In 2003, as a sophomore, Bushnell qualified for the Central Coast Section finals and finished eighth with a best effort of 107-9. A year later, Bushnell is a champion.

Bushnell, the only Fremont athlete to qualify through to the CCS finals, won the competition on her last of sixth throws, a personal best of 130-7. Julie Dufresne of Harbor was second with an effort of 126-6. Monica Padron of Wilcox, a rival during league competition, was third at 122-7.

For her efforts, Bushnell has earned an extra week of practice and, oh yes, a trip to Sacramento. She will compete in the California Interscholastic Federation's Track and Field championships on June 4­5 at Hughes Stadium.

High jumper Isaac Houston of The Kings Academy also is going to the state capitol. He cleared 6-4, earning second place honors.

"The top female throwers in California are among the top throwers in the nation," Bushnell enthused after her victory. "It would be incredible just to be a spectator, so to actually be competing is quite an honor."

Bushnell, who began throwing the discus in the seventh grade with her father, earned the honor by defeating seven other competitors for the CCS gold medal.

"The competition was awesome," Bushnell said. "Everyone was throwing at their best. We were all really pushing each other."

After three throws, Bushnell was third behind Padron's 122-7 effort and a 118-8 mark posted by senior Amanda Burns of Archbishop Mitty. DuFresne took the lead with her fourth throw, 126-6. Bushnell went ahead with her fifth throw, a personal record of 127-6. Then, on her sixth and final throw, Bushnell broke the 130-foot mark for the first time.

"It was really great to pull it out on my last throw," Bushnell said.

Homestead's only athlete in the CCS finals was junior shot putter Sandra Kiel. She placed eighth with a best throw of 33-9.

Other area athletes who qualified for the CCS trials but didn't make it into the finals were William Tsai (discus), Deieedra Pettigrue (100, 200), Christina Fukumoto (triple jump) and Jason Anthony (400) of Homestead, Kimberly Culclager (100, 200) of Fremont and Mary Majchrowicz (200, 400), Jessica Butelo (800) and Christina Chang (triple jump) of Kings.

Firebirds fall in semi's

Fremont seniors Dan Duog and Senthil Chidambaram won two matches in the Central Coast Section doubles tournament before bowing in the semifinals 6-2, 6-3 to Leland's Simon Cheng and Steve Richard.

Both wins came on the first day of the two-day tournament, held May 25­27 at the Imperial Courts in Aptos.

In the first round Duong and Chidambaran beat Brian Lam and Joey Nguyen of Silver Creek 6-2, 6-1. The Fremont duo also won in straight sets in the quarterfinals, beating a team from Aragon of San Mateo 7-6, 6-3.

The 16-team tournament was won for the second year in a row by Lee Gerston and Chase Huebner of Los Gatos. Jay Wong of Mitty captured the singles crown, beating Monta Vista's Ken Kao 6-4, 7-6 in the final.

Homestead's Aaron Elbert lost to Kao in the first round 6-0, 6-3.

Big inning dumps Knights

When Menlo School couldn't cash in on a bases-loaded situation in the first inning, and The Kings Academy was able to score a run in the second without hitting the ball out of the infield, the Knights may have felt that it was their night.

It wasn't.

Menlo School avenged a 3-2 March defeat by giving Kings a 13-1 shellacking in the semifinals of the Central Coast Section Division III baseball playoffs at San Jose Municipal Stadium on May 25.

Menlo won the championship four nights later, edging Scotts Valley 7-6.

In the semifinal game, Menlo took the lead with a three-run second inning, but put the game away with 10 runs in the fourth. Five hits, two walks, two hit batsmen and two errors contributed to the huge Menlo rally.

Kings, which finished the season with a 19-9 record, scored first.

Mike Perez led off the second inning with a bunt single, stole second and moved to third on a passed ball. Then, on Larry Witkovski's nubber over the mound, Perez crossed the plate when the Menlo shortstop couldn't make the play.

The only other hit against Menlo lefthander Chuck Huggans was a single by Jordan McDonald in the top of the fifth. Tyson Kornely, who was hit by a pitch in the first, and Tim Svozil, who walked in the fourth, were the only other Kings players to reach base.