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McLeod, Donnelly dominate the boys Montgomery’s sophomore Page wins 100, 200 and anchors 4 x 100 relay in girls’ events By PHIL BARBER PRESS DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER Published: Friday, May 15, 2009 The boys’ 1,600-meter run was among the most highly anticipated events of this year’s North Bay League track and field championships, with Santa Rosa’s Rory McLeod and Reesey Byers and Ukiah’s Andrew Zellman separated by about three-tenths of a second going in. Chalk one up for the veteran. McLeod, a senior, finished in 4:25.6 on a hot Friday afternoon at Santa Rosa High’s Ernie Nevers Field, four seconds ahead of Byers and nearly seven seconds in front of Zellman, both of whom are juniors. McLeod also won the 800 in 1:57.71, holding off Zellman (1:59.03). It has been an impressive recovery for McLeod, who shut himself down with a sore Achilles’ tendon around Christmas time, sat out two months and didn’t win until NBL races started in April. McLeod did not, however, manage a clean sweep. He was beaten in the 3,200 by a familiar pair of legs: Byers’. The two Santa Rosa runners have driven one another both in practice — they’ll occasionally break off for two-man runs in Howarth Park — and in competition. “It’s pushed me a lot,” Byers said. “If not for him, I don’t think I’d be where I am.” “He was always there,” McLeod said. “But this cross-country season, he really stepped it up. We both bring out the best in each other. I love the guy.” Also among the day’s most decorated boys were Montgomery senior Kevin Donnelly, who won the 200 and 400; Cardinal Newman’s Wyatt North, who won the 100 and anchored the Cardinals’ first-place 4x100 relay team as it matched its personal best of 44.1 seconds; Maria Carrillo’s Jeremy Thompson, who won the 300-meter hurdles and took the long jump with a leap of 21 feet, 2½ inches; Rancho Cotate’s Matt Egelhart, champion of both the high jump (6 feet, 1 inch) and the triple jump (42 feet, 1¾ inches); and of course Santa Rosa’s fabulous Baker boys, who finished 1-2 in both the shot put and the discus; Troy won the shot at 52 feet, 3¾ inches, while Travis took the discus at 153 feet. They were probably the last high school races for Donnelly, the middle-distancer who hasn’t lost a league race in two years. His senior trip to Disneyland will scuttle next Saturday’s Redwood Empire meet, and graduation ceremonies conflict with the North Coast Section meet. On the girls side, Montgomery sophomore Alyssa Page was predictably dominant, capturing the 100 (12.55 seconds) and 200 meters (25.91), as well as anchoring the 4x100 winners. Carrillo junior Lauren Curtin was first in the 1,600 (5:16.9) and 800 (2:20.26), though Montgomery sophomore Julie Nacouzi pulled off a minor upset in the 3,200. “I didn’t think I had a chance to beat Lauren Curtin or Suzi (Rozga of Santa Rosa),” said Nacouzi, the youngest entrant in the race. “But I wound up 15 seconds ahead of the second-place girl. I couldn’t even hear her.” Then there were the Johnson sisters, those irrepressibly goofy freshman twins from Piner who continue to make track look way too easy. Dezirae won the 400 in 58.54, Kyra took second in 59.65, and Kyra shattered the competition in the 300 hurdles, finishing in 46.48 seconds despite hitting the second hurdle with her knee. Dezirae ran the 200 for the first time on Wednesday, and by Friday was finishing third against the best in the league. The sisters also were part of Piner’s 4x100 team, which finished second to Montgomery. “They literally shave off time almost every time they race,” Piner coach Melissa Guanella said. “They didn’t even want to come out for track. I had to drag them out here after they’d missed three weeks of practice. They said, ‘We don’t think we’ll be that good.’” In the closest race of the day, Maria Carrillo’s Hayley Johnson edged Piner’s Nicole Ahern by a hundredth of a second in the girls’ 100-meter hurdles. The top six finishers in each event Friday advanced to the Redwood Empire meet, which is also at Nevers Field. You can reach Staff Writer Phil Barber at 521-5263 or phil.barber@pressdemocrat.com.
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