SOUTH COAST LEAGUE MEET : Niednagel Takes Two; San Clemente Wins

Daniel Niednagel of Dana Hills came up just short of capturing a distance triple at the South Coast League track and field finals Thursday at Irvine Stadium.

The junior led Dana Hills to third place in the team standings (111 points) by winning the 800- and 3,200-meter runs, but he couldn’t win the 1,600 to complete a distance sweep.

San Clemente won the meet with 125 1/2 points and Capistrano Valley was second with 116.

In the 3,200, Niednagel and Mike Farrell of San Clemente ran most of the race together, with Niednagel dogging Farrell’s strides until the last lap.

Niednagel then out-kicked Farrell to win the race in 9 minutes 30.2 seconds. Farrell was second in 9:35.7 and San Clemente’s Alexander Obradovic was third in 9:41.1.

Forty-five minutes later, Niednagel won the 800 in 1:56.5. In his third race, the 1,600, which Farrell won, Niednagel didn’t place in the top six.

Tim Martin of San Clemente also won two events, recording a 10.98 in the 100 and a 21.99 in the 200.

In the girls’ team race, Mission Viejo overwhelmed its opponents, winning with 175 points. Dana Hills was second (99) and San Clemente third (69).

Lisa Fager of Mission Viejo led a sweep of the triple jump with a distance of 38 feet 11 inches. Teammates Tammy Graham (36-8 1/2) and Nikki Charette (36-8) were next. Mission Viejo sophomore Andrea Dean won the 100 (12.75) and 200 (26.38).

Dana Hills’ Shelby MacKay denied Mission Viejo’s Hillary Mann a sweep of the hurdle races by winning the 100 in 15.40. Mann was second in 15.58. In the 300 hurdles, Mann won in 45.83, with MacKay second in 46.55.