CdM’s Wong a big surprise

Rick Devereux

The right combination of skill and luck is essential to winning at

any level, just ask Tim Duncan and Derek Fisher. Or one could ask

Corona del Mar High pole vaulter Andrew Wong, who set a personal best

of 14 feet, 3 inches at the boys CIF Southern Section finals at

Cerritos College Saturday.

“It was luck and God and the wind giving me perfect circumstances

today,” the junior said after he secured the ninth and final

qualifying spot for the Masters Meet on Friday, also at Cerritos

College. The top-nine finishers regardless of division compete at the

Masters with a chance to move on to the state finals June 4-5.

“He’s jumped 14 before,” Coach Bill Sumner said. “We knew he was

going to do great after his first jump.”

That confidence wasn’t felt by Wong, who was feeling nervous

before the meet.

“I knew the guys I was going up against,” Wong said. “There were

probably seven guys in Division I above my personal best [which was

14-0], and probably another seven in Division II.”

His 14-3, good enough for second place in Division III, came at

the right time whereas his competitors missed out.

“I don’t know what happened, but none of the other guys had any

wind to help them, but when I came up there was a wind,” Wong said.

Also returning next week for the Masters is Newport Harbor senior

Elizabeth Clayton. Clayton finished third in Division III with a 37-9

triple jump, which was fifth best overall.

“I was really tired today, but it was my last jump of the day and

I didn’t want it to be my last jump in high school,” Clayton said.

“So I told myself to just go for it.”

Newport Harbor Coach Nowell Kay said he knew Clayton could reach

her goal of clearing 37-feet.

“She set a school record of 38-4 two years ago,” Kay said. “I’m

not surprised at all.”

Clayton was injured last year, but that made her desire to finish

her high school career even stronger and the chance to move on even

sweeter.

“I know I had a lot to prove this year,” Clayton said. “I’m so

excited right now.”

Joining her at a chance for the state finals is freshman team mate

Allison Stokke. Stokke cleared 11-6 in the pole vault, third best in

Division II and tied with two others for sixth overall. The size of

the meet could have and her relative newness in the sport, she just

picked up the sport in December, had a factor on Stokke finishing two

inches below her personal best.

“Allison’s never pole vaulted in front of this many people

before,” Kay said. “She’s never done it with people in the stands

right in front of her like this.”