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Murphy turns heads in 800-meter sprint Healdsburg runner to contend with Lower Lake's Perez at Meet of Champions By DEWEY FORGET FOR THE PRESS DEMOCRAT NOVATO -- The boys' 800-meter sprint next weekend at the Meet of Champions in Berkeley may be the most competitive race in the two-day state qualifying meet. Most prep track cognoscenti felt Lower Lake's Mike Perez would have his way in the 1,600 and 800 at the MOC, but in Saturday's North Coast Section Redwood Empire championships at San Marin, Tim Murphy of Healdsburg served notice that the 800 just might be up for grabs. Murphy, running in the second heat, romped home in 1:55.16 after Perez had taken the first heat in 1:55.85. It was a personal best for Murphy, who doesn't run the 1,600. Perez is nationally ranked in the 800 and 1,600. "Having him (Perez) in the same meet motivated me. I told him that after the race," Murphy said. "Next week we will run in the same heat. "It's going to be a couple of big days. The MOC is a complicated race because you have to run the 800 twice, once to qualify on Friday and then again in the finals on Saturday." Perez ran away with the 1,600 in 4:15.86, besting Redwood's Steve Sodaro and Maria Carrillo's Logan Ensign. "He (Perez) has sprinter's speed and a great finishing kick," coach Bob Galloway said. "In no race does he sit around and wait. We did that last year at MOC and missed going to state by a portion of a second. He's the best runner in the NCS. If he runs the way he usually runs, he will win the 800 and 1,600 at MOC." Jenna Lowder continued her assault on the record book with a 56.84 in the 400 to break her meet record of 57.33. The Maria Carrillo sprinter also won the 200 and ran the anchor leg for the Pumas in the 1,600 relay. Suzanne Howard of Santa Rosa set a meet record of 14.91 in the 100 hurdles. In the 1,600 relay, the Pumas posted 3:58.85, missing the meet record of 3:58.84 set in 1978 by Drake. Kristen Sanzari was an easy winner in the 1,600 and 800, and ran a leg in the Pumas' near- record setting 1,600 relay. Josh Jackson, who has been nursing a hamstring injury for three weeks, captured the boys' 200 (22.81) and 400 (50.03). "I wasn't getting my usual rotation, so I had to shorten my stride," Jackson said, "but the hamstring felt OK." Jean Lightfoot of Maria Carrillo advanced to the MOC with winning tosses in the shot and discus, and Healdsburg's Daniel Erdman did the same in the boys' competition. As expected, Sonoma's Mindi Wiley took the girls' high jump with a leap of 5-7. The boys' 3,200 produced somewhat of a surprise winner when Petaluma's Sterling Lockkey, who qualified in 10:26.84, ran 9:46.24, his personal best. Maria Carrillo's Leanne Fogg captured the girls' 3,200. "I wasn't expecting to go that fast," Lockkey said. "I'm feeling better and better each race." The Maria Carrillo girls amassed 109 points to qualify first in the team competition, with Novato (58 points) second and Drake (42) third. The Tamalpais boys (48) edged Santa Rosa (47.5) and Drake (42). The top seven finishers advance to the MOC. The top four at MOC will move on to the state meet at Cerritos College.
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