TRACK: Parker Breaks Menlo Record at State

Sam Parker just gave himself a memorable graduation present.

Competing on his biggest stage to date, the Menlo School senior broke the school record in the 800-meter run in the preliminaries of the California Interscholastic Federation State Track and Field Championships on Friday night.

Parker capped his prep running days by finishing in 1 minute, 53.52 seconds – a personal-best time by over two seconds – to finish 18^th at Buchanan High in Clovis.

“I’m pretty pumped – really happy,” said Parker, the Central Coast Section runner-up. “It’s a good way to end my Menlo athletics career, although the bittersweet aspect of being done with Menlo athletics is seeping in”

Parker, who will compete in cross country and track at MIT, was in last place in his heat of 10 runners into the second lap. But then he used his trademark kick to finish fourth – completing what coach Donoson Fitzgerald called “a really smart race.”

Parker said while he was “very excited” to set the Menlo record, a more primary focus had been to exceed his previous-best mark of 1:55.67 – set at the K-Bell Invitational in his first race of the year.

“It’s taken me all season to better that time, but once I found some elite competition I think that helped,” Parker said.

Menlo-Atherton High’s Stas Della Morte wasn’t as fortunate as Parker in his bid to peak at the state meet.

The senior had hopes of capping the season by leaping 24 feet in the long jump. Della Morte’s first attempt in the preliminaries was measured at 20-6.75, and he didn’t match that leap in his final two efforts. Della Morte, who won the CCS championship a week ago at 22-10.5, finished in 24^th place.

Woodside High’s Chris Waschura enjoyed a fabulous showing in the 1,600 on Friday – shattering his personal best to qualify third for tonight’s final. Click to read about Waschura’s exploits.