TASTY RACE
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WESTLAKE VILLAGE -- The amazing track career at Newbury Park High School came to an end for senior Colin Sahlman at the Marmonte League Finals on Thursday, April 28 on the Westlake HS oval.
Sahlman, the best distance runner in the state over the better part of the past two-plus seasons, and one of CA's all-time greats, ran a 1600m and a 3200m at the league finals and then opted out of any future official high school competition.
Sahlman, who holds state records for 1600m (3:57.43 converted from indoor) and the mile (3:58.81i), and ranks No. 2 all-time in CA for 3200m (8:33.32), will continue to compete this spring, just not in CIF competition.
Last Thursday, he and junior teammate Lex Young went 1-2 in the 1600m, running modest times -- for them -- of 4:08.26 and 4:08.58, respectively. Both went under the previous league record of 4:08.89 set the previous spring by Sahlman's younger brother Aaron.
Later, the Newbury Park duo came back in the 3200m, a race that would also be the final of the season for Young, who is scheduled to compete later this spring outside of CIF competition.
"We wanted to come out here and do it for our school and for our team and help, in the 32 especially, help pace some guys get to CIF qualifications, which we did," Colin Sahlman said in this post-meet interview:
Young, actually was the winner of the 3200m league title, running 9:00.70 with Sahlman crossing just afterward in 9:01.02, both well under the previous meet record of 9:06.4 (hand-timed) by Eric Reynolds of Camarillo in 1983!
And they achieved the objective of blazing a path for teammates to move on in CIF as senior Daniel Appleford placed third (9:09.30), sophomore Dev Doshi was fourth (9:17.90), and junior Aaron Cantu was sixth (9:21.81), all of whom advanced to this Saturday's Division 1 Prelims at Trabuco Hills HS.
Aaron Sahlman was fifth in 9:21.80 but is dropping the event to focus on the 800m, where he was the league champion in 1:52.52, and ranks No. 2 in the state at 1:48.91 (behind his brother's 1:48.84).
Legendary coach and announcer Ken Reeves is on the call.
Photo and interview by Jeffrey Parenti
