Jones, Pendleton Take Titles, Records

Newport Harbor’s Trevor Jones and Esperanza’s Travis Pendleton did more than win state track and field titles Saturday. The seniors took home a piece of history as well.

Jones broke a 15-year-old Orange County record in the 300-meter hurdles, winning the event in 36.60 seconds before 11,623 at Cerritos College. Pendleton toppled the state meet record in the discus with a winning throw of 203 feet 5 inches, the second-best throw in the nation this season.

More important for Pendleton, who will play football and continue throwing at Army next season, he surpassed the 200-foot barrier for the first time in his life.

“That was a huge lift off my shoulders,” said Pendleton, who finished third in state last season. “Setting the meet record was just another bonus.”

Pendleton appeared to break 200 feet at the preliminaries Friday, but an official marked the throw at 199-11. That was just the motivation Pendleton needed going into the finals, said his father and coach, Bill Pendleton.

“That looked like a bad mark,” Bill Pendleton said. “It gave him something to shoot for today.”

Pendleton’s throw was one inch better than the previous meet record, set by Capistrano Valley’s Brian Blutreich in 1985 and equaled by Redwood City’s Rob Powell in 1990.

Jones broke the county record of 36.74 set by Esperanza’s Keith Pontiflet in 1985. His time also equaled the fourth-fastest in the nation this season.

Jones came out of the turn in second place behind Steven Smith of Gardena Serra, caught him midway through the straightaway and then appeared to fall behind again heading toward the final hurdle. Jones made one last push and out-leaned Smith for the victory. Jones said it was the first time this season he came out of the turn without a lead.

“That was awesome to have him ahead of me on the straightaway,” said Jones, who will run for UCLA. “That was a real eye opener. It forced me to break that record.”

Jones missed a second state title by a lean in the 110 hurdles, but satisfied another personal goal of breaking 14 seconds. Jones was fifth after the first hurdle and moved through the pack before running out of room and finishing in 13.99, second behind Woodland Hills Taft’s Christopher Morgan (13.95).

“I was just as ecstatic after the 110s,” said Jones, who moved to No. 7 on the all-time county list in the event.

Other county hopefuls weren’t as fortunate Saturday.

Marina senior Logan Odden, the state leader in the pole vault at 16-7, couldn’t get over the 16-foot mark and finished third. Shane Hackett of Verdugo Hills finished first at 16-4 and Travis Offner of Rancho Penasquitos Mt. Carmel was second at 16-0.

Tustin junior Alonso Smith had the state’s second-fastest time in the 800 coming into the finals (1:52.87), but he dropped to the rear of the field early and couldn’t make up much ground. Smith made a move from seventh to fourth at the end of the first lap, but couldn’t generate enough speed in the final straightaway and faded to sixth in 1:53.68.

Capistrano Valley junior Kris Monte continued his improbable postseason run in the 800. Monte grabbed the final qualifying spot for Masters and state, then made a late move to finish fourth in the finals in 1:53.26, the fourth consecutive week he trimmed a second off his time. Mike Serratos of Chino Don Lugo won the event in a state-best 1:51.75.

Clarence Moore of Cypress also stepped up to the podium after finishing fourth in the triple jump with a mark of 48-3 3/4. Moore, a 6-5 senior who will play football at Northern Arizona in the fall, had the lead after the first round, but Palmdale’s Jamil Smith went 49-9 1/4 on his second jump to win the event.

Santa Margarita’s 1,600 relay team of Phil Sardis, Sean Zeitler, Adam Schmit and Bob Braun took sixth in 3:19.17.

Garrett Milner of San Clemente finished ninth in the 1,600 in 4:23.50 and Danny Mejia of Katella finished 18th in the 3,200 in 9:27.85.