Sykes fourth in invitational high jump at Bronco Invitational

When Fallbrook High School's boys track and field team opened its season March 12 with a dual meet at Westview, Fallbrook junior Mikey Sykes cleared 6'0" to win the high jump. Sykes was in the invitational flight of the multi-school Bronco Invitational meet March 14 at Rancho Bernardo High School, where his height of 6'0" earned fourth place.

"It's amazing where he's at," Fallbrook head coach Marco Arias said of Sykes' early-season heights during his junior year. "He's going to have a tremendous season."

Westview prevailed in the March 12 dual meet by an 82-54 margin. "I was very pleased the way the guys competed for our first meet," Arias said. "The returners performed very well."

Since individuals rather than teams qualify for the CIF meet, the non-league contest won't have any impact on Fallbrook's post-season other than for assessment purposes. The Warriors took first-place points in eight of the 16 events against Westview, although in three events the Wolverines swept the three scoring positions.

Fallbrook won both of the relay races at Westview. Oscar Ruvalcaba, Roberto Ramirez, Matt Kinzie, and Jack Jones had a hand-held time of 45.2 seconds in the 4x100 race. The 3:35.2 Ruvalcaba, Kinzie, Sierra Arteaga, and Jones posted in the 4x400 relay was one of Fallbrook's fastest opening-meet times the program has had.

"We have quite a talented group of 400 runners," Arias said.

Fallbrook took first and third in two individual races. Ruvalcaba won the 400-meter run in 52.5 seconds while Andy Iniesta completed his lap in 54.8 seconds. Jones was the 100-meter dash winner 11.3 seconds after the starter's gun was fired with Kinzie posting a time of 11.6 seconds.

"Jack Jones had very good times for the early season," Arias said.

John Pease won the 110-meter hurdles race in 16.3 seconds, and he also finished second in the 300-meter hurdles with a time of 42.9 seconds. Jack Grantham added a third-place point in the 300-meter hurdles with his time of 45.3 seconds.

Austin Williams also won an event while scoring in another. His first-place shot put throw of 41 feet 5 inches and his third-place discus distance of 114 feet 7 1/2 inches were both personal records for the junior.

Eli Zepeda joined Sykes and Williams as a field event winner by clearing 11'0" in the pole vault.

A time of 2:04.8 gave Elijah Roque second in the 800-meter race. Sam Comerford completed the 3,200-meter run for in 10:34.5 for second place. Iniesta had the third-place long jump distance of 17'7".

Pease was seeded 19th in the 110-meter hurdles at the Bronco Invitational, placing him in the slow heat, but he led that heat until the last lean and finished second in his heat and ninth overall with a time of 16.37 seconds. "That was a tremendous mark for him," Arias said.

Jones was seeded 19th in the 100-meter dash; his time of 11.52 seconds placed third in his heat and 17th overall.

Roque was 11th in the invitational 800-meter race with a time of 1:59.88. "That was a tremendous race," Arias said.

The time was a personal record for Roque, who hadn't previously finished an 800-meter race in under two minutes. "That's a fantastic time," Arias said.

A knee injury kept Roque from participating with Fallbrook's cross-country team during the fall. "We didn't expect this kind of performance, and he's stepping up to the challenge," Arias said.

"It's going to be exciting this year to watch all these guys grow and get better," Arias said.