PREP TRACK / MT. SAC RELAYS : Foothill Girls Getting Warmed Up

WALNUT —  The Foothill girls’ track and field team used the Mt. San Antonio Relays Saturday to show that they are prepared for next weekend’s Orange County Championships.

Behind strong performances by juniors Tara Oettinger and Katie Mook, the Knights asserted themselves as a favorite.

Oettinger, already the county leader in three events, equaled her lifetime best in the invitational 200 meters, running fifth in 25.17 seconds, identical to her mark at last weekend’s Arcadia Invitational.

Long Beach Poly’s Aminah Haddad won in 24.11.

Oettinger, who leads the county in the long jump with a best of 18 feet 11 3/4 inches, again went past 18 feet, to 18-5. The ninth-longest jumper in county history, Oettinger went over 18 for the third week in a row.

“Before, I was just OK in the long jump,” said Oettinger, who has found success after a change in jumping technique from the hang to the hitch kick, “but now, it’s becoming my favorite event.”

Mook did her part for the Knights by posting a personal best in the 300 low hurdles and taking over the county lead. Her 45.26 clocking was just behind the 45.12 run by Stacy Edwards-Hambrick of Moreno Valley in the invitational event.

Mook, a junior, also finished fourth in the invitational 100 hurdles. The defending Century League champion in the event ran 15.39, just off of her county-leading 15.03 from Arcadia.

The race was won by Oxnard Rio Mesa’s Andrea Wasden in 14.64.

“I came here wanting to break fifteen, so I am kind of disappointed,” Mook said. “But at least every week is coming down more and more.”

Said Knight Coach Jerry Whitaker: “There are still a couple of things that we can do with her hurdles to get her running faster.”

The Knight boys’ star, Ethan Taub, finished fifth in the invitational 800 in 1:55.82. Taub, a senior who was in the State 400 final last year, was in second with 200 meters remaining but faded in the stretch. His time was just behind his county-leading 1:55.05. Arroyo Grande senior Eric Dunn won in 1:52.88.

Other highlights included:

--Camarillo senior Jeremy Fischer continued his consistent ways, winning the high jump in a meet record 7-3 to edge Rialto Eisenhower senior Art Lloyd, who jumped 7-2.

--Bell Gardens sophomore Michael Granville, one of the nation’s top 800 runners, dropped down to 400 and turned back a strong field, posting a lifetime best and nation-leading 46.67.

--Redlands senior Pat Johnson, competing in his second track and field season, ran down Moreno Valley Canyon Springs junior Bryan Howard in the final 60 meters to win the 200 in 21.03. Howard was timed in 21.22, with Granville third in 21.75.