TRACK AND FIELD ROUNDUP : Woodbridge Boys Rip Newport Harbor

What was supposed to be a showdown between the only undefeated boys’ track and field teams in the Sea View League turned into a runaway for Woodbridge on Thursday afternoon at Newport Harbor High School.

Woodbridge (5-0) cruised to a 90-46 victory over Newport Harbor (4-1).

The victory wasn’t entirely unexpected, but the margin of victory was.

“The meet was a little more lopsided than I thought it would be,” Newport Harbor Coach Eric Tweit said. “But I just kind of anticipated they had too much speed, which would carry onto other events.”

Newport Harbor stacked its depth in the distances and weight events against Woodbridge’s strength in sprints and jumps. It was no match.

Junior sprint sensation Gary Young led a sweep of the 100 and 200 meters by Woodbridge. Mark Backoff also pulled off a difficult double, winning the 400 in 51.2 seconds, then coming back in his first 800 (2:01.9) to win.

Add victories in the 110 high (15.4) and 300 intermediate hurdles (40.5) by sophomore Steve Forte and first places in the pole vault, long jump and triple jump, and Woodbridge had a formula for success.

Newport Harbor’s most impressive marks came in the shot put with Beau Ralphs winning at 53 feet 7 inches. The Sailors’ Wade Tift (52-9 1/2) and Steve Gonzales (50-6 1/2) were next.

In the girls’ meet, Newport Harbor (5-0) won, 78-49, but the biggest upset came in the discus. Woodbridge sophomore Angela Burgess threw an Orange County-leading 143-1 to defeat previous county-leader Newport Harbor’s Gina Heads, who has thrown 140-11 this season, but went 131-4 Thursday. Burgess had a best of 126-9 before Thursday’s meet.

“Her best throw is 129,” Heads said. “So, I think we are both surprised.”

Burgess said the pressure of competing against Heads prompted her improvement.

“Oh, that just came out,” Burgess said. “I have never thrown like that before. I guess it was the competition.”

Heads got a measure of revenge in the shot put, coming back on her last attempt to win at 41-9 1/2. Burgess was second (39-6 1/2).

Heads, Burgess, and University’s Andrea Bill now head what is the county’s top girls’ weight group.

In the sprints, Meisha Wilson-Duval captured the 100, 200 and 400 for Woodbridge (4-1). Newport Harbor’s Mandy Clayton won the 100 hurdles and triple jump.