THE TIMES 1994 SPRING ALL-COUNTY TEAMS : Foothill’s Oettinger Ices the Competition : Athlete of the year: Junior doesn’t buckle under pressure all season, dominating four track and field events.

Tara Oettinger had a number of break-through performances when the heat was on this season.

The junior responded to the pressure of the State meet by winning the long jump, becoming the first individual track and field State champion in the 30-year history of Foothill High School.

Earlier in the year, Oettinger won four events at the Orange County Championships, leading the Knights to a second-place finish.

She scored three more victories at the Century League finals, again leading Foothill to second place.

For her multitude of talents, Oettinger is The Times Orange County girls’ track and field athlete of the year.

The title is a fitting one for Oettinger, who thoroughly dominated the county on the track and in the field.

Oettinger found her niche late in the season, turning back State long jump competitors to win the event on her first effort in the finals with a personal-best 19 feet 7 1/2 inches.

On the track, Oettinger ran the 100, 200 and 400 meters, losing only one race to a county athlete all season.

Adding the 400 to her repertoire this year, Oettinger blazed to a 57.72 clocking to win going away at the county championships. And this was after easily turning back county foes in the 100 and long jump earlier in the afternoon.

Tired but finished, Oettinger got into the starting blocks for the 200, her final event of the day. Taking a huge lead coming off the turn, she cruised to victory in 25.17, equaling her personal best and county-leading time she achieved at both the Arcadia Invitational and Mt. San Antonio Relays just weeks before.

She lost to Villa Park’s Megan Reppe in the 100 at the Century League finals, but bounced back to win the 200, 400 and long jump at the same meet.

Oettinger then established a personal and county best in the long jump at the section Division II prelims, leaping 19-1 3/4.

In the division finals, without having to worry about her usual four events, Oettinger finished second in the long jump with a wind-aided effort of 18-6 3/4. She followed that with a second-place finish in the quarter mile, running 57.87, the second-fastest time of her life.

The Masters meet brought her redemption for the division loss, as Oettinger jumped 18-7 to lead all section qualifiers into the State meet.