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4 Empire athletes to compete in finals
Wiley, Withers and Van Paris advance from qualifiers

June 4, 2004

By RALPH LEEF
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

SACRAMENTO -- Mindi Wiley didn't know what to expect as a wide-eyed freshman at
the state high school track and field meet last June.

It was a different story on Friday at Hughes Stadium at Sacramento City College.

The Sonoma Valley sophomore's confidence was unmistakable as she qualified for
today's high jump finals. While a sober and serious day for most of the state's
premier athletes, Wiley spent most of the hot afternoon chatting up other
competitors and applauding their efforts. Her almost effortless movements were
matched by a carefree mood.

It wasn't as much fun for most of the other 27 Empire athletes. Only J.K. Withers
of Cardinal Newman, Melissa Van Paris of Sonoma and Shelby Leland of Ukiah will
join Wiley in today's finals.

Leland, who did not have to qualify Friday, will challenge in the 3200 meters today.

Wiley, who finished second in the state meet last year when her opponent had
fewer misses at 5-10, has her sights set on a title.

"I'm pushing for six feet here," Wiley said. "I clipped it twice at state last year.
I think I can do it this time."

Wiley missed her first jump at 5-3 but shrugged it off. She didn't miss again and
was satisfied with a 5-7.

Withers, who entered the meet with the fourth best 1600-meter time in the state
(4:10.7) needed an all-out sprint in the final 100 meters to qualify eighth out
of the 25 runners in two heats. Only nine qualify in each event for the finals.

Dawitt Tesfasilassie of Piner was sixth in his 1600 heat and just missed qualifying
by one position with a 4:20.45. K.C. Cody of Montgomery had the slow time of qualifying,
5:00.0.

"I was getting depressed with about 300 (meters) to go," said Withers, who ran a 4:18.33.
"I guess frustrated is a better word. I got tripped three times and nearly fell and got
an elbow. I guess you have to expect that at this level."

Withers nearly went down when a runner in a large pack stepped on the back of his foot.
He recovered from that incident, and two others, to actually pull into second place
late in the race behind heat winner Brandon Bethke (4:17.22). But Withers had to work
so hard to get up front that he faded badly late in the race.

"When three guys went by me, I got frustrated. It started to get to me," he said.

About midway down the final stretch, Withers found his reserve. He passed two
of the runners, but caught an elbow near the finish line and finished fourth in his heat.

"I felt like I had to run 1700 meters today," said Withers, who needed about
15 minutes to recover from the race-ending sprint. "I'll go with the flow tomorrow.
I won't be able to give any ground because all the guys can kick just as well as anyone."

While Withers had to exert the max to keep his championship hopes alive,
Van Paris had a relatively easy time qualifying for the shot put finals.

Van Paris, who had qualified for state in the discus and shot put, failed to advance
in the discus. But she put the shot 42-8¼, which was good for fifth out of 25 contestants.

Van Paris' performance was expected. She entered the competition ranked fifth
in the state. Missy Faubus of Centennial of Bakersfield had the best put of
47-3¾, with state leader Megan Howard of Arroyo Grande (San Luis Obispo) second in 47-2.

Montgomery miler Kim Conley failed to make today's finals despite entering the
meet with the state's fourth-best time (4:52.58).

Conley led most of the first two laps, but finished ninth in her heat with a
season-worst 5:08.74.

"I don't know what I was thinking," said the senior who is headed for UC Davis.
"I had a little Adrenalin rush at the beginning and went out too fast. I didn't
want to do that."

Conley said last week's fast Meet of Champions clocking (4:52) may have done her
more harm than good.

"I think I put too much into last week's race," she said. "I kept telling myself
how much I wanted this, but my legs didn't respond."

Casa Grande junior Ashton LeSieur finished 10th -- one place behind Conley.

Annie St. Geme of Corona Del Mar led the milers with a 4:56.87. Race favorite
Lindsay Allen of College Park was third in 4:57.82.

Santa Rosa pole vaulter Emely Flores turned in a career- and all-time Empire-best
performance in the pole vault, but just missed qualifying for the finals, as did
Montgomery's Matt Tillinghast, who finished in a 10th place tie with a vaulting
best of 15-0. Josh Lubeck of Royal High won the boys pole vault at 15-3¾.

Flores, who sat out last year with back problems, and has been vaulting around
11-0 most of the season, tied for fifth at 11-8, but was moved to 10th because
five other vaulters had fewer misses at that height.

Flores had a personal best 11-4 from 2002 and then went 11-6 at the Meet of Champions
last week.

Analy sophomore Jason Spaargaren came up just short of making today's finals in
the long jump. Spaargaren's best effort was 21-10, improving his Empire best,
but only good enough for 12th place. Demitri Mosby of Garr High of Cerritos won
the competition in 23-6 - a foot off his season's best.

Caroline Templeton of Santa Rosa finished 16th in the girls long jump (17-8¼);
David Wellman of Maria Carrillo was 18th in the 800 meters (1:57.20);
Healdsburg's Eric Gunnink was 21st in the discus (153-11) and 22nd in the shot put (52-4);
Analy's Ashley Perlman, a freshman, was 19th in the 400 meters (58.49);
Kristin Sanzari of Maria Carrillo was 17th in the 800 meters (2:20.54);
Mary Shibata of Ukiah (46.63) was 18th in the 300 meter hurdles; and
Elsie Allen's Whitney Leachman was eighth in her 200 meter heat (25.63) and 19th overall.

The best races of the day came in the 100 meters. The girls 100 meters was
won by Shalonda Solomon of Long Beach Poly in 11.45, with Jasmin Baldwin of
Bishop Amat clocked in 11.48. The state meet and national record was set by
Marion Jones of Thousand Oaks (11.14) in 1992.

In the boys' 100, Kenny O'Neal of Oakland's Skyline High winning in 10.34.
The state meet record is 10.30 by Riley Washington (Southwest) in 1992.
O'Neal's time is the fastest in the country this year and fastest at the state
meet in nine years.

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