June 03, 2005

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Palo Alto Online

No easy path to the finals

by Keith Peters

Evan Anderson doesn't always do things the easy way. More than once during his cross-country career, the Menlo-Atherton High runner took a wrong turn during races before getting back on course.

At the Central Coast Section Track & Field Championships last Friday at Los Gatos High, Anderson gave up an automatic trip to the CIF State Meet finals in the 3,200 meters in favor of taking a more difficult route in the 1,600 - with no guarantees.

"I talked to my coach," Anderson said. "If I did run the two mile (3,200), I'd be tired after the mile (in Saturday's finals). It (the 3,200) is not my favorite race. It's so grueling."

Anderson finished third in the 3,200 at the CCS meet, earning one of three automatic berths into the state meet. However, he knew before the race that he was going to drop the event. A friend and competitor, Nathan Huerta of North Monterey County, asked Anderson before the race if he'd give up his spot if he made the team.

Anderson, who will be teammates with Huerta at Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo next season, told his friend he would. Good thing for Huerta, who finished fourth in the metric two-miler at CCS.

Huerta now has the free pass to Saturday's finals of the boys' 3,200 at the CIF State Meet at Hughes Stadium in Sacramento while Anderson still must earn his way through today's preliminaries.

"My dad thinks I shouldn't have dropped the 3,200," Anderson said. "But, I just like the mile more, even if it's loaded."

And, yes, the field is loaded.

Defending state champion Mark Matusak of Loyola (Los Angeles) is there, as is 2004 fourth-place finisher A.J. Acosta of El Camino (Oceanside). Both beat Anderson to the finish line in last season's state meet finals as Anderson finished sixth in 4:20.52.

Anderson, however, has a career best of 4:11.41 this season. His winning time of 4:16.76 from CCS, however, leaves him as the No. 11 qualifier going into the prelims. Jared Bell of Harvard-Westlake (4:10.17), Joe Gatel of Edison (4:11.07) and Michael Coe of Cabrillo (4:11.45) are the fastest qualifiers out of section finals. Matusak is No. 4 at 4:12.14, but owns the national lead at 4:07.94. Sixteen runners have qualifying times under 4:20.

"Most of us will have to run damn fast times on Friday just to qualify for the finals," Anderson said. "It's going to be quick. It's going to be intense. In qualifying, guys are just going to be flying."

Fortunately for Anderson, he can fly with the best of them. After spending the past two seasons training longer distances with current University of Washington freshman Jeremy Mineau, Anderson changed his workouts this season to concentrate more on speed work - running more 400s and 800s. That paid off with nearly a four-second drop in his personal record, from 4:15.45 to 4:11.41.

Anderson hasn't needed to run that fast since he has doubled and tripled in meets since clocking his PR at the Arcadia Invitational nearly two months ago. If need be, Anderson said, his best time could fall.

"I definitely think so," he said. "It's hard to run that by yourself."

Anderson, however, will be among fast company today.

"I think I'll go with the pack, and try not to get boxed in," Anderson said.

Should Anderson reach Saturday's finals at 5:28 p.m., he should have some local company. Menlo School senior Libby Jenke is expected to be in the girls' 800 finals at 6:34 p.m., and Gunn senior Tori Tyler already is qualified for the girls; 3,200 finale at 7:25 p.m.

Jenke is the predicted winner in her event, one of the most-contested in the country. The final, in fact, could be a repeat of the CCS race where four runners ran under 2:10. The top five qualifiers going into today's prelims all are from the CCS - Alicia Follmar of Saratoga (2:07.79), Jenke (2:08.70), Christine Whalen of Mitty (2:09.59), Christine Jones of Live Oak (2:09.84) and Renisha Robinson of Mitty (2:11.27).

Jenke has the state outdoor lead of 2:07.57. She finished second in last year's state meet in 2:10.97 and knows in order to claim the gold, she needs to stay out of trouble. At the CCS finals, she was boxed in by Whalen and Follmar coming off the final turn and couldn't get outside to challenge the Stanford-bound Follmar.

"Obviously, I don't want to get stuck in a box again like that," she said. "I think every time something like that happens in a race, you learn from it."

Alysia Johnson, the defending state champion, has graduated after registering a stunning upset in 2004. Jenke is picked to win based on her consistency throughout the year. Whalen is picked for second and Follmar, the two-time defending state champ in the 1,600, is slated for the bronze. An outside threat could come from freshman Kauren Tarver (2:11.36) of Serrano.

The fastest time in the nation this year is 2:05.41 by Sarah Bowman of Virginia. The all-time CCS record is 2:04.37 by Ann Regan of Camden in 1977. Jenke ranks No. 3 all-time in the section.

Gunn's Tyler ranks among the CCS's top 10 all-time in the 3,200 off her personal best of 10:31.04 from last weekend's section finals, where she won her second straight title.

"Although Tori's time is the fastest qualifying mark, there are a number of girls who are capable of running faster, including several who already beat Tori at the Arcadia Invitational," said Gunn coach Ernie Lee. "In fact, Tori most likely will not be the favorite."

Despite being the state leader, Tyler is picked to finish only fifth in Saturday's finals. Shannon Murakami of Saugus ran a personal best of 10:34.75 in winning her section final and has the fastest 1,600 time of anyone in the field at 4:50.59. Lauren Saylor of Buchanan (Clovis) is ranked No. 2.

Tyler finished 16th a year ago in the state finals (11:05.37) but has been very consistent around 10:40.

"Tori is certainly capable of placing very high in the race," Lee said. "The goal, similar to most big races this year, is for her to run here own race to the best of her abilities. If she can do that, then her time and her place will take care of themselves."

In other events where local athletes should reach the finals, Castilleja sophomore pole vaulter Tori Anthony is picked to finish sixth. In the girls' high jump, Menlo-Atherton senior Laurie Roberts hopes her third trip to the state meet will be a charm. She's picked to take fifth. Roberts cleared 5-6 at the CCS meet, despite battling a week-long fever that reached 102 two days after the finals, as well.

The Palo Alto girls' 400 relay team of Ranecia Fields, Katy Wanner, Katrina Zawojski and Alyson Seedman is seeded 21st out of 27 teams. The Vikings own a school record of 48.26, but the No. 1 qualifier is Wilson (Long Beach) in 46.20.

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