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Painful end to Wiley's season

June 6, 2004

By RALPH LEEF
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

SACRAMENTO -- Mindi Wiley's hopes for a state title ended in pain and tears Saturday
at the high school track and field championships at Hughes Stadium on the campus of
Sacramento City College.
The best bet to win a state title since Montgomery's Sara Bei in 2001, Wiley finished
eighth -- and last -- in the high jump after injuring her hip during her third jump.
Sonoma Valley senior Melissa Van Paris was true to form, finishing fifth in the shot put.
Ukiah senior Shelby Leland was sixth in the 3,200 meters, and senior J.K. Withers of
Cardinal Newman, who earlier in the season became the fastest all-time miler in the Empire,
finished eighth in the nine-man field.
Wiley, a 6-foot-1 sophomore from Sonoma Valley High, couldn't stem the flow of tears as
she walked off the track to be embraced by her father, Keith.
"I came here the favorite and didn't even get a medal," said Wiley, who finished second
at the state meet last year at 5-10.
After qualifying Friday with a jump of 5-7, Wiley was brimming with confidence as she
predicted she would try and better her state-best 5-10 in the finals. But the injury,
which happened on the approach of her second attempt at 5-7, changed everything.
Sonoma coach Sherman Harris immediately knew Wiley was in trouble when she stumbled and
was unable to get much lift on the miss.
Unable to get any closer than about 40 yards from Wiley because coaches cannot be on the track,
Harris waved Wiley off from her third -- and last attempt -- at 5-7.
"She (Wiley) had tears in her eyes and was favoring her leg," Harris said. "I yelled to
her to pass at 5-7 to give her more time to regroup. But that meant that she only got one
attempt at 5-8."
Wiley wasn't even close in her final jump. "It was instant pain when I planted," Wiley said.
"It was hard to watch the rest of the competition."
But watch she did, her eyes filling with tears as a meet official came up to offer consolation.
And when Allie Miller of Los Altos won the competition at 5-9¼, Wiley stood and applauded
before walking off the field and into her father's arms.
"There's always another day," her father whispered into her ear. Wiley, who is a member
of the U.S. national U-17 volleyball team, said she will focus on getting healthy for a
key volleyball camp in Texas. The Empire Volleyball Club standout has a chance to represent
the country in a competition in Puerto Rico late this summer.
But Wiley won't forget her misfortune at the track meet.
"I'll be back," she said. "The only positive about this is that I'm only a sophomore."
Contrasting Wiley's disappointment was Van Paris, who was all smiles as she stood on the
victory stand after finishing fifth in the shot.
"I was so happy when I was standing up there to get my medal," Van Paris said. "I was just
looking around and trying to take it all in."
It was the Sonoma senior's third trip to state and she said he felt like she belonged
after fruitless trips.
Van Paris, who will enroll at SRJC in the fall, was stuck at 42 feet in the shot most of
the season, but last week at the Meet of Champions in Berkeley put the shot 43-10.
"When I popped that one, I wanted to get to 44 feet, and that was my goal at state," Van Paris
said. "I wanted 44 feet or to finish in the top six. I got 43-9, but I'm OK with that."
Arroyo Grande High senior Megan Howard won the shot at 49-11¾. Van Paris also qualified for
the discus, but failed to make the finals.
Withers came into the state meet with high hopes -- not to mention one of the best mile times
(4:10) in the state. But the Newman senior, who is headed to the University of Oregon on a
partial athletic scholarship, faded badly in the final 100 meters and finished next to last
in the field of nine.
"It's kind of disappointing," said Withers, who finished in 4:21.39.
Mark Matusak of Loyola High of Los Angeles won the race in 4:15.89, beating favorite
Brandon Bethke of El Toro of Lake Forest (4:17.15).
Matusak and Bethke broke away from the pack after 1,200 meters and Withers, who was only a
few strides behind the leaders, didn't make a move.
"I thought about (going out with them) but it didn't happen," said Withers, who complained
about his back tightening up during the race. "I'm in great shape and it isn't like the
pace was all that fast ..."
Leland, who is headed to Columbia University on an academic grant, decided against giving
into exhaustion with about 200 meters to go, and it paid off with her third state high
school meet medal.
"I almost gave up when I got passed, but I kept going and passed a couple runners with
50 meters to go," Leland said. "I had no idea I would medal, but when I passed those two
and I heard some yelling, I thought I might have a chance."
Lindsay Flacks of Harvard West Lakes of North Hollywood won the race in 10:26.25. Leland,
a three-time state qualifier, was clocked in 10:48.69.
Leland, who said she may have peaked at last week's Meet of Champions (10:38.75),
knew early on that she didn't have her best stuff.
And when Flacks and Claire Rethmeier of San Diego broke away late in the race,
Leland didn't even consider trying to pick up the pace.
"I really didn't have it. I was pushing just to stay near the front. When they (broke away),
I decided just to run my race and see what happened."
Leland finished fifth at the state meet as a sophomore and was third last year. Poly of
Long Beach cruised to the girls team victory with 80 points to 50 for runner-up James Logan.
The James Logan boys won the team title with Poly of Long Beach a distant second.

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