Orange Glen Invitational : Efforts of Price, McGill and Noon Make It a Field Day

On his first long jump attempt at Friday’s Orange Glen Invitational, University City’s Jerome Price pushed a legend aside.

Price soared 24-0 1/4, topping the meet mark of 23-9 1/2 set by one Willie Banks, then of Oceanside High, in 1974.

Banks is world record-holder in the triple jump. In that event Friday, Lenny McGill continued his steady climb toward 50 feet, jumping 49-3, which was just short of another Banks record (49-9 1/2 in 1974).

And now something from the I’ve-Heard-That-Before Department: Fallbrook High junior Brent Noon set a county record in the shot put.

For the third time this year, Noon established a new all-time county best and 1989 national best. His 68-9 1/2 was nearly eight inches better than his previous 68-1 3/4.

Noon also established a season county best in the discus, hitting 180-7.

“The last couple of weeks I’ve started to work on (the discus), and it’s just starting to come around now,” Noon said. “That’ll help my shot.”

It will help his shot because Noon uses a similar spin technique in each event.

Noon did not foul on any of his four shotput throws, which has been a problem in the past few weeks. His improvement in that area should now allow him to concentrate on getting a 70-footer in competition, which he said he does regularly in practice.

Noon said Thursday’s final dual meet may be the place.

“It’s always nice to throw at home,” he said.

As for Price, the senior did not appear to be fazed by his effort.

“It’s pretty nice, breaking (Banks’) record,” he said. “I’ve heard of him because of the Olympics.”

If Price seemed to be preoccupied, he had a right to be. On his record-breaking jump, he took off more than a foot behind the board.

“If I would have hit the board, I would have had a 25,” he said. “But I didn’t want to move my step up because I thought I might foul.”

McGill, the Orange Glen triple jumper, improved two inches at his home track with his 49-3. But he wants to go 50.

“I know it’s going to come,” he said.

What’s holding McGill back--if you can be held back and still jump past 49 feet--is lack of upper-body strength. Seems his rear end is landing behind his feet rather than following through.

“On my 49-3,” McGill explained, “I was consistent on each phase except my last phase--my weakest phase, I need to work on that. I need to get more height. When I got my 49-3, my butt hit the ground. I need to pull through with my stomach and chest.”

McGill has just recently begun work on his upper-body strength.

“I didn’t really work on it till this year, and now it’s just starting to come through. I’m just waiting to pop the big one.”

Other highlights:

--San Pasqual’s Francis O’Neil placed first in three races--the 800 (1:56.4), the mile (4:24.3) and the two mile (9:28.7) and was thus named the track athlete of the meet.

--A trio of county pole vaulters proved that, yes, there is some San Diego-area talent in that event. Orange Glen’ Wes Stephens, Escondido’s Jeff Bowles and Granite Hills’ Brian Chase all cleared 14-6.

--Rochelle Johnson of Patrick Henry triple-jumped a girls’ season county best of 40-6 3/4.

--Morse’s Mulu Tosi threw a season county best of 42-2 in the girls’ shotput.

--Rancho Buena Vista’s Kira Jorgensen ran a season county best of 11:02.3 in the two-mile.