Edison’s Poston Gets Up to Speed

Darryl Poston didn’t let a slow start prevent a fast finish Saturday at the 41st Los Angeles Invitational at the Sports Arena.

Poston, a senior at Edison High, slipped coming out of the blocks in the boys’ 50-meter dash, but still recorded the second-fastest time among 42 high-school sprinters.

Poston’s time of 5.91 seconds was also the second-fastest indoor time in county history and .07 faster than last year, when he recorded the third-best mark. San Clemente’s Tim Martin ran a county-leading 5.86 in 1994.

Poston, who has committed to play football at USC, finished second in one of eight heats. Maurice Dosty of Stockton Franklin, the state’s fastest returning 100-meter runner from last season, finished first in 5.89.

Poston, the Orange County champion in the 100 meters last season, has gained 12 pounds since a year ago and said the extra strength should help him overcome slow starts such as Saturday’s.

“It’s going to help carry me through a race,” he said. “It helps me be more controlled and gives me more strength during the race.”

Chucky Linman, who teamed with Poston in a 640-yard relay earlier in the meet, said there is a visible difference in Poston’s gait.

“He used to just run with his shoulders,” Linman said. “Now he’s running with his shoulders and his legs.”

Poston and Linman helped the Chargers produce the third-fastest time in the relay (1:08). Ryan Haasch ran the opening leg for Edison, Linman ran second, Poston third and Denny Flanagan fourth.

Flanagan also won one of six heats in the 50-meter hurdles (7.23).

In the field events, Brian Ruziecki of Huntington Beach had the county’s top performance, winning the discus with a throw of 176 feet 10 inches in the morning session at USC. Ruziecki, a junior, also placed seventh in the shotput (50-5 3/4).

Tustin junior Denny Casupanan finished second in the long jump with a mark of 21-2, teammate Alex Marbley was second in the high jump at 6-6 and David Giang of Katella was runner-up in the pole vault at 14-0.

Mission Viejo senior Dana Bethel, who went 20-1 in the long jump over the summer, got a late start warming up for the event and her best mark was 14-11, which placed her 15th out of 16 athletes.

Bethel said she was told by a race official to report to the long jump area at 11:50 a.m. for the noon competition. Thinking the event was behind schedule, Bethel said she showed up when instructed, but competitors were already in the middle of warm-ups.

Bethel said she was able to get in only two practice runs instead of her usual four and wasn’t able to step off her starting point correctly. She fouled on her first two jumps and jumped early on the other two.

“I didn’t really get warmed up,” Bethel said. “But the first two jumps were still really good.”

In the boys’ seeded mile, Corona del Mar’s Travis Beardslee finished fifth and Tustin’s Alonso Smith was last.