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By ERIC BRANCH
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
BERKELEY Montgomery senior Blake McDowall is one of the
best 800-meter runners in California, a fact he only recently stumbled
upon.
McDowall, known for his distance-running chops, continued his dominance in
his newfound event Saturday by claiming the 800-meter title at the North
Coast Section's Meet of Champions at Cal's Edwards Stadium.
McDowall, who had run the event four times in competition efore this
weekend, won in 1 minute, 53.98 seconds, the ninth-fastest time in Redwood
Empire history. It is also believed to be among the top five fastest times
in the state this season.
McDowall's title headlined a day in which St. Helena senior
Brian Cole won the 1,600 meters, Casa Grande freshman Jacque Taylor
qualified for the state track and field meet in the 1,600 and 3,200 with a
pair of third-place finishes, and Healdsburg senior Daniel Erdman finished
second in the shot put.
The top four in each event qualified for the state meet, which
will be held Friday and Saturday at Sacramento City College.
Twelve Empire athletes qualified for state, with Taylor and Erdman,
who qualified in the discus Friday, both advancing in two events.
Less than a month ago, McDowall never would have guessed which event he
would be running at state.
The defending NCS cross country champion who will run at Cal Poly-San
Luis Obispo next year, McDowall ran the 800 once at a dual meet as a
junior. He hated it.
On a lark, he ran it again 29 days ago at Montgomery's Viking Classic and
ran 1:54.83 in windy conditions, then the eighth-best mark in the state.
I'm like, Hey, I'm ranked 20th in the state in the mile. I'm ranked
eighth the first time I run the 800,' McDowall said. I'm already
in
college. It's not like I'm trying to make a big statement. It's just for
fun. I decided to take it and run.
Well, not exactly.
After qualifying for last week's NCS Championships in Crescent City in both
the 800 and 1,600, McDowall planned to scrap the 800. The decision was
based on his social calendar: The earlier starting time in the 1,600 would
allow him to attend Montgomery's prom.
Instead of competing, however, McDowall didn't travel to Crescent City
because of a minor hamstring pull. He was given the opportunity to reach
the Meet of Championships through a medical hardship, and it was only then
that he chose the 800.
He says the event involves more agony than the 1,600, but he hardly looked
uncomfortable Saturday.
At big meets like this, he said, pain is always replaced by
excitement.
Similarly, Cole was feeling little pain en route to claiming the 1,600
crown in 4:16.63.
Cole, who finished ninth at state last year, has since shaved more than
four seconds off his personal-best time to rank fifth in California. His
season has included impressive performances in upper-crust meets at
Stanford and Arcadia.
Those gave me a lot of confidence because I never knew I could run that
fast, Cole said. That's really a lot of what it takes to run fast times.
You've got to be in shape, but you also have to be confident.
Since St. Helena competes in the far-flung Coastal Mountain Conference, not
known for its running prowess, Cole concedes he has a few disadvantages.
He has no training partners. No competition (he used the league finals as a
workout). And few teammates at St. Helena, a school with an enrollment of
about 500.
Asked how many boys and girls were on the Saints' track team, Cole
initially paused before estimating between 15 to 20.
It's hard to say, Cole explained. They come and go.
While Cole will be making a return to state, Santa Rosa senior sprinter
Maurice Whitlock will be making his debut.
Whitlock finished sixth in the 100 meters at the Meet of Champions as a
junior, a sub-par race that gnawed at him for a year. This season, the
two-time defending NBL champ in the 100 had absolute confidence that he'd
make a long-awaited trip to state.
Whitlock was so convinced, in fact, that he didn't order a graduation cap
and gown. Santa Rosa's graduation ceremony conflicts with the state meet.
It would have been embarrassing if I had to go there without a cap and
gown, he said.
Whitlock avoided that problem by finishing fourth in the 100 in 10.91
seconds, shaving one-hundreth of a second off his personal best.
Unlike Whitlock, Maria Carrillo senior Kristen Sanzari has plenty of
experience at state.
And she ensured that she will add to it this season by finishing second in
2:12.51. Sanzari, who has signed with Cal Poly, will be making her fourth
trip to state, a distinction that puts her in exclusive company.
Distance-running legends Julia Stamps (1994-97) and Sara Bei (1998-01) and
high jumper Mindi Wiley (2003-06) are believed to be the only Empire
athletes to qualify for four state track meets.
It's hard to go as a freshman, Sanzari said. It's a good I got that
one
out of the way.
In the boys' and girls' 3,200-meter races, a pair of Empire athletes earned
top-four finishes thanks to dramatic final laps.
Petaluma's Sterling Lockert finished third in a personal-best 9:23.55, the
11th-best mark in Empire history. Lockert, a sophomore, hovered around 10th
place for much of the race, at least 100 yards behind the front pack.
At 400 meters I knew I could do it, Lockert said. I knew I had an extra
gear.
So did El Molino senior Brittny Escamilla.
With the third-place Taylor about 13 seconds ahead of their pace, Escamilla
battled Campolindo's Catherine Murillo for fourth place in the final 400
meters.
In a back-and-forth tussle, Escamilla finished in 11:00.02 to edge Murillo
(11:00.44) and reach her first state meet. Escamilla's time shattered her
previous best by nearly five seconds.
In the last 200 meters, I always have an extra burst of energy, Escamilla
said. I told myself on the last lap, If you're going to go, you've got
to
go now.'
Erdman, who ranks fourth in Empire history in the shot put, earned second
with a toss of 59-0. He placed third in the discus Friday with a
personal-best throw of 157-0, upping his top mark by eight feet in the past
month.
It's really an honor to reach state in something I really don't consider
my best event,” said Erdman, who has signed with UC Santa Barbara.
Montgomery's Corrine Rich (shot put), Sonoma's Brian Martinelli (high jump)
and Cardinal Newman's Austin Davis (discus) qualified for state Friday.
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