Max Fields Uses Late Surge to Win 3200 Meter Race at City Track Finals
By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor
Having won the City Section cross country title in the fall, Palisades High sophomore Max Fields was the one to beat in the boys 3200-meter race last Thursday night in the last individual event of the City Track & Field Championships at Birmingham High.
Among those chasing him was Dolphins teammate Jose Sevilla and the two took turns setting the pace through the first half of the eight-lap race. By the time the bell rang to signify the final 400 meters, Fields found himself two strides behind Luis Sandoval of San Pedro and they played a game of cat and mouse until the final straightaway before Fields surged in front with 50 meters to go and held the lead to the finish.
“I was way less confident here than I was in cross country—that was a dream build up to finals and I never lost a City race all season,” Fields said. “I only won one league race in track, so I wasn’t sure what would happen today, but it definitely helped having Jose to run with. We just wanted one of us to win.”
Fields clocked 9:39.66, Sandoval took second in 9:40.22 and Sevilla was third in 9:42.64, more than 10 seconds ahead of fourth-place finisher James Jimenez of Venice. Fields had finished second to Sevilla two weeks earlier at the Western League finals and feared he might be destined to a similar fate last Thursday.
“I thought in the last 75 meters I might lose again as I felt him coming back and it was the same situation at league finals, although the pace there was slower.”
Sevilla, a senior, held off his younger teammate by two-tenths of a second to win in 9:55.71 at league finals. In the finals he was satisfied with his effort.
“I enjoy having Max as my teammate because we challenge each other in training and push each other to go faster,” Sevilla said. “You always want to have someone to measure yourself against.”
In retrospect, Fields is happy he saved all of his energy for the 3200. He had been considering running the 1600 at City finals, but he had an AP exam the day of prelims and, as he said “that took care of that.”
Jimenez did try doubling and wound up third in the 1600 behind San Pedro’s Adrian Sverlow-Mendoza (4:30.87) and Daniel Ruiz (4:31.4).
“I like the team aspect of cross country whereas on the track it’s more intricate and more volatile,” said Fields, who now turns his attention to this weekend’s state meet in Clovis. “My goal is to make an impact on the state and national level. Newbury Park’s kids are good, but maybe by the time I’m a senior I can do it.”
Zaire Peters, who posted the top mark in the shot put in prelims, settled for third at finals with a throw of 45 feet to make state. Javier Tiscareno was fourth in the 110 hurdles in 16.26 seconds, the 4×800 relay was second in 8:45.65 and the Dolphins’ 4×200 relay team won in 1:34.98.
Junior Ava Baak was third in the 800 in 2:22.76 and fourth in the 3200 in 11:51.55. Naomi Alyssa-Pippins was third in the 100 hurdles in 17.25, the 4×100 relay was fourth in 50.21, the 4×800 relay was second in 11:01.14 and the girls 4×400 relay was fifth.
Palisades earned 33 points to take fifth in the boys team standings. The girls were third with 25.50 points.
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