Discus

BOYS' TRACK & FIELD Huntington Beach 78, Newport Harbor 58 NEWPORT BEACH - Sailors senior Ethan Cochran improved on his nation-leading discus mark, winning the event with a throw of 207 feet, 5 inches at the Sunset League meet Thursday. Cochran, bound for UC Berkeley, also won the shot put with a personal-best 61-9. Steve Michaelsen (second in shot put, 56-7; second in discus, 182-3), Marty Taylor (third in shot put, 55-10; fourth in discus, 160-7) and Javier Venegas (fourth in shot put, 55-4; third in discus, 172-10)

BOYS' TRACK & FIELD CIF Southern Section Division 2 prelims MOORPARK - Newport Harbor High senior Ethan Cochran qualified first in the discus and second in the shot put Saturday at Moorpark High to advance to the finals next week at Mt. San Antonio College. Cochran's mark in the discus was 196 feet, 1 inch. Steve Michaelsen qualified third at 178-4 at Marty Taylor qualified eighth at 165-10. Cochran threw 60-1½ in the shot put. Steve Michelsen qualified third at 56-0 and Taylor qualified fifth at 54-1½.

COSTA MESA — At Fairview Park, not too far from Estancia High's Jim Scott Stadium, a reenactment of the Civil War took place. Sounds of cannons and old-time shotguns went off, nearly throwing off some of the runners' starts at the CIF Southern Section Division III track and field preliminaries. Yes, mini battles also ensued on the track and at the field events at Jim Scott Stadium Saturday. Athletes were fighting to get to next week's CIF finals. One battle wrapped with intrigue could be seen at the discus competition.

SACRAMENTO ? Newport Harbor High senior Bo Taylor won the boys' discus throw and was fifth in the shot put at the prestigious Golden West Track and Field Invitational at Folsom High on Sunday. Taylor, who was second at the CIF State Championships in both events, threw the discus 205 feet, 1 inch to top the field. Korion Morris, a senior at Renton High in Washington was second with a mark of 196-7. Taylor put the shot 59-9 3/4 in an event won by Luke Pinkelman, a junior at Cozad High in Nevada.

Richard Dunn WALNUT - While Newport Harbor High sophomore Jillianne Whitfield aims to one day become the school-record holder in the girls discus, she's still trying to educate some on what it is exactly that she does in track and field. "I know some people who don't even know what (the discus) is," said Whitfield, whose goal is to break Cara Heads' 1995 school record of 149 feet, 5 inches. Whitfield, also a field hockey and basketball standout, didn't reach her season goal of 130 feet Friday night in the CIF Southern Section Division II Preliminaries at Mt. San Antonio College.

CLOVIS — Newport Harbor High junior Cecil Whiteside qualified second in the boys’ discus throw preliminaries at the CIF State track and field championships Friday at Buchanan High. Whiteside, who was sixth at the state meet in this event last season, posted a top mark of 181 feet, 6 inches, six feet shy of top qualifier Matt Darr of Frontier High. Whiteside, who won last week’s CIF Southern Section Masters Meet with a throw of 182-5, has a personal best of 187-5.

WALNUT - Don't get Ethan Cochran wrong. He was happy to win his second straight CIF Southern Section Division 2 title in the discus Saturday. Excited? That's a different story. The Newport Harbor High senior wants more. He'll be excited for a second straight state championship. For now, he's OK with a Division 2 first-place medal. "It's not the most exciting thing because I won it last year," said Cochran, who is bound for Cal. "The more exciting thing is winning state.

With a 2011 trip to the state meet denied and a school record mark not reached, Karlèh Wilson entered this track and field season with some unfinished business. As she approaches Friday's CIF Southern Section Masters Meet at Cerritos College she is one step away from completing her mission. Wilson, the standout senior and Daily Pilot Athlete of the Week, owns the school record in the shotput. Now she's trying to qualify for the state meet, which is June 1 at Buchanan High in Clovis.

WALNUT - Don't get Ethan Cochran wrong. He was happy to win his second straight CIF Southern Section Division 2 title in the discus Saturday. Excited? That's a different story. The Newport Harbor High senior wants more. He'll be excited for a second straight state championship. For now, he's OK with a Division 2 first-place medal. "It's not the most exciting thing because I won it last year," said Cochran, who is bound for Cal. "The more exciting thing is winning state.

Ethan Cochran, Steve Michaelsen and Marty Taylor took turns heaving a rubber shot at a handball wall at Newport Harbor High Wednesday afternoon. They were training for Saturday's CIF Southern Section Track & Field Championships. All around them sounds and actions unfolded like that of a typical high school. Off to the side, football players banged at a rubber tire with a huge mallet. A few girls walked by giggling at the site. Off to the distance, a girl's voice sang, "Paparazzi," by Lady Gaga.

BOYS' TRACK & FIELD CIF Southern Section Division 2 prelims MOORPARK - Newport Harbor High senior Ethan Cochran qualified first in the discus and second in the shot put Saturday at Moorpark High to advance to the finals next week at Mt. San Antonio College. Cochran's mark in the discus was 196 feet, 1 inch. Steve Michaelsen qualified third at 178-4 at Marty Taylor qualified eighth at 165-10. Cochran threw 60-1½ in the shot put. Steve Michelsen qualified third at 56-0 and Taylor qualified fifth at 54-1½.

BOYS' TRACK & FIELD Huntington Beach 78, Newport Harbor 58 NEWPORT BEACH - Sailors senior Ethan Cochran improved on his nation-leading discus mark, winning the event with a throw of 207 feet, 5 inches at the Sunset League meet Thursday. Cochran, bound for UC Berkeley, also won the shot put with a personal-best 61-9. Steve Michaelsen (second in shot put, 56-7; second in discus, 182-3), Marty Taylor (third in shot put, 55-10; fourth in discus, 160-7) and Javier Venegas (fourth in shot put, 55-4; third in discus, 172-10)

Ethan Cochran still cannot say when he suffered his first concussion in his senior year at Newport Harbor High. He just doesn't remember. The second concussion, he knows when it happened. That is because he knows what it ended, his high school football career. "I caught an interception and I was running, and then I got tackled and my head slammed against the ground," said Cochran, a linebacker. "At that time, I thought I'd be out for like the next week and come back for the [Sunset League]

BOYS' TRACK & FIELD Irvine Invitational IRVINE - Newport Harbor senior Ethan Cochran, bound for Cal, won the discus event with a personal record 203 feet, 9 inches and was named Field Athlete of the Meet Saturday at Irvine High. Marty Taylor finished second in the shot put (52, 9 1/2) for the Sailors, whileJavier Venegas was third in the discus (162-3). Fritz Howser was fourth in the pole vault (14-0) and Titus Hasson was seventh in the 100 meters (11.51)

Ethan Cochran had more on his mind than taking his finals at Newport Harbor High this week. The senior had a big decision to make in regards to his future after high school. "Sometimes I would sit down and study and all I could think about is where I'm going for college," said Cochran, who had a handful of options. "There has been a lot of stress lately. " Cochran can breathe a sigh of relief. Finals aren't over just yet, but he believes he chose the right college on Wednesday.

Ethan Cochran went to Myrtle Beach, S.C. to win a trip to France. How did he do it? The Newport Harbor High senior-to-be won the discus event at the World Youth Track and Field Trials Wednesday at Myrtle Beach High. After winning, he was selected to represent the U.S. at the International Assn. of Athletics Federations World Youth Championships July 6 through 10 in Lille, France. "It was relieving," Cochran, when reached by phone, said of being selected to Team USA. "I went back to the school at 6:30 to find out. I had a pretty good feeling I was going to make it though.