dana Hills girls each qualified in the 1,600-meter relay with times of 3:48.60 and 3:49.80. The Monarchs’ time is second all-time in county history.
The Woodbridge boys ran a 3:17.75 to finish fifth in the 1,600.
Esperanza’s William Truong posted five throws over 60 feet in the shot put to finish in second. Truong’s best attempt was a 61-04.75.
“I felt I could have done better, definitely,” Truong said. “The little things that count … but it’s easier said than done. I just have to focus on doing what I can. Hopefully (it all goes well) at state.”
San Clemente’s Kelsey Benoit also qualified in the shot put with a 60-09.25.
In the discus, the Tritons’ Rocky Fenton finished second with a 181-11. JSerra’s Luke Wattenberg qualified for state with a 168-07.
