Mike Comarato of College of San Mateo and Brooke Meredith of Shasta have won the first two events of the Northern California Community College track and field championships, which conclude May 10-11 in conjunction with the Modesto Relays at Modesto JC.

Comarato won the decathlon with 6,249 points, despite trailing until the final event, the 1,500 meters (which he ran in 4 minutes and 50 seconds).

Previous event and state leader Trevor Chatterton of Diablo Valley
finished second (6,183) and Daniel Lundy of American River was third (6,112). Those are the top three marks in the state this year. Southern California champion Aaron Lewis of Mt. San Antonio ranks fourth at 5,975.

Meredith scored 4,867 points to win the heptathlon by more than 700 points over Brianna Cardenas of Yuba (4,133), and Alexis Mack of Diablo Valley (4,070). Meredith improved upon her own previous state lead of 4,679. Cardenas posted the second best mark of the year, just ahead of the 4,126 by Southern California champion Amanda McDowell of Mt. San Antonio. Mack now
ranks fourth. No other women have bettered 4,000 points this year.

The top six placers in both events qualified for the state championship at Santa Barbara City College, May 17-18.

Comarato competed with a badly bruised ankle on his left (takeoff foot), which had forced him to withdraw from the pole vault at the Bruce Jenner Classic three days before the NorCal decathlon. Ironically it was in the pole vault, the eighth event, where he made his move in the decathlon -- improving upon his season best by more than a foot to 15 feet, 2 3/4 inches. That ranks sixth in the state among all CC vaulters. Comarato was second in the state decathlon last year and also had a personal pole vault best of 15-6 last year. He has already qualified for the NorCal trials in that event.

-- Pole vault world record holder Stacy Dragila, whose proficiency as a community college heptathlete at Yuba College in 1992 earned her a scholarship to Idaho State, is a headliner for the Modesto Relays on May 11, where she plans to make her 2002 outdoor debut. Dragila is the current Olympic and World champion and was named World track and field athlete of the year for 2001.

2001 Northern California Community College Combined Events Championships at Sacramento City College, April 16-17:
(top six qualify for state championships, May 17-18, at Santa Barbara City College):

Decathlon:
1. Mike Comarato, San Mateo, 6249 [11.47 (100), 18-10 1/2 (long jump), 40-0 1/2 (shot put), 6-0 (high jump), 53.42 (400), 17.07 (110 HH), 94-9 (discus), 15-2 3/4 (pole vault), 152-2 (javelin), 4:50 (1500)];
2.Trevor Chatterton, Diablo Valley, 6183;
3. Daniel Lundy, American River, 6112;
4. Steve McKeown, Diablo Valley, 5902;
5. Michael Kouri, American River, 5832;
6. Justin May, Shasta, 5791;
7. Dan Friese, Sierra, 5634;
8. Leonardo Garcia, San Jose, 5569;
9. Justin Alvarez, Diablo Valley, 5113;
10. Mark Holsonbake, Modesto, 5113.
NorCal Men’s team scores after one event: Diablo Valley 13, San Mateo and American River 10, Shasta 3, Sierra 2, San Jose 1.

Heptathlon:
1. Brooke Meredith, Shasta, 4867;
2. Brianna Cardenas, Yuba, 4133;
3. Alexis Mack, Diablo Valley, 4070;
4. Angal Johnson, Lassen, 3946;
5. Liz Jacobsen, Yuba, 3734;
6. Tippi Nicholson, Diablo Valley, 3593
7. Rachael Mintz, Yuba, 3484
8. Maryann Brinkman, Sequoias, 3280;
9. Emilie Weichert, Modesto, 3148;
10. Rosmary Summerhays, American River, 2835.
NorCal Women’s team scores after one event: Yuba 14, Shasta 10, Diablo Valley 9, Lassen 5, Sequoias1

California Community College Cross Country & Track Coaches Association News
April 18, 2002
Contact: Fred Baer, JC Athletic Bureau, POB 5401, San Mateo, CA 94402;
Phone: 650-345-4114; Fax 650-593-5973