He Clears Hurdle on Way to State

Although there are 10 obstacles in the 110-meter high hurdles, Tustin standout Dominique DeGrammont was happy to get over the seventh at the Masters meet Friday at Cerritos College.

Running at the site for the first time since leading at the state meet final last June only to crash into the seventh hurdle, DeGrammont crushed the field and his personal best with a time of 13.76 seconds, wind-aided.

It is the fourth-fastest time ever by a county athlete and lowered his personal best from 14.09.

“I’m just glad I didn’t hit the seventh [hurdle],” DeGrammont said. “Deep in my mind I really wanted it, so I had to go out and get it.”

Edison senior Nate Fox pulled an upset in the pole vault, winning with a personal-best 16 feet 1 inch. The effort equals the ninth-best in the nation this spring and bested runner-up Steve Michels of Brethren Christian by seven inches.

Another athlete to put his best foot forward was El Toro high jumper Elliott Parks, who cleared 6-10 to win and equal his personal best in qualifying for the state meet.

The top five athletes in each event from the Masters advance to state, held Friday and Saturday at Cerritos College.

Garden Grove senior Kevin Griswold ran 21.25 for fourth in the 200 meters, improving his personal best and securing the third-fastest time in county history.

The county champion also ran a non-qualifying 10.63 (wind-aided) for sixth in the 100 meters.

Two Huntington Beach athletes finished second to advance.

Jess Strutzel ran 1:54.33 for the runner-up spot in the 800 meters; junior Scott Moser was second in the discus (175-5)..

Esperanza senior Sean Jarne also advanced in the discus, throwing 168-3 for third place, and his teammate Pat Swanson advanced after placing fifth in the 110 high hurdles in a personal best 14.19.

Dan Noll of El Toro (54-5 1/4) and Brodie Riederich (54-2) advanced in the shotput, finishing second and third, respectively.

Matt Blasdel of Santa Margarita and DeGrammont finished fourth and fifth to advance in the 300 intermediate hurdles. Blasdel, who won the Southern Section Division II title in the event last week, ran 38.03, just ahead of DeGrammont (38.54).

Villa Park’s 1,600 relay team of Lyndon Covington, Steve Moffat, Sean Vickers and Chuck Reid ran a county-best 3:21.33 for fifth.