Sailors’ sprinter is back

Chris Yemma

The arms of the throwing squad have carried the Newport Harbor High

boys track and field team all season long, but have consistently

needed a helping hand.

That missing helpful extremity emerged Tuesday at the Sea View

League preliminaries at Irvine High, and just in time for Friday’s

finals.

From out of the surgeon’s chair arouse junior Keith Eldridge,

fresh off an appendectomy and a pulled hamstring -- the two

completely unrelated -- yet completely right in the middle of his

track season.

The defending 200-meter league champion, Eldridge rumbled his way

to the top qualifying time in the 100 Tuesday, while huffing his way

to the fourth-best 200 time.

“I can feel it for the [200] but not the [100],” Eldridge

responded when asked if the season’s down time had taken a toll on

his body. “I’ve only run a few [races] because of my appendix.”

Eldridge suffered a pulled hamstring in February, forcing him to

miss the first month of track season, and had the operation in the

beginning of March, equating to another month on the couch.

In just his fourth meet back at Tuesday’s prelims, though,

Eldridge posted the top time in the 100 at 11.75 and a season-best in

the 200 with 23.52. He is seeking a 100 title Friday and looking to

defend his 200 title.

“I think he’ll win the 100, yes,” Newport Coach Nowell Kay said.

“The 200 is a little more of a challenge this year because he doesn’t

have all that base training he had last year. He’s not quite as fit.”

Kenny Rakestraw, Nick St. Andre and Travis Mayfield qualified for

the finals in the 800, but Rakestraw will not be running the race,

mainly concentrating on the 1,600 and 3,200.

Entering Friday’s finals, Rakestraw has the league’s

second-fastest times in the 1,600 and 3,200 (the two events are not

run at preliminaries, along with the field events).

“I just used the race to boost my confidence,” Rakestraw said

after finishing the 800.