Laguna ready for its Trophy invite
Come Saturday morning, Guyer Field and the Eric Hulst Track will be the site of a highly anticipated and highly competitive track and field event when the 47th edition of the Laguna Beach Trophy Invitational gets underway.
Gates open at 6 a.m. All running and field events for the frosh/soph and varsity levels, start at 8 a.m. and the big feature is the Eric Hulst 3,200 Meter Run (boys and girls) named in memory of the late, great Laguna Beach High track and field state champion.
Laguna Coach and Meet Director Steve Lalim said Tuesday that 47 schools and nearly 2,000 athletes are scheduled to take part in Saturday’s invitational.
“It’s going to be a great meet, the best yet,” Lalim said. “The quality of the competition is top notch. It’s going to be really exciting.”
Admission for the Trophy Invitational is a follows: adults ($5); students ($3 with ASB card, $4 without ASB card); ages 10-and-under (free). Programs and event T-shirts will be available for purchase. Parking is available on the city streets around Laguna Beach High.
In last year’s competition team division standings, the Laguna boys’ varsity team finished in 33rd-place, the girls’ varsity team placed fourth, and the girls’ frosh/soph team was 25th.
Saturday will mark the first competition for Laguna athletes who previously entered the March 11 Irvine/Asics Track and Field Invitational. Jackie Cenan won the girls’ shot put with a mark of 36-feet-0.300.
“I thought our team did really well,” Lalim said. “We had several great performances. We’re really excited the way the kids competed.”
Top-10 varsity finishes at the invitational for the Breakers included:
Girls: Uta Urushido (200 meter dash, 29.43 seconds, seventh; high jump, 4-04.00, tie-ninth); Brynn Anderson (400 meter run, 1:06.40, eighth); Regan Caraher (800 meter run, 2:28.13, third); Callista Helms (800 meter run, 2:36.57, eighth); Taylor Alvarez (1,600 meter run, 5:50, eighth); Ana Kelly (1,600 meter run, 5:55.72, 10th); Pearl Shoemaker (3,200 meter run, second); Carmen Nichols (100 meter hurdles, 18.43, sixth); Christine Johnson (100 meter hurdles, 19.65, 10th); 4x400 meter relay (Laguna Beach “A”, 4:32.84, third); Blake Turner (high jump, 4-04.00, tie-ninth); Lauren Struss (long jump, 13-02.00, tie-10th); Jackie Cenan (shot put, 36-03.00, winner; discus throw, 104-04.5, fourth); Malia Helms, (shot put, 32-07.00, third; discus throw, 91-08, seventh).
Boys: Luc LaMontagne (800 meter run, 2:11.96, eighth; 1,600 meter run, 4:46.18, eighth); Charlie Warner (110 meter hurdles, 16.82, third; high jump, 5-06.00, fourth); Wyatt Shipp (110 meter hurdles, 18.04, eighth); Andrew Humphries (300 meter hurdles, 46.91, 10th).
The Breakers return to dual meet action at 3 p.m. next Wednesday and host Godinez in an Orange Coast League opener for both teams.
