No Individual Victories, but Team Title for Sailors

Five athletes each won two events Saturday, but it was the team that didn’t win any that proved to be the best at the Orange County Championships.

The Newport Harbor boys’ track and field team benefited from four runner-up finishes and three other top-five results to win the team title for the first time in 22 years.

“We didn’t race our best, but we raced well, so we’re pretty excited about that,” said senior Curt Herberts, who finished second in the 1,600 and 3,200 meters.

Steve Jensen also had a second-place finish in the 800 for the Sailors, and Trevor Jones finished second in the 300 hurdles and third in the 110 hurdles. Newport Harbor clinched the victory with a fourth-place finish in the 1,600 relay.

The top individual performance belonged to Kennedy senior Ahmad Wright, who almost single-handily led the Fighting Irish into a tie for fourth in the team standings. Wright won the 110 hurdles (14.74), 300 hurdles (38.97), was second in the 200 (22.08), and anchored the 400 relay team to fourth place.

Villa Park junior Augie Escobar ran his first competitive 1,600 of the season and won in a county-leading 4:17.38. Escobar then came back to edge Jensen in the 800 (1:56.77).

Buena Park’s Joe Thomas won with county-leading marks in the long jump (22-8) and triple jump (46-5). Huntington Beach senior Sam Lightbody defended his titles in the shotput (57-10 3/4) and discus (187-5 1/2). Brea Olinda junior Claude Melvin, won the 100 (10.80) with the third-fastest time in meet history and the 200 (21.79) with the fourth-fastest time.

Marina’s Logan Odden won the pole vault (15-0), Mission Viejo’s Garret Fern the high jump (6-4), Loara’s Jose Herrera the 3,200 (9:24.38) and Trabuco Hills’ Scot Thompson the 400 (49.35)