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Tracks Squads Fall To Riverbank On The Road
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Fairly close, but not quite enough for the win.

Escalon met up with rival Riverbank on the track at Angelo Novi Field in Riverbank on Wednesday, the host Bruins taking the victory.

"We're hoping since this is only half the league, we can keep it close, maybe we can get them (Riverbank) at the league meet like they did to us last year," said Escalon coach Rick Heflin.

The varsity boys lost to the Bruins by a 79-54 margin while the girls lost to Riverbank, 86-54. Escalon did not run the final event, the mile relay.

There were several first place finishes for the Cougars in a variety of events on the varsity boys side, the host Bruins just outdistanced them.

Vynce Bacay was first in the 100 at 11.1 and the 200 at 22.8.

"In the 200, he's working on breaking a 53-year-old record at EHS of 22 flat," Heflin noted. "In the 100, he's really quick, he's getting there."

Marshall Rockey was first in the 400 with a time of 54.61. He also took second place honors in the pole vault at 12-6.

In the 1600 meters, Marc Backovich was first, running a 4:42, and he was second in the 3200 with a time of 10:40. Kurt Kale was a winner in the discus at 128-2, Marcus Savage took the high jump at 5-6. He was second in the long jump with a leap of 19-5.

Also taking second place honors were Mike Sawyer, shotput, 42-0.

"And it was his birthday," noted Heflin.

Chris Castledine was second in the triple jump, 38-3; Lars Jacobsen, second, 300 hurdles, 46.9 and third, 110 high hurdles, 18.6; Shane Brookshire, third, 800, 2:15.

"He had never run the 800 for me, he sprinted in and he's really coming along," Heflin said of Brookshire. "We're 2-1 right now, hanging in there, Riverbank is a tough team, you have to be 100 percent to beat them."

The varsity girls brought home a number of first and second place finishes as well but fell to 1-2 in league with the loss.

Katie Baroni was a double winner, taking first in the 100 high hurdles and the 300 hurdles, Amanda Moreno was a triple winner, first in the 1600 in 5:43 and the 3200 in 11:53.

"We told her to cruise," Heflin said of her time in the 1600. "In the 3200, she lapped almost every competitor."

In the 800, Moreno turned in a time of 2:27.

"That would have won our league last year," Heflin pointed out.

Amy Bixel set a new personal record and took first place in discus with a throw of 97-7 and she was second in the shotput at 28-6. Amanda Nunes won the 100 in 13.79 and turned in a time of 27.9 in the 200, Sandi French was the winner in the high jump, clearing 4-10.

With school out this week for the spring break, there is no league competition for the track team. However, several athletes will be heading to UC Davis for a Division I meet on Friday.

"You qualify by merit with times and distances," Heflin said. "We have several athletes that have reached the qualifying marks but we have to wait and see, they take the top 18 in each event."

Among those in the running to compete are Amy Bixel, discus; Kurt Kale, discus; Mike Sawyer, shotput and discus; Amanda Moreno, 1600 and 3200; Sam Draper, 800; Amanda Nunes, 100 and 200; Vynce Bacay, 100 and 200; Marcus Savage, high jump.