SOUTHERN SECTION TRACK / MASTERS MEET : Wilson Sizzles in 1,600 for Newbury Park

For someone who had just run the second-fastest time in the state in the boys’ 1,600 meters, Jeff Wilson of Newbury Park High was not exactly oozing with bravado after his performance Friday night in the Southern Section Masters track meet at Cerritos College.

Wilson ran a school record of 4 minutes 9.75 seconds to win the 1,600, but he said he was mentally flat.

“My legs are fine, but I am starting to suffer a little mentally,” Wilson said. “I didn’t take a break between cross-country and track and it’s starting to affect me a little bit.

“I’m having a harder time getting up for races than earlier in the season.”

One never would have known it from watching him run.

Todd Tressler of San Marcos led the field through the first 400 in 61.4 seconds, and Ryan Wilson of Agoura took over at the 800 mark in 2:04.9. Tressler regained the lead at 1,200 meters (3:09.5), but Jeff Wilson was lurking in the background, ready to pounce.

He surged into the lead with 210 meters remaining and was not seriously challenged after that. Ryan Wilson ran 4:13.17 to finish fifth and David Rojas of Moorpark lowered his personal best by 3 1/2 seconds to place seventh in 4:15.72.

Jeff Wilson ran his last 400 in 59.7 and his last 800 in 2:03.8.

The top five finishers in each event advance to the state championships at Cerritos, starting Friday.

The Thousand Oaks girls’ team continued its drive for a state title by qualifying entrants for the state meet in six events.

Marion Jones won the 100 in 11.39 seconds and the 200 in 22.78, her third-fastest time of the season and the No. 5 performance ever by a high school runner.

Jones also ran the anchor leg on the second-place 400-meter relay team and the third leg on the third-place 1,600 squad.

The Lancer quartet of Wendy Wendelstein, Lisa Gillette, Heather Hanger and Jones timed a school record of 47.31 in the short relay. The same foursome ran 3:54.33 in the 1,600 relay.

Hanger ran a personal best of 44.83 to finish fifth in the 300-meter low hurdles, and teammate Stacey Auer also advanced to the state meet with a season best of 10:52.88 for third in the 3,200.

Nikki Shaw of Fillmore defeated Shelley Taylor of Huntington Beach Edison in the girls’ 1,600, 4:55.15 to 4:57.81, then withdrew from the 800 because of a sore arch in her right foot.

Andre Desaussure of Royal, Marcus Stokes of Thacher, Maribella Aparicio of Fillmore and Cheaza Figueroa of Quartz Hill produced region-leading marks in their respective events.

Desaussure timed 48.37 to finish fourth in the boys’ 400 and Stokes timed 38.28 to place fifth in the 300 intermediate hurdles. Stokes also finished fifth in the 110 high hurdles in 14.69.

Aparicio placed second in the girls’ 3,200 in 10:39.94, and Figueroa won the girls’ long jump with a leap of 18-9 3/4.

Jeremy Fischer of Camarillo was the No. 2 qualifier in the boys’ high jump with a second-attempt clearance of 6-8, but the sophomore got a scare at his opening height of 6-4.

Fischer, who has a personal best of 6-11 1/2, missed his first two attempts at 6-4 before clearing it on his third--and final--effort.