Verstegen, Rugo, Reynolds top returners

By Dick Sparrer

Ben Verstegen knows what it feels like to compete at the state track and field championships.

This year, his Homestead teammates Pat Rugo and Britteney Reynolds would like to share that feeling.

They were close last year. The three Mustangs went to the Central Coast Section championships, but only Verstegen placed high enough to earn a state berth.

Now the three Homestead veterans join forces with a talented group of newcomers to give the Mustangs a solid crew of competitors for the 2002 campaign.

Verstegen, a senior, is coming off a sensational season. The speedster ran 39.41 to win the 300-meter intermediate hurdles at the CCS Sub-Section meet last spring, then followed that up with a second at the CCS semifinals in 39.46 and a third at the CCS finals in 39.09 to win a state berth.

Reynolds, a junior, also performed well at CCS, but didn't finish high enough to earn a state spot. Reynolds was fifth in the long jump at 16-8 in the Sub-Section, seventh in the semifinals in 17-2 and eighth in CCS in 16-10.

Rugo, also a junior, ran 11.8 to finish 14th in the boys 100 meters at the CCS Sub-Section.

Verstegen and Rugo, along with William Faules and freshman Chris Cook, will lead the Homestead boys team this spring, and Reynolds will be joined by sophomore Rebecca Boyle and freshman Megan Brady as top competitors for the girls squad.

The boys ran well on March 21, only to lose in the final event, the 4x400 relay, to drop a tight 66-61 dual meet decision to unbeaten Saratoga.

Faules and Rugo teamed with Eddie Sumpter and Steve Nichols to win the 4x100 relay in 43.40, and Rugo took both the sprints, winning the 100 in 11.0 and the 200 in 22.6. Sumpter was second in the 200 in 22.9.

Faules and Verstegen went one-two in the 300 hurdles. Faules was first in 40.2, with Verstegen second in 40.9.

The Homestead girls lost 96-31 to Saratoga, but Reynolds and Boyles starred for the Mustangs.

Reynolds won both the long jump at 17-2 and the 200-meter dash in 26.9, and Boyle romped to a win in the 3,200 meters in 12:02.

Reynolds, Cynthia Nguyen, Brady and Mariko Carter ran a season best 53.07 in the 4x100 relay, but finished second to Saratoga's 51.7.

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