Haddan Might Get Back in the Running at Woodbridge

Patrick Haddan walked onto the Mater Dei track Thursday, saw the freshly painted lines and heard the crack of the starter’s pistol, signifying the start of the Monarchs’ nonleague meet against Woodbridge High.

Haddan was one of the county’s top 400-meter runners last season, winning a Serra League title as a sophomore at Mater Dei, but decided to skip the current track season to focus on basketball.

He transferred to Woodbridge in the fall, where he averaged 5.2 assists per game last season, but felt he needed to play year-round if he was going to improve.

That would leave little time to run track.

“Basketball is causing too much of a conflict,” Haddan said a week ago. “My [club] team is going to North Carolina in May and I’d have to miss some pretty important meets.”

But Haddan couldn’t ignore that feeling when he walked across the track last week. He came to Mater Dei to see old teammates and cheer on his brother, Michael, a freshman distance runner for Woodbridge.

He left feeling like he might have time to run, after all.

“I miss the competing,” Haddan said Saturday, “and I know I’d do really well in the 400 this year.”

Woodbridge Coach George Varvas has a long-standing policy of allowing students to participate in track on a limited basis.

“We sure hope he will consider that possibility,” Varvas said. “The door has always been left open.”

POWER OUTAGE

Edison Coach Erich Moreno confirmed the boys’ team will not participate in the Orange County Championships next month because it is competing in the Oakland Relays the same day.

Moreno said he made arrangements to compete in Oakland last May, before the Orange County Championships were scheduled for April 7, a week earlier than usual because of a conflict with the Arcadia Invitational.

Edison’s absence from the county meet means Darryl Poston won’t have a chance to defend his titles in the 100 and 200 meters.

If you have an item or idea for the track and field report, you can fax us at (714) 966-5663 or e-mail us at: dan.arritt@latimes.com

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TRACK AND FIELD TOP 10

BOYS

Orange County Sportswriters’ Poll

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Pos. School League 1. Tustin Golden West 2. Santa Margarita Serra 3. Mission Viejo South Coast 4. Newport Harbor Sea View 5. Edison Sunset 6. Esperanza Sunset 7. Corona del Mar Pacific Coast 8. Irvine Sea View 9. Woodbridge Sea View 10. El Toro South Coast

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GIRLS

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Pos. School League 1. Mission Viejo South Coast 2. Woodbridge Sea View 3. Esperanza Sunset 4. Santa Margarita Serra 5. Corona del Mar Pacific Coast 6. Newport Harbor Sea View 7. Mater Dei Serra 8. Cypress Empire 9. Santa Ana Valley Century 10. Marina Sunset

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