By Pete Borello

Jr. high captures 5 events at county

Three athletes from Blach Junior High in Los Altos returned from the recent Santa Clara County Track and Field Meet with championship medals.

Tori Tyler and Ben Sitler each won two running events, while Hayley Finkelstein claimed the shot put title for her division.

“They did very well, especially with it being such a hot day,” said Steve Kane, Blach’s head track and field coach and athletic director. “It was in the low to mid 90s that day.”

The meet was held May 31 at Silver Creek High in San Jose.

Tyler, competing in the eighth-grade girls division, prevailed in both the 880-yard run and mile.

Tyler ran the mile in 5 minutes, 29 seconds to win by an impressive 30 seconds.

“It’s amazing to watch her run the mile,” Kane said. “Tori just dominated - no one could keep up with her. She impressed a lot of coaches across the league.”

Tyler won the 880 in a time of 2:29. She also placed seventh in the hurdles and ran the anchor leg for the 880 relay team, which took third.

Earlier in the season, Tyler established new school records in the mile and 880.

She set the mile mark at the sectional meet (5:20.5) and the 880 record at the Valley Junior High School Athletic League Meet (2:24.9).

Sitler also owns a pair of Blach records, which he achieved at the county meet.

Despite the warm weather, Sitler set new school standards in the B division 880 and mile.

Sitler clocked a 5:02 in the mile - breaking an 11-year-old mark by two seconds - and a 2:18 in the 880. The seventh grader’s times were also league records.

“Ben’s races were more competitive (than Tyler’s),” Kane said, “but he impressed the others he ran against.”

Finkelstein tossed the shot put 32 feet, 1 1/4 inches to capture the girls C division title. A few weeks earlier at the league meet, the eighth grader broke the C division school record with a toss of 33-6.

Tyler, Sitler and Finkelstein were also sectional and league champions.

“All three are very active in athletics,” Kane said. “Tori is also an outstanding soccer player. Ben is also in a running club outside of Blach and will continue to compete throughout the summer. Hayley is an all-around athlete who has played nine out of the 10 sports seasons during her two years at Blach.”

With this triumphant trio leading the way, Blach finished among the top 10 overall at the meet, which included representatives from 37 schools.

The Falcons’ eighth-grade girls team earned a school-best fifth in its division.