Speed Kicks In for Aztecs’ Bousquet

Esperanza senior Ryan Bousquet saw his winning time in the boys’ invitational 1,600 meters at the FloJo Memorial Arcadia Invitational at Citrus College Saturday, but it took a while to make the connection.

“Right now I understand that I ran 4 minutes 9 seconds, but it hasn’t hit me yet,” Bousquet said. “I’m still wondering where Ryan is at.”

It was easy to understand why Bousquet was feeling out of body. He carved nearly eight seconds off his personal best in the event while running the nation’s fastest time this season by more than four seconds (4:09.37). Bousquet is only the second Orange County high school runner to break 4:10 since 1984.

“I wanted it so bad, I could taste the victory,” said Bousquet, who signed Wednesday to run at Arizona State. “Today I’m the best runner here, tomorrow it could be a different story.”

Bousquet drafted the lead pack for the first three laps, never losing contact with the leaders, who included defending champion Brian Turner of Omaha (Neb.) Millard North High.

“If you just go with the leaders, it’s not bad,” Bousquet said. “You need to be in that pack, you can’t play catch-up. No matter how fast they go, your body automatically goes along without thinking about it.”

Bousquet took the lead on the final backstretch, but Jon Rankin of Spring Valley Monte Vista moved ahead going into the curve and appeared to have a full head of steam. Bousquet shifted gears and swung outside, then passed Rankin coming out of the curve and held on to win by five meters, covering the final lap in 58.1.

Bousquet, who ran his previous best of 4:16.90 while finishing sixth in state last season, knew he had the speed to finish strong, especially after running an unusually quick 800 meters at the start of this season.

“I have a lot more strength in my kick now,” he said. “Before last year I would struggle with that. I ran 1:57.09 my first half-mile of the year and I wasn’t winded at all. I have a lot more confidence in my kick in the last 200 meters.

“Whether you run 4:12 or 4:09, it’s going to hurt just the same. It’s just you’re going to go home happier running 4:09 and winning the thing.”

Corona del Mar senior Liz Morse produced the county’s other nation-leading time. Morse won the invitational 800 in a personal-best 2:09.40. Morse followed Shantae McKinney of Westchester through the first lap at a calm 1:04 pace.

Spring Dawson of Vallejo moved into the lead on the backstretch, but Morse sped by on the curve and held off a late push from Heather Hennessy of Los Gatos.

Morse ran the second-fastest time in the nation at the Trabuco Hills Invitational last weekend (2:12.85), but Corona del Mar Coach Bill Sumner thought her opening lap of 1:01.6 was a bit too fast.

“I actually listened to my coach this time and did what he said,” Morse said.

Woodbridge freshman Michelle Sanford had the top mark among county athletes in the field events. Sanford finished third in the triple jump with a mark of 39-7 3/4, the second-best jump in the state this season and fifth-best in county history.

Other county-leading girls’ marks came from Newport Harbor’s Amber Steen, who finished fourth in the 1,600 (4:58.38), Mission Viejo’s Dana Bethel, who finished fifth in the 100 hurdles (14.16), and Fountain Valley’s Julie Allen, who finished ninth in the 3,200.

Other county leaders in the boys’ competition were Newport Harbor’s Trevor Jones, who had the second-fastest time in the 300 hurdles (37.16) and the sixth-fastest time in the 100 hurdles (14.21). Katella’s Danny Mejia improved his county-leading time while finishing 14th in the 3,200 (9:17.93).

State leaders Travis Pendleton of Esperanza and Logan Odden of Marina came up short in their events. Pendleton finished second in the discus (192-10) to Nick Arrenhius of Orem (Utah) Mountain View (207-0). Odden finished second in the pole vault (16-0) to Shane Hackett of Verdugo Hills (16-4).

Notes

Long Beach Poly’s Bennie Robinson won the 100 meters in a state-leading 10.41 seconds and won the 200 in 21.64. Long Beach Wilson’s Lashinda Demus won the 300 hurdles in a meet-record and nation-leading time of 40.97.