Arcadia Invitational Track Meet : Corona del Mar Boys Set Distance Medley Records

Although Orange County athletes managed just two victories at the Arcadia Invitational track and field meet Saturday night, most found what they came looking for:

Fast times.

Especially Corona del Mar’s boys distance medley team of Greg Shryock, Mark Barnum, Jay Lightburn and Eddie Lavelle.

As happens since the inception of the meet 22 years ago, Arcadia provided the quality competition, the all-weather track and the cool night air that helps to provide for personal, school, and in the Sea Kings’ case, county records.

With Shryock (3:07.7 for 1,200 meters); Barnum (49.83 for 400), Lightburn (1:57.3 for 800) and Lavelle (4:13 for 1,600), the Corona del Mar foursome sped to victory in 10 minutes 9.71 seconds.

That time not only broke the school record of 10:17 set here two years ago, and the meet record of 10:13.6 set by Crescenta Valley 13 years ago, but it also broke the Orange County record of 10:15.06 set by El Modena in 1981.

In addition, it is the fastest time in the nation this year.

Lavelle anchored the victorious relay by holding off Walnut’s Scott Hempel, a longtime rival, who finished six seconds back at 10:15.5. The performance was particularly impressive since less than two hours earlier, Lavelle placed second in the open 1,600 in 4:11.94, the fourth-fastest time in the nation this year.

“They ran great, especially with Eddie coming back off that 4:11,” said Sea King Coach Bill Sumner.

The other victory won by a county team was that of Mission Viejo’s girls 1,600 relay, which, with the anchoring of freshman Andrea Dean, won the seeded event in 3:56.07. Dean had about a 20-yard lead with 200 meters to go, but had to hold off Oxnard Rio Hondo senior Angela Burham, the fastest returning 200-meter runner in the nation and Track & Field News’ female athlete of the year in 1988.

“Right near the end I didn’t think I could stay strong so I just tried to hold on,” Dean said. “I heard the crowd, too, so I knew she was real close. It was real exciting.”

In the girls’ 3,200, University freshman Tanja Brix ran the 16th fastest time in county history with a 10:54 clocking for fourth place. Brix finished 13 seconds behind winner Lisa Dressel of Spokane, Wash. Dressel’s time of 10:41.23 is the best in the nation this year.

In the boys’ 3,200, Dana Hills’ Mike Tansley was fourth in 9:10.11, a school record by six seconds and the fastest county time this year. And in the girls’ 1,600, Edison freshman Shelley Taylor was sixth in 5:09.53, a personal best by 10 seconds.

San Clemente sophomore Tim Martin found his first experience at Arcadia fun, but somewhat trying. Martin finished seventh in both the 100 meters (10.91) and the 200 (22.22), as he was outclassed, outsized and overpowered.

“Those guys are big and those guys are fast ,” Martin said of the 200-meter field, whose top three finishers--San Francisco’s Barry Smith (21.34), Mayfair’s Erik Mitchell (21.35) and Oakland’s Jeff Laynes (21.38)--recorded the top three times in the nation this year.

Other top county performances included Edison’s Doug Nichols, who placed fourth in the 800 in 1:53.93; El Dorado’s Lori Svoboda, second in the high jump at 5-8; Woodbridge’s Kaci Keffer, fifth in the 400 (57.75) and Mission Viejo’s Tammy Graham, seventh in the 300 hurdles (47.62).

Mission Viejo’s girls 400 relay was seventh in 49.67.

In the morning’s open portion of the meet, Mater Dei’s Melissa McDonald set an open meet record by winning the high jump at 5-7. Other county winners in the morning meet were Irvine’s Bev Oden in the discus (131-4) and Westminster’s Shellie Tochluk in the 400 meters (56.96).