San Diego Prep Track : Young Paces Patrick Henry

Patrick Henry High School’s 440 relay team has been the Patriots’ highlight this season.

The team of Pat Gregory, Mike Conway, Charles Hampton and Mike Baker ran a San Diego County best of 42.38 seconds early in the season, and many expect them to go faster before the season is over.

Wednesday, however, the team was missing Hampton and Gregory and ran an unspectacular 44.1 as Patrick Henry defeated Mira Mesa, 76-60, in Eastern League action. Coach Elmer Runge said he wanted to rest Gregory, who strained his right hamstring two weeks ago. Hampton competed in four other events, the limit in high school meets.

The Patriots were led by Junior Young, who had the county’s second-longest triple jump before Wednesday, leaped 45-feet 2-inches. The jump was nearly a foot farther than his previous best, but still more than a foot shy of Monte Vista’s Matt Farmer, who has jumped 46-6 1/2.

Conway, who also ran the quarter mile and 100-meter races, ran a 22.4, a tenth of a second off the county best to win the 220.

The Marauders had some good marks, too. Ray Rowe threw 141-0 to win the discus; Mark Steele ran a 15.4 to win the 120 high hurdles; Greg Hilzer won the 330 intermediate hurdles in 41.1 and Jamie Silva cleared 12-6 to win the pole vault.

In the girls’ meet, Mira Mesa defeated Henry, 93-34.

Adrian Slater of Mira Mesa won two races, the 100 meters (12.4 seconds) and the 220 in a county best of 25.6.

Darla Vaughn won the 110 low hurdles in an outstanding 14.9. But Coach Chuck McIntire said she can go faster.

“She’s still recouping from a leg injury,” he said. “She’s not running at top speed. She ran just fast enough to keep the lead. She’s capable of a much better time.”

The Marauders’ 440 relay team of Michelle Johnson, Nay Carini, Florida Tiqui and Sharon Anderson won with a 49.88, the third-fastest county time this season.

Freshman Lenora Lambert of Mira Mesa won the 440 with a time of 1:03.3.