GHS thrower Bobby Best takes 14th in discus prelims, not enough
for final round
Gilroy – If Bobby Best was going to qualify for the discus finals at the CIF State Track and Field Championships, everything had to be perfect.
But that didn’t happen in the preliminary round Friday. The big throw that perfection would have yielded just never came.
To reach the top nine in the prelims and qualify for today’s finals, Best needed to hit a distance near 170 feet. The senior’s best of three throws at Cerritos College in Norwalk was 160-10, which finished him where he was initially seeded, fourteenth among the state’s best discus throwers.
“He needed to be perfect, the conditions needed to be perfect,” said Gilroy throwing coach Rich Martinez. “Everything needed to be perfect.”
Added Martinez, “He was really good. He just wasn’t perfect.”
Bo Taylor of the Southern Section’s Newport Harbor High won the prelims with a throw of 213-07. Defending state champ Darius Savage of the San Diego Section’s Morse High took second (212-01). The ninth and final qualifying spot went to Eric Beltran of Madera, who threw for a distance of 174-10.
Leading up to his third and longest attempt, Best showed signs that he might build up to the distance he needed to advance. The senior’s first attempt sailed 150-07 and his second flew 155-04.
“He got better and better and better, but it wasn’t quite carrying,” said Gilroy head coach Jeff Myers.
Martinez said Best’s finish just didn’t provide the length he needed.
“I think the main thing is the finish (to the throw). It wasn’t as good as he wanted it to be,” Martinez said. “He just didn’t quite have that snap.”
The only Central Coast Section thrower to qualify for today’s finals was Archbishop Mitty’s Drew Gordon, who finished sixth with a distance of 176-01.
– Three other local athletes competing at the state meet, San Benito pole vaulters Todd Merrigan and Josh Schroder and 1600-meter runner Amanda Boyd did not make today’s finals in their respective events. Both Merrigan and Schroder finished 11th at heights of 14-04. Boyd took 17th in the 1600 with a time of 5:04.79. The top nine in the event advanced.
