Saratoga News
Sports
Photograph by Dave Stephenson
Saratoga sophomore speedster Rachel Sabes earned a place in the CCS semifinals, but failed to qualify for the section finals in the 400-meter run. The best track and field athletes in the section will compete at San José City College on May 26.
Douglas, Dolbec headed to CCS finals
Rimbach, Blakley earn berths in the big meet
By Dick Sparrer
The fastest, the fittest and the finest will be on the track when the cream of the crop converges at San José City College for the Central Coast Section track and field finals on May 26. And Saratoga will be well represented in that Friday field.
Falcons Ken Douglas and Kierston Dolbec have each qualified for the section's biggest meet of the year. Dolbec will be in action when the field events begin at 4 p.m. with Douglas on the track when the running events get under way at 6 p.m.
Dolbec, a freshman, won her place in the section finals by winning the high jump with a 5-4 leap at the CCS semifinals held May 20 at City College.
Douglas, a senior, raced to a second in his heat in the 400 meters in 1:58.71 to advance to Saturday's meet.
Four other Falcons competed in the semi's last weekend, and all of them just missed claiming a trip to the finals. Senior Ryan Tang was third in his heat in the 110-meter hurdles in 16.01 and sophomore Michael Marshall was fifth in his heat in the 400 in 51.90. In girls action, Nicole Sabes was fourth in her heat in the 400 in 1:00.39 with Rachel Sabes fifth in her heat in the same event in 1:01.68. The Sabes sisters are each sophomores.
Westmont and Prospect had just one qualifier at the CCS semifinals, but Kendra Rimbach of Prospect managed to claim section berths in two events.
Rimbach, a junior for the Panthers, was second in both the long jump at 17-8.25 and the triple jump at 37-2.25 to win places in the section finals.
Sophomore Hannah Gilbert was fifth in her heat in the 800 in 2:23.85, soph Alonia Williams was seventh in her heat in the 100 in 13.36 and freshman Jennifer Jasper was 18th in the shot put at 30-6. Freshman Kristin Rimbach was 11th in the triple jump at 35-1.5 and 14th in the high jump at 4-10.
Kevin Blakley is the only Westmont qualifier for the CCS finals. Blakley, a junior, was fifth in the triple jump at 43-10 to earn a section berth. He was also 15th in the high jump at 5-10 but failed to advance.
Sophomore Marko Vatavuk was sixth in his heat in the 300 hurdles in 42.28, senior Will Evans was 12th in the discus at 131-1 with senior Eric Ray 22nd at 112-6 and sophomore Max Gilson 23rd at 110-3 and senior Darek Radke was 32nd in the long jump at 17-8.25.
In girls action, freshman Christine Ristow ran third in her heat in the 300 hurdles in 48.75, but just missed a CCS spot. The Warriors were fourth in their heat in the 4x100 relay in 52.52 and freshman Jessica Rozhin was 29th in the discus at 78-9.
Only one Lynbrook runner qualified for the CCS finals. Junior Sameer Thadani was second in his heat in the 110 hurdles in 11.34 to advance to the finals.
The Lynbrook boys were fourth in their heat in the 4x100 relay in 45.04, but just missed advancement.
Senior Brian Cramer was seventh in his heat in the 400 in 53.47 and junior Matt Kemp was 17th in the shot put at 45-0.5.
In girls action, junior MayC Huang just missed a place in the finals when she ran third in her heat in the 800 in 2:24.25. She was 16th in her heat in the 1,600 in 5:33.44.