Thune, Holland Still Graduate to Masters

The champions received the most attention Saturday at the Southern Section finals, but some noteworthy performances could also be found below the winners’ names.

Jenny Thune of Brea Olinda and Steve Holland of Whittier Christian didn’t win division titles at Cerritos College, but the seniors will return to the same site Friday after qualifying for Masters.

Thune finished fourth in the 800 meters in Division II, covering the two-lap race in 2 minutes 15.35 seconds. She chipped nearly three seconds off her lifetime best in the event.

Holland finished second in the shotput in Division IV with a mark of 54 feet 10 1/2 inches. It was his second-best throw ever and earned him the ninth and final qualifying spot by 4 1/2 inches.

“I was real shocked,” said Holland, who found out he qualified Sunday morning. “The throw was OK, but I felt like I had so much more. I just went home right afterward, I was so bummed.”

Glen Chandler, who coaches the shotput and discus throwers at Whittier Christian, stuck around to keep track of Holland’s qualifying status. Holland had the third-best mark after Divisions III and IV had finished, but the top two divisions still remained.

“I sat there on top of a railing and wrote down all the marks from Divisions I and II,” Chandler said. “Steve dropped to No. 5 [on the qualifying list], then No. 7. That’s when I started thinking he might get in the top nine.”

With Holland holding the final qualifying spot, Huntington Beach junior Brian Ruziecki had the last chance to bounce him. But Ruziecki, who has a county-leading mark of 57-11 in the event, only managed 49-11.

“That’s what got him in,” Chandler said. “If Brian had popped a good one, Steve’s season would be over.”

Instead, Holland becomes Whittier Christian’s first Masters qualifier since the 1980s.

“It’s been a long, long time,” Chandler said. “Steve is really stoked about this.”

Thune earned the second-to-last qualifying spot into Masters, evoking cheers and tears from her friends, family and coach, Pam Valenti.

Before Saturday, Thune’s biggest feat in track and field came three years ago, when she teamed with three Brea seniors to win the 1,600 relay at the Orange County Championships and finish third in the Division III section finals.

Thune, a second-team all-county selection in cross-country last fall, considered herself better suited for the 1,600, but only qualified for the section finals in the 800. Running just one event Saturday turned out to be the difference, she said.

“I felt really good the whole race,” Thune said. “I haven’t had fresh legs in the 800 since my sophomore year.”

Thune’s running career has also been slowed by untimely bouts with asthma, especially during the cross-country season. But this spring, Thune began weaning herself off the medications.

“She really struggled with it,” said her father, Wally Thune. “She used to carry a bag full of things to help her during cross-country, but her doctor thought she would eventually grow out of it and I think that is what’s happening.”

Valenti was also glad to see Thune taking a more natural approach to controlling her asthma.

“She had so many different inhalers and breathers,” Valenti said. “This spring, she tried to stay away from those, tried to just concentrate on staying calm. That helped her focus mentally.”

Thune would like to go even faster Friday night and take a stab at the school record of 2:14.31, set by Maika Nelson in 1998.

“My coach said I have it in me,” Thune said.

Near Makes and Misses

Several other county athletes also squeaked into Masters.

Corona del Mar senior Diana Hossfeld grabbed the final qualifying spot by 0.07 seconds in the 1,600. Hossfeld finished in 5:00.27, a personal best by nearly seven seconds.

Santa Margarita senior Scott Langford made it through in the 100 by 0.01 seconds, and also ran the final leg on the Eagles’ 400 relay team, which advanced by 0.12 seconds. Edison’s 400 relay team made it by an even closer margin, 0.10 seconds.

Katella’s David Giang, the county-leader in the pole vault, was one of five to top out at 14-0, but there was only room for two on the qualifying list. Giang advanced because he had no misses at lower heights.

The qualifying line also crossed just above several county athletes.

El Toro’s Heather Quinn missed qualifying in the shotput by one-half inch and Irvine’s Chris Lamm missed qualifying in the boys’ 300 hurdles by .009 seconds.

Ruziecki, the county leader in the discus, missed qualifying by nine inches and Marquita Taylor of San Clemente, the county leader in the 100 and 200, missed advancing by .18 seconds in both races.

Do the Right Thing

Edison Coach Erich Moreno showed some class at the section finals after he was blasted on one Internet message board for his efforts to get Darryl Poston into the 200 at the Southern Section Division II prelims, although Poston didn’t qualify through the Sunset League finals.

Moreno scratched his injured runner, Chuckie Linman, from the 100, which allowed Tustin’s Denny Casupanan into the race. Casupanan finished second and helped the Tillers earn key points in their run for the team title.

Asked why he didn’t just put Linman at the starting line and have him false start, Moreno replied, “Then everyone would have really thought I’m really no good,” he said. “Besides, that wouldn’t show a lot of faith in my other athletes.”

Edison finished tied for second with Santa Margarita.

Sad Ending

The high school track and field career of Santa Ana Valley’s Crystal Davis came to a disappointing end last week. Davis quit the team after failing to qualify for the Southern Section finals in the 100 and 200, said assistant coach Noble Franklin.

Her loss forced the Falcons to scratch from the Division I finals in the 400 and 1,600 relays.

“It’s too bad,” Franklin said.

Davis was runner-up in the 100 and 200 at the county championships last month.

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