Gleason Puts Team, Himself First

Mission Viejo’s Mark Gleason took one for the team at the Southern Section track and field championships Saturday. Gleason won the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 events to lead the Diablos to the Division II team title at Cerritos College.

Gleason, who won the three events at the Orange County Championships last month, early last week was wavering whether to compete in the half-mile, but decided to give it a try to help the Diablos win their first division title since 1975.

“I did it for the team championship,” he said. “There was no way I was passing that up.”

Gleason won the 1,600 in 4 minutes 17.42 seconds, then came back to win the 800 in 1:54.92. He then became only the second person to win three events at a section meet when he won the 3,200 in 9:14.29. Brethren Christian’s Brandon Pacheco won the same three events while competing in Division IV in 1995.

Gleason’s third victory moved the Diablos ahead of Mater Dei in the team standings. The Monarchs had taken the lead one event earlier when Mike McNair won the 200 in 21.17, his second victory of the day. McNair won the 100 in 10.55. McNair is the only Orange County athlete to qualify for Friday’s Masters Meet in the 100 or 200.

The Diablos also earned valuable points from Chris Kemp, who finished second to Gleason in the 800 (1:55.12) and 1,600 (4:18.64).

Dana Hills’ James Brown was the only county qualifier in the 110 hurdles, winning in Division II with a time of 14.25, which was second best overall. Irvine’s Al Williams, who had the county’s best time in the event, fell after tripping on the final hurdle and didn’t qualify.

Williams did come back to win the 300 hurdles in 37.51, the top time in any division. Katella’s Jim Bittner also qualified with a fourth-place time in Division II (38.52).

Aliso Niguel’s Alain Nicasio had the best mark in the Division III triple jump and the third-best overall (46 feet 5 1/4 inches).

Saddleback’s Robert Fuentes won the Division II high jump by clearing 6-6. Santosh Swamidass of El Modena also qualified with a mark of 6-6.

Travis Pendleton won the Division I discus with a mark of 165-8 and Sam Lightbody of Huntington Beach was second (164-4). Lightbody also qualified in the shotput with a second-place mark of 55-7 in his division.

In the girls’ competition, Mission Viejo was second to Riverside North in Division II and Santa Margarita was third. In Division III, Brea Olinda was second to Playa del Ray St. Bernard. Esperanza was third in Division I.

The top individual performance belonged to Trabuco Hills’ Darnesha Griffith, the niece of Florence Griffith Joyner. Griffith won the Division II long jump competition (18-8 1/2), the high jump (5-8) and was second in the triple jump (37-10 3/4).

Mission Viejo’s Ashley Bethel failed to advance in the high jump for the first time in her high school career, but did qualify for the Masters Meet by finishing second in the 100 hurdles (13.96) and long jump (18-5 1/2).

Janelle Loudat of Woodbridge ran 44.03 to win the 300 hurdles in Division II, edging Santa Margarita’s Amanda Shanklin (44.14). Loudat, a sophomore, passed Shanklin just after the turn, tripped over the final hurdle and fell onto the finish line with the fourth-best time overall.

Despite the loss, Shanklin qualified in three events. She had the best mark in her division in the triple jump (37-10 3/4) and was fourth in the 100 hurdles (14.56).

While the 800 was a disaster for Corona del Mar’s Liz Morse, who fell during the first lap and wound up as an alternate for the meet next weekend, it was blessing for Brea Olinda’s Maika Nelson, who won the Division III event (2:14.72), and Laguna Hills’ Ashley Furst, who grabbed the final qualifying spot by finishing second (2:17.55) in Division III.

University’s Allyson Marquand was the top qualifier in the 1,600 (4:55.43), and she came back with the third-best time in the 3,200 (11:00.50), an event in which she placed sixth in the state last season.

Sunny Hills’ Stevie Nicholas won the Division III high jump (5-8), Esperanza senior Stacy Jarne won the Division I discus (131-8), and Antoinette Herrera won the Division III discus (128-10).

In the girls’ pole vault, Marina’s Caroline Rebello and Katie Rorem and Esperanza’s Patricia Gutierrez each cleared 11-6 to finish in a five-way tie for first in Division I. Mission Viejo’s Sarah Higham also cleared 11-6 to win Division II.