Jhs Track Team Takes League Championship

Miranda Smelser, anchor leg with some 50 meters to go in the 2005 Citrus League Championship Girls 4x400 Meter relay.

By Bobbi Zane

The Julian Union High School track and field team captured the championship of the Citrus League and set a number of school records in the process at a meet held at Julian on May 10. Six girls and six boys went on to compete in the CIF preliminaries and, two of the girls qualified for the finals.

The girls’ team was especially powerful against athletes from five similarly sized schools in San Diego County, according to coach Bill Porter.

Senior Tyler Weiss winning the Boys 110 Meter High Hurdles in the 2005 Citrus League Championship.

Porter noted that the girls walked away with 205 points for the meet, more than twice the number the other schools scored combined. “They took first place in 11 out of 15 events,” he said. And the boys did just as well with 194 total points against the combined opposition.

Winners in the girls league competition included Ali and Miranda Smelser, who went on to earn places in the CIF preliminary competition at Mount Carmel High School later in the month. These girls are all around athletes. Miranda won the 100-meter race, high jump, and was a member of two relay teams that won first place, 4x100 meter and 4x400 meter. Ali came in second in both the long jump and triple jump. Both girls competed in the CIF finals in the long jump and high jump.

Amy Whirlow in her final race as a member of the Julian High School track and field team.

Other standouts in the girls competition was Amanda Young, who walked away with the shot put and discus competition, Amy Whirlow, who won the 100 meter high hurdles and 300 meter hurdles, and Heather Halllahan, who won the 400 meter race, 200 meter race and was a member of the two winning relay teams. Hallahan, a freshman at the school was named outstanding female athlete.

Freshman Heather Hallahan leans into the turn in the 2005 Citrus League Championship Girls 200 Meter race. She went on to win in a time of 27.34 second.

The boys did nearly as well in the league competition, taking 11 first place honors. Among the big winners in this group was David Neth, who won the 400 and 800-meter races and was on the winning relay team. Noah Sloan took the 1600-meter and 3200 meter races and was also on the winning relay team. Tyler Weiss, who won the 110-meter high hurdles, 300-meter intermediate hurdles, and was on the relay team was named outstanding boy athlete.

About 100 athletes participated in the league event. They represented six schools in addition to Julian: Mountain Empire, Guajome Park Academy, Cavalry Christian, Vincent Memorial, Hi-Town, and Children’s Creative and Performing Arts Academy.

Bill Porter, who has served as the track and field coach at various times over the last 20 years, started a new program in 2001, when the school’s track and field facilities were upgraded. “Our first team was comprised of 10 students and now we have more than 35 who participate in these events,” he said.

Photos by Scott neth