When Kyle Macauley returned to the Bellarmine track team from a severe hamstring injury Friday at Gilroy for the Central Coast Section finals, the Bells were confident their 400-meter relay team would be faster.
With Macauley (second leg) running with Troy Martig, Devon Buenrostro and anchor Earvin DaSilva, Bellarmine ran the second-fastest time in CCS history, winning in 41.37 seconds over runner-up Palo Alto (42.19).
Bellarmine, which won the team title, will try to chase down a Vista Murrieta team that won the Southern Section Masters Meet finals in 41.29 and features Norman, the defending state 200 and 400 champion who Friday won his section’s 200 in a state-record 20.23 against a 1.0-meters-per second head wind.
According to prepcaltrack.com, it is the fastest time in the world this year against a head wind.
Bellarmine’s boys weren’t the only Metro area athletes to rank high heading to state, based on their section performances.
El Cerrito junior Kaylah Robinson ranks first in the 100 hurdles at 13.45 and those trying to catch her at the North Coast Section Meet of Champions — Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland senior Kara Awakoaiye (13.84) and Dublin senior and USC-signee Mecca McGlaston (13.85) — rank fourth and fifth.
Valley Christian senior Elena Bruckner, the national leader in the discus and shot put, ranks first in the shot put (53 feet, 8¼ inches) but has the second-best qualifying mark in the discus after winning CCS at 165-11.
Las Gatos senior Aine McNulty (5-7) is tied for the top mark in the high jump and California-San Ramon sophomore Alyssa Brewer (800, 2:08.47) and Amador Valley-Pleasanton senior Nathan Esparza (shot put, 66-4) each rank No. 2.
The 1993 state meet was postponed two weeks because of rain, and since the meet was moved to Buchanan High School in 2009, the meet has been delayed about an hour once for heat and another time for lightning.
Lowell’s sweep of the boys and girls track titles was for the second straight, third in four years and 17th out of 20.
The boys’ winners included Edward Yuen (110 hurdles, 15.22), Luis Aragon (800, 1:59.06) and the 1,600 relay team.
