Coming off a lifetime-best effort in the 100 hurdles, Edison senior Michaela Schaeffer was motivated to see if she could duplicate that feat in the triple jump.
Schaeffer’s effort turned out to be another lifetime best and the county’s top jump under all conditions this season. She produced a leap of 38 feet, 10 1/2 inches to take first at the Beach Cities Invitational on Saturday at Huntington Beach High.
“It definitely helped me that I had already PR’ed in the 100 hurdles earlier in the meet and I was really pumped up,” Schaffer said. “I like jumping at this pit and I like the boards.”
Schaeffer, the three-time defending Sunset League triple jump champion, credited keeping consistent form and hitting a reference point on the runway as important factors in her performance.
“I try to have the same run and the same approach every time,” Schaeffer said. “If I am over the long jump board after my second phase, I know I’m in a good place.
“On my winning jump, I was well over the long jump board and that helped me reach my last bit in the pit.
Boys track & field: Taylor, Anderson win twice at Beach Cities Invitational
A long day of competition proved to be a successful one for Los Alamitos senior Jordan Agnew.
Agnew and Dana Hills junior Michaela King were in a tight battle coming down to the finish in the 300 hurdles, before Agnew managed to pull ahead for the win in a time of 45.30.
“I saw Michaela on the outside of me and I just tried to keep up with her and give my all at the end of the race,” Agnew said
King was second in a time of 45.47.
Agnew, who had a lifetime best long jump of 18-10½ in last year’s invitational, won this year’s competition with a jump of 17-9.
Dana Hills senior Brenna Barker recorded a jump of the same distance on her final attempt, but Agnew was declared the winner based on a farther distance on her second best jump.
Agnew, who competed in four different events on the day, was satisfied with her victorious effort in the long jump despite not having her usual energy.
“I was happy with my performance on tired legs,” Agnew said.
King had a thrilling come from behind win in the 100 hurdles. She trailed early in the race before pulling even with Schaeffer near the final hurdle. The two came over the final hurdle nearly step for step, with King inching ahead right at the finish line in a time of 15.36.
“I could see her (Schaeffer) hurdling at the exact same time as me and I just tried to push it harder on that last stretch,” King said.
Schaeffer (15.38) was second with Barker (15.70) placing third.
Los Alamitos freshman Ashley Willingham nearly broke a meet record en route to winning the 400. Willingham pulled away down the back stretch to win in a time of 57.98. The meet record of 57.96 was set in 2006 by Mayfair’s Tiera Hilliard.
“I was able to get out hard, maintain, and then give it everything I had in the last 100,” Willingham said.
Sonora junior Madison Carney was the top finisher in the 100, running to a victory in a wind-aided time of 12.39. That time is the fourth best FAT under all conditions in the county to date this year.
“My goal was to get under to 12.50 in this race and seeing that time is exciting,” Carney said.
Mission Viejo sophomore Megan Miller used a nice burst around the final curve in the 800 to pull out a victory in 2:19.79.
“I just try to go with how I feel and then push as hard as I can,” Miller said. “This is my first year running the 800 and I’m still learning as I go.”
Marina senior Kylie Nishisaka pulled away from the pack in third lap of the 1,600 to win in a time of 5:09.17
“I felt really good and strong and had a lot left at the end,” Nishisaka said. “I’m training through high mileage to help me in the two mile.”
Diablos freshman Kennedy Gillian won the 200 in a time of 25.90. Carney (25.92) was second.
Mission Viejo’s 1,600 relay team set a new meet record with a time of 3:59.25. That time eclipsed the old record of 4:02.27 set by Santa Margarita in 2005.
Marina junior Eileen Stressling pulled away over the final half of the 3,200 to win in a time of 11:24.44.
In the high jump, Barker and Huntington Beach junior Susannah Oleson each tied for the top clearance of the meet at 5-4. Oleson was credited with the win based on less total jumps in the competition.
Newport Harbor senior pole vaulter Peri Howser won her second invitational title of the season with a clearance of 11 feet.
Los Alamitos junior Mackenna Howard (38-8) won the shot put.
Dana Hills was the team winner of the meet with 135.20 points. Mission Viejo (121.20) was second and Los Alamitos (89) was third.
Contact the writer: jeichelberger@ocregister.com
