SOUTHERN SECTION MASTERS TRACK AND FIELD : Heads, Tift and Gonzales Lead Way to State

Don’t tell Newport Harbor throwing coach Tony Ciarelli that three is a crowd.

Sailor throwers Wade Tift, Steve Gonzales and Gina Heads advanced to next week’s State meet by finishing in the top five in their events.

Tift, who finished fourth in the shot put last season at State, cruised to victory Friday in the Masters Meet at Cerritos College. The UCLA-bound senior put the shot 59 feet 8 1/2 inches on his second of four attempts to win by over two feet. Phil Fonua of Manhattan Beach Mira Costa finished second (57-5).

“I just came in here hoping that I could make it to the State meet,” said Tift, who has lost only twice this season.

“I have got a lot more in me. I just need to hit the right positions.”

Heads, who finished second in the shot put and discus, advanced to the State meet for the fourth consecutive year.

The Stanford-bound senior launched a personal best of 143-1 on her third throw to finish behind Nadia Lopez of Arroyo Grande (151-11). Heads’ 44-8 1/2 for mark in the shot put was good for second.

“Gina’s definitely the veteran of the group,’ said Ciarelli, quick to point out that his star joined the track team in late February after fulfilling commitments on the Sailors’ State tournament-qualifying basketball team.

Said Heads: “I had a good week of practice, so I was hoping to maybe open some eyes today.”

Gonzales, the reigning county and Sea View League champion, finished second in the discus, tossing 169-4 on his opening throw.

“From the beginning, we’ve been working toward getting to State, so I’m happy,” Gonzales said.

“A first and three seconds at the Masters Meet . . . that’s about as good as you can get,” Ciarelli said.

Other county highlights included:

--Buena Park senior Carrie Garritson, who finished second in the 1,600 (5:01.90) and won the 3,200 (10:45.52).

“I wanted to break five minutes in the mile and I came here just to qualify in the two-(mile),” Garritson said.

--Edison’s Julie Koudelka, the Southern Section Division I and county champion, out-kicked Laguna Hills junior Tiffany Boykin to win the 800 in 2:12.99. Boykin was second in a personal best of 2:13.83.

“Oh my gosh, I can’t believe it, a four-second PR,” said Koudelka, whose previous best was 2:16.40 in last week’s divisional race. Santa Margarita freshman Katie Nuanes (fourth in 2:15.41) and Esperanza junior Courtney Pugmire (fifth in 2:15.50) also posted personal bests in moving on to next week’s State meet.

--Orange senior Jaime Martinez dominated the 3,200 from the opening gun, racing to a personal best time of 9:06.08.

“I know the competition is going be here next week, so as soon as I can get some company up there, I’ll be ready to go,” said the Century League and section Division III winner in the event.

--Foothill junior Tara Oettinger won the long jump (18-7). The Foothill boys’ 1,600 relay finished in the fifth and final qualifying spot in a season-best 3:19.20.

--Saddleback senior Mel Lete advanced to the State meet for the second consecutive year in the 300 intermediate hurdles, running 37.62 for fourth.

--Esperanza junior Kristy Kierulff won the high jump, leaping 5-10. The section Division III champion has cleared 5-10 or better three times this spring.

--The Esperanza duo of Pugmire and Carrie Caulkins advanced to the State meet in the 1,600, by virtue of a 3-4 finish. Pugmire, the county 1,500 champion, ran 5:04.07, while Caulkins, a first-team all-county selection in cross-country, ran 5:05.72.