Boys track and field: Drought relief?

Barry Faulkner

NEWPORT BEACH - The last time Newport Harbor High won a boys league

track and field title, Coach Bim Barry was more concerned with yearbooks

than score books.

The 1981 Harbor graduate, was an underclassmen competing for the Sailors

when the 1979 edition topped the Sunset League competition.

That drought could be over, however, if things break the way they should

for this year’s squad, which Barry said is considered the favorite to win

the reconfigured Sea View League.

“It’s going to be an exciting year,” said Barry, in his 11th year

coaching in the program. The Sailors (1-0) open league competition

Thursday against Irvine. The meet will be at Irvine High, to take

advantage of the Vaqueros’ facility, but the Tars are the home team.

“The next best team should be Woodbridge, but Aliso Niguel and Laguna

Hills (both Sea View newcomers from the Pacific Coast League) should also

be pretty solid.”

Barry expects solid contributions from senior leaders Trevor Jones and

Doug Dukes, as well as junior standouts John Peschelt and Chris McMillen.

Jones, who has already signed to continue his track career at UCLA, was

third at the CIF Southern Section Masters and Division II finals in the

300-meter intermediate hurdles as a junior. He won both hurdles events at

league finals, where he was also second in the 200.

Though hurdling is his forte, he will contribute in a wide range of

running events, according to Barry, who will deploy his versatile

standout to maximize point potential.

“There will be some meets where Trevor won’t run hurdles races,” Barry

said. “He’s a big weapon for us and I won’t be afraid to use him in

several spots.”

Jones’ personal bests in the 110 high hurdles is 15.05, 37.21 in the

intermediates.

Peschelt, the reigning Sea View high jump champion, set the school

frosh-soph record last year at 6-foot-3. Along with Jones and Justin

Newton, a senior, he forms 75% of the 1,600 relay quartet which finished

fourth at the section finals last year.

Peschelt is experienced in the 400 meters and will also run the 800 this

spring. He won the 400 (a personal-record 51.7), 800 and high jump in

Thursday’s dual-meet win over Huntington Beach.

Dukes, the MVP of the cross country team, which won its third straight

league title last fall, has come a long way since his junior campaign,

Barry said. He’ll anchor the 1,600 and 3,200 corps, which will also

include McMillen.

McMillen, seventh in CIF Division II in the 800 as a sophomore, will need

time to regain his form after some early season illness. His best in the

800 is 1:58.89.

Barry projects junior Richard Weber, up from the frosh-soph, as another

potential standout.

“His specialty is the 400 meters and he will probably be on our 1,600

relay team,” Barry said. “He’s already gone 52.17 and he’s going to

surprise a lot of people in Orange County.”

Newton will also help in the sprints, where senior Ryan Brill, juniors

Daniel Fletcher and Ryan Castro-Ortega, as well as sophomore Adam Kearns,

will also be heard from.

Junior Daniel Fletcher will help out in the 200 and 400.

Kearns, who also long jumps, is recovering from a broken wrist, but

should be able to contribute soon.

Sophomore Chris Negrete and junior Guy Vackar add depth in the distance

events, while juniors Dan Moyer and Sean Tupy, as well as senior Brad

Rothwell join Jones to form a strong hurdling crew.

Moyer will chip in in the long and triple jump, while Kearns (long jump)

and Rothwell (high jump) should also contribute field-event points.

Sophomore David Spenger should help in all three jumping events and

Casto-Ortega adds throwing events to his sprinting chores.

Seniors Nathan Caldwell, Aaron Roberts and Steve Wukawitz form a solid

nucleus in the shot put and discus, where Barry believes assistant Jud

Binley will help continue a proud tradition of success in the circle.

“We’ve got a couple holes, but we’re a pretty balanced track team,” Barry

said of the reigning winners of the Orange County Championships, ranked

No. 3 in the preseason Division II section poll. “We’re more balanced

this year than last year.”

NH boys track roster

Ryan Brill Sr.

Doug Dukes Sr.

Nathan Caldwell Sr.

Daniel Fletcher Jr.

Ryan Castro-Ortega Jr.

Trevor Jones Sr.

Adam Kearns So.

Chris McMillen Jr.

Dan Moyer Jr.

Chris Negrete So.

Justin Newton Sr.

John Peschelt Jr.

Aaron Roberts Sr.

Brad Rothwell Sr.

David Spenger So.

Sean Tupy Jr.

Guy Vackar Jr.

Richard Weber Jr.

Steve Wukawitz Sr.

Coach: Bim Barry